Paint Nite

I did a Canvas Paint & Sip class a few weeks ago and loved it so I signed up for a Paint Nite. Unfortunately, my experience with Paint Nite was very negative. Our instructor, Emily, was a nice person, but she wasn’t a great teacher. I do think this was partially due to the poor setup of the room in Canyons Restaurant. it was an «L» shaped room so there was no good place for Emily to stand for everyone to be able to see. In this situation, she maybe could have spent a little extra time showing everyone the steps, but instead, everything she did was rushed and confusing. When we asked her questions, she acted like we were such a burden and would spend maybe 20 seconds with us before rushing off. I feel like she spent most of her time making jokes about being on acid and singing into the microphone rather than being an instructor. Don’t get me wrong, I was there for a fun night too, but it turned out to be totally disappointing. Like I said, I’ve done a canvas paint night before and had a great overall experience, so I don’t think I had unrealistic expectations, I just think this was a poor setup (room, lighting, instructor, etc) and didn’t set everyone up for success.

Just did my 2^nd paintnite in Seattle. It would be awesome to see venues for non-​wine drinkers (beer, cocktails), but this was a blast with our small group!
We had an instructor Kaylyn that was awesome and so much fun!

HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!
My girlfriend has a very hectic schedule and found a particular night that would work, and the painting was perfect for us. There was only 1 ticket left though, so I reached out to the artist, who had the Paint Nite team provide me with e-​mail instructions on how to purchase additional tickets for the event.
You would think that they would be friendly to someone wanting to give them extra business, but no. The process to purchase an additional ticket was way too cumbersome and the instructions were confusing (process requires you to handle through e-​mail, and the customer service agent was rude!). I finally got the second ticket.
Unfortunately, my girlfriend had to fly out of town last minute, so we couldn’t attend. Per their 48-​hour policy, I was to notify them by Sunday 6:00pm to cancel or change my 6pm Tuesday session. I e-​mailed them at 6:00am Monday (36-​hours notice). They held firm to their 48-​hour policy, even under my extenuating circumstance (even after complaining and asking to speak to a supervisor, which the agent wouldn’t let me do). I doubt they would have reacted to my request before Monday morning anyway. I tried finding some friends to go in my place, but none could go that night. I just had to eat the cost of the tickets.
I understand then not wanting people to abuse their cancellation policy, but they would not work with me whatsoever. Not even to let me switch to a different night, at least not without a $ 20 fee per ticket.
FIND ANOTHER ONE OF THE DRINK-​AND-​PAINT COMPANIES INSTEAD! DO NOT USE PAINT NITE!

Last night was my first time attending a Paint Nite event, but I have attended similar «paint and drink» events. There are a few things that differentiate the two major painting event companies, and I will do my best to review Paint Nite in reference to the differences I noticed.
Paint Nite mostly has events in the Seattle-​Seattle South area, but my sister and I were lucky enough to go to an event last night in Lynnwood at the Old Spaghetti Factory. The painting, a vase and branches of snowberries, was beautiful and compared to other paintings we have done, was easy-​ish to follow on your own. This is important to note, which I’ll touch on later in my review.
The room we painted in was at the back of the restaurant. There was plenty of lighting but most of it was dim. We selected a table that had a convenient view of the example painting up on an easel. The downside (or difference) with Paint Nite is their events do not include a first beverage. Not a big deal, but it is a difference. We did have one server assigned to our group but my sister and I went to the nearby bar to order our drinks.
The event quickly and promptly started at 7:00pm and we got right into things. It was nice that our instructor had a headset so her voice was magnified in the room — made it helpful to hear her instructions. However, many of us felt she rushed through the «instruction» part of painting (paint blends, where to paint, etc) and because of this, it was easier to do it on our own. I had taken a picture of the example before the event started, which I frequently referenced through the night to make sure I was «following along». The instructor did walk around with her example as each step was completed, but I felt like I was floundering most of the time. Unlike the other event that I’ve attended (a painting event competitor), where the instruction was thorough and repeated multiple times, this event was «one and done». If you didn’t hear it the first time, you had to do your best do figure it out.
About half way through we stopped for 15 minutes to let our paintings dry before we added details. At this point it got a little bit easier, but I found it increasingly difficult to see my painting because of the dimly lit room and many of us pulled out our cell phones and used the flashlight. The teacher did have a photographer’s umbrella light (not sure what it’s called) for extra brightness, which was somewhat helpful.
The rest of the night finished like it started — what felt like rushed instruction and then COPIOUS amounts of time for us to paint. I would have really liked if she had been more thorough with her instructions and repeated a couple of times.
All in all I had a fun time and I like my painting, but based on the differences and why I liked the other event better, I’ll probably do their events more likely in the future. Bonus points to Paint Nite, though, for having bigger canvases!

Amanda was great! Very fun experience. Very relaxing, even therapeutic. Wine wasn’t too expensive (we did ours at a winery).
Make sure to check for a groupon!

It just so happened that the night of our winery tour, Ward Johnson Winery was hosting one of its weekly Paint Nite’s. We thought it would be fun to give it a try and lucky for us there was still room to join! We spent the evening drinking wine and exploring our artistic side! This was such a memorable experience & we had so much fun! The instructor was so patient and took us step-​by-​step (which is crucial when you are a beginner like myself). I felt comfortable and it was just nice to spend the evening exploring my artistic side. I would definitely participate in another Paint Nite!

