How to Throw a Paint Party at Home

You’re tired of the typical date night on the couch, backyard birthday parties make you yawn, and wine nights with your friends just don’t excite you anymore. 

But how do you spice things up? What would make your gatherings a little more fun and memorable? 

Two words. Paint party.

A paint party is an experience you didn’t know you needed. It lets you show off your creative side while you paint your heart away, leaving behind any stress or pressure to make your work of art technically perfect. They’re great for any sized group, and they’re customizable. 

Painting with friends sounds great, you think. But what do I do if we can’t make it into a classic paint and sip studio? 

Well, you host it at your home, of course!

By throwing a paint party in the comfort of your own home, you get all the advantages of the group painting experience with none of the drawbacks (like having to be in a noisy bar with strangers, needing to drive to the location, and not getting to wear your pajamas!).

But what exactly is a paint party? And how do you throw one?

We’ve got you. Keep reading for the ultimate guide to hosting a paint party at home that will have all of your guests raving once it’s over (and everyone else wishing they were invited!). 

What’s a paint party?

Picture this. You and your friends or family members (or even coworkers..they like to have fun too!) are following painting instructions in written or video form as you learn how to paint your next masterpiece. You’re mixing paint, covering your canvas in different hues, and laughing the entire time. Plus, there’s vino and snacks.

That’s a paint party.

You’ll create a painting of your choosing from start to finish (and hopefully hang it proudly on the wall once you’re finished!). 

Not artsy? No such thing. The instructions are easy to follow, and creative interpretation is encouraged. Plus, the main point is to have fun and enjoy the process.

Are you in? Let’s walk you through how to throw a paint party everyone will love.

Decide how to host the party

So you’re throwing a paint party at home. But just because you’re throwing it from your own house doesn’t mean that everyone else needs to be in the same room with you to start painting.

Thanks to modern technology, you can host a paint party through video conferencing sites like Zoom. This means you can be in your pajamas, you don’t have to clean up for guests, and you still get to paint a unique painting while hanging out with some of your favorite people. 

If you’re going to have the paint party virtually, you and your guests will need to download the video application you plan to use. Once you’ve decided the date and time (more on that later!) you can send out the virtual invite links, share your screen during the event, and start painting together.

Virtual painting events are perfect for when the people you want to invite all live in different places, or getting together in person just isn’t an option. 

Of course, nothing beats having all of your friends in the same room while you create your masterpieces. If you want to host the party at your home in person, go for it! 

In-person paint parties could be inside or outside, depending on your preference. Outdoor paint parties are perfect during nice weather, and they make potential paint messes less stressful. But if the weather isn’t great or you don’t have the outdoor space, an indoor paint party is perfect too. 

Send out invites with the date and time

You’ve committed to the paint party, but when should you throw it?

It’s best to give your guests at least two weeks’ notice, especially if it’s a larger group. Choose a date and time that you think works best for everyone, such as after work, after school, or on the weekend. 

If you’re not sure when would be best, but you want as many people as possible to be able to come, send out a survey. This will help you pick a date that works for everyone.

Your paint party should be at least two hours long to give your guests enough time to finish their painting and have a little downtime too.

Once the date and time are set, create your invites!

These don’t need to be fancy unless you want them to be. If your paint party is virtual, sending an e-vite with the video link is perfect. If it’s a small group of people, you could even text or call them. Sending out official paper invites is always an option too.

Remind guests to let you know if they’re coming, so you can plan accordingly!

Choose your painting

Before you can decide which paint colors and supplies to buy, you need to figure out what exactly you’re painting.

Unless you’ve invited over a bunch of Picassos, it’s a good idea to choose a picture that’s simple in its colors and technique. This means a base of primary colors and some simple images. 

Remember, your main goal is to have fun and use your creativity. It’s okay to opt for a more abstract painting instead of a super realistic one. A painting that’s good for all skill levels will ensure everyone has a good time. 

Some great options for beginners might include a simple landscape with rolling hills or a beautiful sky full of colors. 

It’s also a good idea to consider what your guests’ interests are. Do they enjoy nature? Choose a fun desert scene or a collection of flowers. Do you all love animals? You could choose a picture of an owl, bird, or fish to paint.

What season you’re throwing your paint party during could help you choose an image too. A snowy wonderland scene is perfect for winter, while a snapshot of the beach or a sailboat is great for warmer months.

Don’t worry too much about whether the painting will be too difficult. The painting you choose will have step-by-step instructions plus a link to a video tutorial, making sure all of your paintings turn out great. 

Gather the painting supplies

You’ve picked your painting, so now it’s time to stock up on materials.

