Michiyo Art Studio

Michiyo is amazing! I cannot say enough good things about her classes. If you go on her website, you can see samples of her work. Okay well, you can think, amazing work does not always equal amazing teacher. However, when I took her first class with the Unilocal deal, it solidified my impression of her classes. Not only will she help you with the foundation of watercolor, she will also help you improve your painting beyond what you think you can do. I had only take a few classes of watercolor elsewhere beforehand, but I definitely can see the difference in teaching.
Her classes are 6 students max and they fill up quickly (so be sure to register early!). It’s good because the less students, the more help you can get, therefore the faster you can improve. While her classes are on the pricey side, it is definitely worth it for the smaller class size. The only con is that she only offers classes every other week — definitely wish I could take more!

I found this place on a whim a few years ago, as I found myself newly single. Lots of time on my hands and looking for a new hobby, a Groupon for a Watercolor Class caught my eye. When I arranged with Michiyo to use the groupon, she was GREAT to work with.
I am pretty terrible at drawing, but this class didn’t make me feel bad about myself! The lesson itself was really pleasant. It was a nice group, the instructions were really easy for this art-​challenged girl to follow, and I left with a really lovely piece of art. Most people were there with friends, a few were stragglers like me.
Although classes at full price are a bit steep, I think it’s worth it for a studio like this. I look forward to taking another class!

It was a good, basic class. The studio is a little hard to find, and the stairs going down to the studio are a bit treacherous. I went in the dead of winter, and arrived early to find the outside door locked. While I understand security in NYC is important, and that the studio requests that you do not arrive early, I do not understand being left out in the cold. I rang the bell over and over, and the door was not answered until 5 minutes before the class was to start. I would have happily stood outside the studio door, but did not appreciate standing in the cold on a very dark street.

I purchased a voucher but when I tried to sign up for a class the voucher was rejected. I have sent 2 emails to Unilocal but they haven’t responded. Frustrating!

I really enjoyed my Intro to Watercolor Painting class with Michiyo! I bought a voucher on Pulsd and registered for a class early since I noticed that many were filling up.
It started off with me committing a gaffe and drinking the water she gave me for the brushes, because of course I would, but the experience as a whole was soothing and fun.
Michiyo was a patient and helpful instructor and I loved learning about this new medium. It was a small class so there was plenty of individual attention. Since we were all beginners, she had us paint a very simple landscape of mountains and trees. Watercolor painting is all about control and subtlety, and my piece turned out much better than I expected (thanks to her thorough guidance!).
She broke it down in such a way that I feel inspired to experiment with watercolors on my own sometime, though I’d also love to take another class and learn more.
Do note that the location is a little tucked away on Franklin. And don’t make the silly mistake of drinking the water like I did.

This was a great experience. The details I learned about shadow and light has opened my eyes. I now see the world in a completely different point of view.

Nice time — super chill ambiance and a patient instructor. Would highly recommend going with a group of friends; ideally ones who can crack a joke to liven things up. The BYOB policy definitely added the «x» factor to make the night memorable

Friendly and fun environment. Michiyo is definitely a patient teacher and provides good feedback to students. I went with my husband and we both had a wonderful time. Brushes, coloring & paper were provided and set up for us. At the end of class, we got to take our projects home with us to keep. Will go again when I have more free time. =)

Should have posted a review sooner, but better late than never.
Michiyo is a nice, patient instructor who is willing to help with any type of painting instruction and with any painting media and supplies. She normally specializes in watercolor paints, but at my request, she helped me use watercolor pencils to create exactly what i wanted. She taught me all about different types of papers to use and which would work best with my watercolor pencils. She explained some drawing techniques to me in a very precise and easy to understand way. The Unilocal deal I found helped me save some money on my lesson and I would love to go back for another lesson in the future. The studio itself is in a nice area of TriBeCa and easy to get to. I arrived on time and Michiyo was very prompt in getting started, and her studio was set up and organized with all supplies we needed. Also, Michiyo has her paintings up on display all around the studio and they are very inspiring and beautifully done. I think she is a fine instructor all around for any level of artistic endeavors and talent.

