Personalised photo mug: text and photo ideas for everyone
A mug is a 20 × 9.5 cm band wrapped around a cup. What reads well on it, what gets lost, and what to write for your mum, a colleague or your best friend. 325 ml ceramic mug, $23.00, shipping included.
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What prints well on 20 × 9.5 cm
The print area is a band: 20 cm wide by 9.5 cm tall (roughly 7.9 × 3.7 inches, on an 11 oz mug), a ratio of about 2 to 1. It's that shape that decides the photo, not the occasion.
- A landscape photo: a view, a dinner table, a row of cousins on a bench. It fills the band without cutting off heads.
- A cut-out subject and some text: a face or a dog isolated with the free Remove background (AI) button, and a few words beside it. It's the most readable formula.
- A portrait photo: it works, but only fills part of the band. Plan some text to go with it, or cut it out.
- Keep the key part in the middle: a mug is round, so you never see the whole band at once. Avoid a face right at the edge of the photo.
A slightly small photo saved from a chat? The Make the photo sharper (AI) button helps. The preview on the mug appears straight away, no account needed: you see where each face lands before you order.
Photo and text ideas, by recipient
Good mug text fits in three to six words and couldn't be given to anyone else.
- For your mum or dad: a photo of you as a child with them, and "Mum's coffee" (or "Mom's") or the year the photo was taken. The family template (« Famille » in the studio) does the rest.
- For your grandparents: all the grandchildren in one landscape photo, with their names underneath. A photo from the last family meal is all you need.
- For a colleague: the team photo and an office catchphrase, or the thank-you template (« Merci ! » in the studio) for a leaving present. Stick to humour the whole department shares.
- For your best friend: the terrible photo only the two of you understand, and the line that goes with it.
- For your partner: your date in numbers, a place, a pet name. The Love template if you're happy to go all in.
- For someone who adores their dog: the dog cut out, its name, and the Best dog template.
- For new parents: the baby's photo and date of birth, with the Hello baby template.
No idea what to write? The studio suggests text ideas by occasion, and the ready-made text styles take care of the layout.
Mistakes to avoid on a mug
- Text that's too long: a two-line sentence becomes unreadable on a band 9.5 cm tall. Save it for the card.
- A full-frame portrait photo with nothing beside it: an empty strip on each side, and the face looks small.
- A group that's too wide: twenty people across 20 cm means faces a centimetre high. Beyond five or six people, go for a frame instead.
- A dark or backlit photo: on white ceramic it comes out dull. Choose a bright photo.
- The joke they won't get, or won't dare leave on their desk: think about where the mug will actually be used.
Budget: one mug, two mugs, ten mugs
The mug costs $23.00 shipping included, one at a time. To round it off, a pack of ten identical A6 postcards at $26.00, with the same photo, makes a small set. For a team or a family, the discount kicks in on its own in the same basket: −10% from 10 items, −15% from 25, with different products mixed.
Printing and delivery take 5 to 10 working days in the UK, Europe and the US, up to 15 elsewhere, and you can have it delivered straight to the person. For a mug with a pet on it, see also the dog or cat photo mug.
Prices include shipping, no minimum order. Printed to order near the delivery address, delivered in 5 to 10 working days in the UK, Europe and the US, up to 15 elsewhere.
Questions we get asked
What should I write on a personalised mug? Three to six words meant for that person: a name ("Grandma's coffee"), a date, a nickname, a line only the two of you share. Short text is what stays readable on a band 9.5 cm tall.
What photo should I put on a mug? A landscape photo, or a cut-out subject with some text beside it: the print area is 20 × 9.5 cm, more than twice as wide as it is tall. Avoid groups of more than five or six people.
How much does a personalised photo mug cost? $23.00 shipping included, for a 325 ml ceramic mug that is dishwasher and microwave safe.
Is the photo mug dishwasher safe? Yes, the ceramic mug is dishwasher and microwave safe.
Make my mugNothing is sent before you order: the preview is generated in your browser.
Read next: the dog or cat photo mug · personalised gifts on a small budget · the in-joke gift