First things first, paint. Acrylic paint is recommended because it dries quickly and is easy to use. 

Choose the colors needed for your specific painting, keeping in mind that staples like white and primary colors will allow you to create lots of other colors too.

Next, you’ll need canvases. While a stretched canvas is the norm, feel free to mix it up! You could paint on wood, plastic, cloth, or any other material you can think of. Just make sure you’ve chosen paint that works on your material.

Other items you’ll need to stock up on are paint brushes, easels, and smocks. You’ll also want cups, paint palettes, and paper towels for mixing paint (and cleaning up any spills). 

Sound like a lot of things to put together yourself? No worries! We’ve got you covered. 

Creatively Boxes have all the supplies you’ll need in them. Simply pick out a painting you’d like to do, choose your group size, and voila! You’re all set.

The only items not automatically included in the box are paint brushes, but you can select those as add-ons if needed.

This option is especially perfect if you’re throwing a virtual paint party. Just have each participant buy their own box and have it shipped right to them. So easy!

With your supplies all ready to go, it’s time to plan the rest of the party.

Put together the party supplies

The most important materials, the painting supplies, are out of the way, which means it’s time for the fun part. The food, drinks, and decorations!

To make your event stand out, consider adding a theme. You might create a theme based on the painting you’ll be creating or choose a theme that coincides with what you’re celebrating. Picking out fun decorations that go together works well too! 

Painting a tropical scene? Turn the paint party into a luau with decorative flowers, coconuts, and fun sunglasses. Celebrating a birthday? Purchase party hats, balloons, and streamers to liven up your home. Themed parties are the best parties.

If you’re not interested in going all out when it comes to decorating, don’t worry. Even something as simple as picking out a colorful plastic table covering to paint on will do the trick.

Once you’ve gathered all your decorations, it’s time to decide on snacks and drinks.

Since you and your guests will have your hands full with paint brushes, choose simple bite-sized foods that are quick and mess-free. Think chips, veggies, fruits, crackers, cheese, pretzels, or cookies. Pizza is always a party favorite too!

Want to make it a paint and sip party? Pick out a few drinks you think your party guests will enjoy. These could include sodas, wine, lemonade, mocktails, coffee, hot chocolate, or tea. 

Set up for the party

It’s almost show time. If you’re having everyone over to your home, start prepping for the event.

Paint can get a little messy sometimes, especially when you add in food, drinks, and a party-like atmosphere. To make sure your home stays sparkly clean, cover the area where you’ll be painting with a plastic tablecloth. Move any furniture or objects that you definitely don’t want paint-splattered out of the way too.

The most important aspect of the set up is the painting area (and the second is the snack table!).

If everyone will be painting on their own easel, make sure each person has a chair and all the supplies they’ll need. This means each person should have:

• Canvas
• Paint
• Paint brushes (small and large)
• Cup of water for rinsing their brush
• Paper towels
• Palette paper (or paper plate)
• Smock
• Reference picture
• Printed instructions (if applicable)

Try to space everyone out a little bit so the supplies aren’t cramped and things (like cups of paint, water or full wine glasses) are less likely to get knocked over.

If you’re limited on space, that’s okay! Have people share things like water cups or instructions if they’re sitting close to one another. 

Don’t forget to set up the food and drink station too. No need to get fancy, simply spread out the food and drink options and leave things like napkins, plates, cups, and utensils on the table for people to use if needed.

It’s a good idea to choose drinking cups that look different than the paint cups. Otherwise, your guests might accidentally start sipping on some murky paint water instead of their soda. 

After you’ve set up the painting area and prepared the food and drinks, it’s finally time to party!

Enjoy and document your paint party

It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for. Your guests are in front of their easels with a paint brush in one hand and a drink in the other. 

Now all that’s left is to read the instructions together, or hit play on the video tutorial and start painting!

Take your time as you paint and remind your party guests not to stress out about any mistakes that are made. The fun of it is in the process.

Feel free to play music to liven things up, take food breaks when needed, and don’t forget to take pictures along the way. 

Let your painting dry after you’ve finished, before transporting it. If you used acrylic paint, it’ll take no time at all (but a blow dryer can speed things along). This way, you won’t accidentally smear your work or get paint on anything.

Don’t forget to snap photos of everyone with their finished pieces, as well as a group shot!

Get ready to host your next paint party

Once your painting is finished and the party is over, feel free to show everyone you know your beautiful creation.

Think you can do a better job next time or just want another dose of fun? Well, there’s always another paint party to host now that you’re a pro.

Creatively is here to make your future paint parties as easy and memorable as possible. Contact us today!