In Part 1 of this tutorial, we will start with basic shapes and learn how to edit them to create a more complex object – a coffee mug. It is for beginners who feel like they are ready to move on from simple shape tools, and start learning about paths and the Node tool . To learn even more about the Node tool, see Lesson 3.3 in Inkscape for Artists–Step by Step. In Part 2 of this tutorial, we will learn how to use gradients and filters to create a realistic effect. It is for intermediate or advanced skill levels.

Draw a rectangle and a long, thin ellipse (oval) and place them on top of each other, aligned like in the left image below.
Select both of them, either by dragging the Selection tool around both, or hold the Shift key while you click them one at a time.
Click Path menu > Intersection to create the object which will eventually become the main part of the mug — the blue cup, below right.

Follow the video below to learn how to give some depth to that flat blue cup. You can stop and start it while you practice on your own Inkscape canvas. (Use the full screen button to see the smaller details better.)

And you end up with the main cup part of the mug, like below.

After that, creating the handle is the most challenging part of this basic line drawing. If you’re a sketch artist, or perhaps you’re using a graphics tablet, you might want to hand-sketch the handle. But teaching that is beyond the scope of this tutorial. Below and second from the left you can see the shapes the author used to help fashion a handle.

Create 2 more ellipses (ovals) of a size needed to form the handle you want for your mug. Switch to the Selection tool and select both ovals at the same time. Click on them a 2nd time, to reveal the rotation arrows, shown in the red circle below far left. Rotate them to the angle you need.
If you want to use a circle to help make your handle, draw it with the Ellipse tool , and move it into the position you need.
Select the extra 2 sides of the cup that were created in the video. (Around the timestamp 0:40 to 1: 05 they were duplicated, colored pink/purple, and set aside for later. They were made with a bright color to help avoid confusion.) Now it’s “later”, so move them back into their original position above your drawing, like in the image 2nd from the right, below. Click the ‘Move to top’ button on the tool controls bar, to make sure it’s above everything else in z-order.
Duplicate the colored cup sides. Hold the Shift key while you click on one of the diagonal ovals, so that they are both selected. Click Path menu > Cut Path.
Now it looks like nothing, or at least not much happened. But actually, the 2nd copy of the colored paths has disappeared. And when you click on the oval, now you can see that it has been cut into pieces. Delete the pieces that will not be part of the handle, as in the far right image below.
Repeat step 4 for the other diagonal oval, and the circle, if you made one. After you finish the handle, you can delete the colored paths.
If you think you might need to move your finished cup around, you could select all the parts of the cup, and click Object menu > Group, or the button on the commands bar. This will keep all the parts together as you move it. Although in Part 2, you might need to Ungroup it.
If you plan to move on to Part 2 of this tutorial, be sure to save this SVG file.

Below left is our finished mug. And on the right, a few more lines have been added to help guide us in making it look realistic, in Part 2 of this tutorial.

Part 2 of this tutorial will teach about using gradients and filters to change this from a basic line drawing, and help to create a realistic style. When it’s finished, it may not look totally real, but it will be hard to notice any lines at all!

If you get stuck on this tutorial, or have questions or comments, please feel free to visit our forum where you can ask for help. Or share your Inkscape artwork, or just visit and say Hello! To learn more about Inkscape, you might want to look at Inkscape for Artists: Step-by-Step. If you enjoyed this tutorial, you can find more in the menu at the top of this page.