I was very disappointed at my last lesson taught by a very young student who obviously did not have any experience teaching. I really wanted to learn something, but he could not explain what to do and kept messing it up. Michiyo sat in the corner and would chime in every now and again, but seemed to busy checking email to care. As expensive as this place is, it would have been nice to have a real teacher instead of one of her students. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone.

Fun, friendly, no-​pressure, accessible and creative class! I LOVED it. Took Intro to Watercolors — Michiyo was so supportive and sweet, was very clear about each step of our work, and totally nonjudgemental. I’ve never been an artist at all and yet feel very proud of the picture I painted in her class.
I got this class with a Unilocal Deal but would return for full price!

I have dabbled a bit with oil colours and have been hesitant about trying water colours for a long time. I took two classes here and I am much more confidant with the medium now. Overall, the studio is great (Michiyo has great taste in music!) and they limit the class to ten people. The online booking system is very convenient.
My first class was with John Park — a teacher with seemingly infinite amounts of patience. The second class was with Michiyo herself. The best thing about Michiyo’s teaching method is that she always asks for your opinion on things — be it the shade of blue to be used or the size of the brush. She also makes the class very interactive and fun.
I will certainly go back for more lessons.

I am an experienced, self-​taught artist. When I saw the Google Offer to take an evening’s watercolor technique class with Michiyo, I jumped at it and am glad I did.
I had a great time and learned a bunch while I was at it. Michiyo is an astute teacher, encouraging and correcting at the right times, sensitive to differences between students and a great role model of a working artist.
I highly recommend her classes for anyone — newby or old-​timer.

Michiyo is the best art teacher in NYC! She is so passionate about watercolor and so welcoming to her students. I definitely recommend coming to Michiyo Art Studio for an art lesson!

Michiyo is very patient and works well with all levels. My friend and I were beginners who have not painted since elementary school. She was super understanding & worked with us tirelessly to create a beautiful painting at the end of the 2 hr session. We really really like & recommend her!

I went to Michiyo’s absolute beginners watercolor class a couple of weeks ago with three friends. We’re all in non-​art related fields (accounting, IT, and medicine), had never painted before, and didn’t have very high expectations for the artwork we were going to produce that day. Well, we were blown away with the pieces that we ended up walking out with! Not only is Michiyo an incredibly talented artist, she is a very good teacher. With our lack of experience, we needed a lot of guidance and she was so patient and sweet! She went step by step through the creation of our paintings and gave everyone a lot of personal attention. The class is small (6 people that day, 8 is max) and the studio is so cozy with nice music playing the whole time. We had a lot of fun and walked out of there feeling rejuvenated. This truly is a hidden treasure and I’m so happy to have found it. I cannot wait for my next class!

I am so glad I found the deal on Unilocal and was introduced to Michiyo Art Studio. I love the flexible scheduling and teachers. Michiyo and Michael make an awesome team. They are really patient, helpful and encouraging. The art lessons are overall just a great way to relax and learn! There isn’t a set curriculum but as you learn to draw and paint, they will provide guidance and lessons as you go along.

Drawing at Michiyo’s studio is so much fun! Even though the studio space is in a basement and not spacious, it’s very neat, comfortable and welcoming. The whole class arrangement is very relaxing too. I loved how Michiyo placed paper, water color, brushes and other tools so neatly to welcome me. When I was ready to start, I felt like I was in a sort of practice, like tea ceremony.
I liked Michiyo’s teaching too, which I regard as very peaceful and philosophic. She didn’t teach everything in the beginning, but rather to observe us working on our own. She just told me the tips and techniques at the right time whenever I need it. At the end of the class, I surprised that I learned a lot new and had fun!
With some music and Michiyo’s very zen style soft talking as background, I found my experience at this place overall very fulfilling and pleasant. Her photo-​like water color paintings also gave me an awe. I just wish the background music could be more selective because sometimes it changed style suddenly and bit disturbing. But anyway, it’s a studio I would recommend!

I went to one class with Michiyo so far and I loved it. I’m definitely coming back as soon as my schedule allows me to!
Would recommend for beginners and people who are just looking to get better.

Michyo is an extraordinary artist and superb teacher. If you know what you want to achieve, she gets you to achieve it. If you don’t know what you want, she leads you to it.