Pinot’s Palette – North Austin

I really enjoyed it here!
My friend arranged a girl’s night out and we had a room in the back… we brought our own appetizers and drinks and socialized before class began.
Our subject was «psychedelic peacock» and it was so vibrant and fun!
I was a little scared because I haven’t painted something in years (sad to say, like, when I was a teenager) but the instructor was awesome in providing easy steps as you go.
They have everything set up for you… the paint, water, easel, napkins, aprons… dryers and sinks in the other room… she played 80’s music in between. The entire class lasted over 2 hours and was $ 35.
I would definitely go back since there are so many awesome subjects to paint… as well as it being a really good creative escape.
These classes are brilliant ideas… great for everyone! *No painting skills required ;)

Great location, amazing atmosphere, and awesome people!

SO much fun!!! We’ve been to this location a few times now, and every time we come away with a beautiful painting and great memories!

A friend of mine received a gift certificate for $ 90 to Pinot’s Palette for her birthday. She didn’t realize it expired. We will spend our time at Painting With A Twist. More choices, more classes, better service, good times. This is the response from PP:
From: Pinot’s Palette — North Austin [mailto:northaustin@pinotspalette.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2015
Unfortunately, we are unable to honor gift certificates once they expire. I can offer a discount code for your friend, and hopefully that will help a little. Please let her know that she can use the code RICHART for 15% off when signing up for a class. I apologize that the gift certificate is now inactive, but I hope that she will still come paint with us sometime. Thanks for checking!
Cheers,
Emily Morris
Pinot’s Palette — North Austin
(512) 249‑9672

We visited this location last night for a birthday celebration and it was very disappointing. The room was miserably hot and it seemed no one was interested in making it cooler.
Also, the artist had not painted this particular picture previously and the result at the end of the evening was a room full of somewhat less than impressive Starry Night pictures.
I had a really good experience here once before and ended up with a nice picture, but I won’t try it again.

Sooooo the latest thing to do (according to facebook and pintrest) with your girlfriends or significant others seems to be BYOB painting and there are LOTS of options around town to do so. I really like Pinot’s Palette franchises because they provide glassware, ice, and a good long stretch of counter to put your food. Also, they seem less cramped overall and allow you to pump your own paint.
This location does discount codes on their Facebook page for various classes and a private room in the back with full easels. A nice touch over other locations.
PS, while I like painting here the best, you will not become picasso. Or at least, I didn’t, and it’s definitely not the instructors fault.

Just had a painting class tonight for a friend’s birthday party. It was so much fun!!! The instructor (forgot her name, but she was a middle school teacher as well) was very helpful/​fun. I want to do this again, but MORE WINE!

I’ve been to several other businesses around Austin of this type. Pinot’s is way out in front.
They gave great instructions that everyone could understand and allowed enough time for the entire process — we weren’t rushed at the end.
They also set up bottles of water, plasticware, etc — none of the others did that for guests.
Last we felt at home. They invited guests to get more paint, change colors, anything needed.

Man — this place is great!
The instructor, super helpful so it didn’t feel as though I’ve never painted a thing in my life.
Very well set up so everyone has enough room to paint and have a snack and a glass of wine. The music was fantastic.
We got a Groupon for this place for several of us and I have to admit, I’d come back and purchase a session with some more girlfriends without the Groupon.
If you’re looking for a great group activity that is low key and fun, and if you’re looking to channel your inner Picasso, this is the place.

I FREAKING LOoooooOOOOVE THIS PLACE.
I am an artist at heart. but it has been suppressed because I got burnt out and needed to pay the bills. Being a grown up sucks. I digress.
I don’t know how I’ve gone this long without coming here. SOoo even though I’m neurotic and need everything to look perfect. This helped my inner child (who drinks) surface and go wild. I was super concentrated on my strokes. A-​OOO that’s what I said. Actually so concentrated I forgot to drink but Gina C. kept me in check. What are great friends for? «Hey let’s get you drunk an put paint in front of you!»
The vibe is full on instant fun! Great music (with a few duds i.e. ReckingBall came on and everyone boo’d that out) the gals there were helpful and inviting. They were super encouraging or wait. just wonderfully nice liars? Either way they made me feel loved and nurtured. Total safe place. Everyone there had some good clean-​dirty fun!
They supply the canvas, brushes, bottle openers, ice buckets, serving items for food and snacks. Little cubbyholes for personal items you want to keep clean. Every little detail is thought out.
My only gripe because I’m anal. were the brushes. And yes of course I’m blaming the brushes on my terrible monstrous painting that looked nothing like the original, hah. I would most likely bring my own. because that’s how I am.
Highly recommend this! For either girls night, double dates, single dates, parties, do it, it’s fun!

Don’t let your lack of painting experience sway you away from this place. I have zero experience and I turned out a pretty decent piece of «art.»
You sign up online and pre-​pay for your spot. If you are with a group, just mention in the notes section that you want to be seated together. I paid $ 35 for a two hour class. It’s also B.Y.O wine, beer, soda, whatever drink and snacks. They provided bottled water.
We had a girls’ night out here and it was nice to get out, have some wine and paint. Can’t say painting is very relaxing for me since I don’t naturally know how to do it, but the great part about this place is they don’t pick overly complicated pictures to paint and they walk you through each step. For example, «From the left, top corner of the canvas, take your hand and measure two hands across, make a dot. Then, from that dot, measure three fingers down and make another dot. Then, mix one scoop of blue to three scoops of red. With your now purple mixture, connect the dots with a wavy line.»
When we arrived, everything was already set up; canvas, paints, brushes etc. They had one mic’ed up instructor that could be heard loud and clear, as well as another employee walking around holding examples of the steps. There was a nice pace to the class and it didn’t feel rushed. Plenty of time to take breaks. I do agree that the brushes were a little mangled but they still got the job done. Also, the instructors were really nice and encouraging.
This made for a unique, fun and well organized experience. I’d totally do this again.

Had a great time enjoying painting during an open studio when you get to pick any painting from a catalog to do. Neat seeing all the different styles and choices people made. A variety of women and men young and mature attended a full class of roughly 20. Took longer than the 2 hrs it said in my email but a good extra time to let the wine wear off. I will return with more friends next time!

I had a great time here with a friend on Friday night. It’s a great way to «wine» down after a long week. You can take your own wine (or beer) and snacks. Their usual fee is somewhere around $ 35, I think we paid $ 23 with a Groupon.
The staff is very friendly and encouraging and I have a very good time just enjoying myself. There is no pressure to do anything a certain way. I would definitely go again.
My only suggestions to make it even better would be that they get stools with backs. Three hours is a very long time to sit with no back support. I also felt like the instructor didn’t give super clear instructions on some of the paintings. She kind of rushed along, gave instructions once, and then blasted the music and I was lost one on some things. Also, they were very generous with the paint, but didn’t give us anything to mix the paint on, so we were kind of trying to mix the paint in a tiny little corner of our palette which was just dumb. They use paper plates for palettes and it was just stingy to not give everyone an extra paper plate. Lastly, the brushes they gave you to use were horrendous. They have only been open for about three weeks and these things were like painting with what you might find in a third grade classroom; seriously mutilated brushes.
I still would suggest this place for a good time out; it’s not like you’re trying to create a masterpiece to hang in your grand entrance. I would definitely go back!