How to Host a Do It Yourself Paint and Sip at Home!

* PLEASE NOTE - WE DO NOT PROVIDE PAINT & SIP SERVICES *
(We can help with framing your pieces after they're completed though!) 

Paint and sip parties are a fun and popular way to get together with loved ones, and they make for an excellent birthday party, date night or gathering for the girlfriends. In Perth, there are many local paint and sip businesses offering paint nights and private parties, but if you love planning events yourself, a DIY paint party is a great option.

Putting on a do it yourself paint and sip party isn't hard. Simply decide what you want to paint, gather your paint supplies and put together a sip kit for your guests. If you don't have an in-person tutor to walk your guests through the painting process, simply find a good online tutorial with clear step-by-step instructions.

In this guide, we explain how to host a paint and sip party, including what supplies you need and how to make the clean up easy. Plus, some ideas on what to do with your finished paintings.

How to host a paint and sip party: Step-by-step

Follow the steps below to create a DIY paint party that your guests love.

Step 1: Choose a location to host your paint party

Consider how much space you will need to fit all of your guests, as well as a drinks and snack station. Paint parties with a small group work well at home, and if you have the space, you can hire extra tables to accommodate more guests.

If space is limited at home, larger groups might be more comfortable in a roomier venue. Ask at local halls, community centres and art clubs about hiring a space for your party.

Unable to gather with your loved ones because of lockdowns or distance? You can also host a virtual paint party via video chat.

Step 2: Decide what to paint

When deciding what to paint at your party, go with something that is accessible to beginners, even if some of your guests have experience with painting. The chosen artwork should be easy to recreate, while having some room for creativity and personal flair. Keep in mind that abstract art can be more forgiving and approachable than highly realistic paintings.

Here are some ideas for choosing what to paint:

• Got a party theme? Paint something that matches your theme.
• Search online to find beginner friendly painting tutorials.
• Try a paint-by-number template.
• Narrow it down to three paint ideas and let your guests vote on what they want to paint.

Step 3: Find a teacher

If you have some art skills, you might decide to guide your guests through the painting yourself. You should do the painting yourself beforehand so that you have a sample painting your guests can refer to when creating their own artworks.

Before the party starts, break down the painting process into bite-sized steps. When teaching, you should walk your guests through each step, one at a time, pausing in between for the guests to copy you. Consider having a longer pause when you reach half way so that guests can get up, mingle and refill their wine glasses.

Alternatively, you can hire a professional artist to teach the class or find an online tutorial that you can play on a large screen so that everyone can see.

Step 4: Invite your guests

Send invitations to your guests, explaining everything they need to know about the event. Some guests may be nervous to paint, especially if they have no experience. You can reassure your guests by saying the paint party will be a fun opportunity to hang out in a group, and 100 percent beginner friendly with no painting experience necessary.

Consider if you want your guests to bring anything to the party, such as their own apron or snacks to share with the group.

Step 5: Gather your art supplies

Art supplies you'll need for a do it yourself paint and sip include:

• Paint brushes in a range of sizes
• Acrylic paint or craft paint in a range of colours
• Paint palettes (or ice-cream tub lids wrapped with aluminium foil)
• Water cups
• Paper towels
• Blank canvas
• Easels
• Aprons
• Table cloths

Step 6: Set up your paint and sip stations

Start by setting up your tables and laying out protective tablecloths. On the table, set up a personal paint station for each guest.

Your painting kits should include:

• A palette with range of coloured paints (you only need a pea sized ball of each colour on the palette)
• Water cup with clean water
• 3-5 paint brushes of different sizes
• Paper towel
• Blank canvas and easel

Consider whether you will set up a help-yourself drinks and snacks station or give your guests a personal sip kit and snack plate at their paint station.

Wine is the traditional drink at paint and sip parties, but you can change up your drink options depending on who is on your guest list. Be sure to include a few non-alcoholic drinks for anyone who would prefer these.

Good snack ideas for a DIY paint and sip party:

• Cheeseboard
• Crackers and dip
• Chocolates, lollies and other sweets
• Sushi
• Cocktail sandwiches

Bonus: Tips for cleaning up

• Set up a cleaning station so that guests can wash their hands, clean their brushes or refill their water cup whenever they need.
• Provide aprons or ask guests to bring their own.
• Use tablecloths on all tables for a quick and easy cleanup.
• Choose water soluble paints to avoid any nasty stains.
• Soak used paint brushes in water straight away after the event to prevent paint drying on them.
• Wipe up any paint spills on hard surfaces straight away.

Displaying the new masterpieces

Whether your guests are accomplished artists or doing their first painting ever, creating an original artwork is always exciting. Instead of leaving the finished paintings in storage, encourage your guests to frame their canvas ready for display.

Looking for an affordable framing studio in Perth? Ask about our  canvas framing and  canvas stretching services at Portfolio Picture Framers. We'll make sure your paint and sip artworks are displayed in an eye-catching way, while sticking to budget. Our picture framing and stretching services are done in-house, which means we can offer our customers excellent quality and factory direct prices.

Call us for a quote today on (08) 9330 5884.