A group of friends and I painted at the Harmon Tap Room in Tacoma last night — this would have been a 5-​star, but the service was unfortunately pretty awful — there was one server for all 30+ of us. Katana, our instructor, was fantastic — fun, helpful, and supportive. We are already looking at signing up for another night!

Such a great night out!
Their site is easy to navigate. Just pick a painting, location or day that works for you. I will say they sold out quickly of a few paintings but I think that was because a groupon was expiring.
Wasn’t sure what to expect when showed up. So we showed up early to make sure got seats next to each other. The instructor was friendly and everything was already set up for you! Check in went quickly. They hand you an apron, so feel free to wear whatever you want.
The instructor did a great job of giving directions on what to do. Super easy to follow step by step. My only complaint was the step by steps were kinda slow. I know a few people were really enjoying drinks from the bar so that could be why they go slow!
I would totally do this again for another great girls night!

Girls’ Night Out with Paint Nite (and at a brewery!) was the most fun time! A group of us gals decided to do a Paint Nite event. Then we found a Groupon for $ 25 ($ 45 value) and saved ourselves enough money to pay for our spirits! The website was easy to navigate. First we chose a painting that we liked, then a night that worked for us all, and lastly chose from the locations offered. It was easy. We all signed-​up separately and carpooled to the event. We arrived with time to spare, and chose our seats (together) and ordered our drinks.
Cons:
— The presenter went a tad fast. I had a hard time keeping-​up, but it was manageable.
— Some patrons had «a few too many» and got a little loud, which I found annoying. Nevertheless, it was a nice unwind.
Funny: there were a few elderly gentlemen tying-​1-​on, in another corner of the establishment. They benefited from the FREE instruction, but mostly were just eyeing the roomful of ladies painting.
Suggestion: Girls Night Out! Not Date Night! There were maybe 2 couples present, and the guys didn’t look too enthused. However, they did comment at the closure that they had a LOT of fun. Maybe they were just really concentrating on their work. :)

Wow! Paint Nite Seattle was an absolutely wonderful experience. I would highly recommend Paint Nite for anyone looking to do something fun and out of the ordinary.
After we got started, the atmosphere was relaxing and noncompetitive and put me in a great mood. The instructor Ian did a wonderful job at explaining each step to the class and came around to offer helpful support and inspiration. He was great! The painting Love Birds was a perfect beginners level painting for someone like myself, not having picked up a brush in ages. It now hangs in my office and I get compliments on it daily. Even if you may think that you aren’t an artist, you’ll come home with a unique masterpiece you will be proud of! Looking forward to doing more Paint Nites in the future. Thank you Ian!!!

This was fun but I was a little disappointed in a couple things.
The paint night was hosted at a winery so I was hoping there would be a wine tasting. It’s bad enough that one class was not included.
The instructor was very nice but he wasn’t very direct with his instructions and it kind of stressed me out. I’ve painted before and this class seemed to be a little too unorganized for me.

Run! don’t walk. I don’t know that Greg Copploe will be with PaintNite much longer. He is widely recognized as a gallery artist in the oil painting world. But, as long as you can, dart in and take in a fun afternoon with his tutelage. The Ballard Annex Oyster House is a fine venue (they should whittle the edge off their prices), but the painting is what made me log onto a laptop on a weekend I was planning to be screenfree.
My boyfriend and I came with zero expectations/​just using a gift. And hot dog, what a ball it was to follow Greg’s lead and paint to our hearts content. Needless to say, the result was largely due to his fantastic ability to lead us along the path of masterpiece creationism. So awesome!

Nine of us went ot the Ballard Annex Oyster restaurant and Greg Copploe was our instructor. Everyone had a fabulous time! Greg was very understanding when we changed our seating arrangements several times so that we could all try to see what each other was doing. He is a fabulous instructor. He has a great sense of humor, helps anyone, like me, who needed special assistance, and was very clear and knowledgeable about painting techniques. This was the first time for all of us and we will all definitely do this again. I must admit I am reluctant to try a different instructor as Greg made the experience so fun and non-​intimidating.

Got the groupon deal with a couple friends and it was ~$ 25/​person. We registered for a session at the Ballard Annex Oyster House. The actual painting class started at 7pm so my friends and I decided to do happy hour at the restaurant before that. Well… this isn’t about paint nite but THE FOOD WAS BOMB​.COM! each raw oyster was $ 1.5 and very fresh! we each got a slider (salmon and oyster), and also shared the clam chowder poutine… nomnomnommmmm. we each payed $ 12 with tip and tax CHEAP AND DELICIOUS.
NOW about paint nite. WILL DEF. DO IT AGAIN!!! extremely friendly and helpful instructor (Gregory Copploe). Took the time to go through the steps with every person there. My painting first was a disaster… but he made it so much better!
This event did not come with alcoholic beverages but you can order it from the restaurant.
I would’ve give it 5 stars but there were a couple drunk people there who were just a tiny bit obnoxious. ehhh I guess everyone’s just trying to have a good time right :)

I was afraid this was going to be a super cheesy event that I dragged my boyfriend along to. but it was so much fun!
Our instructor, Ian, greeted us with a smile and was very entertaining! He walks around the entire floor and gives each individual feedback on their artwork and even encourages you to go outside the box and paint whatever it is you desire!
And what better way to paint than w all material provided and alcohol?!
I’ll def be signing up for another class!

SO MUCH FUN!!! Who knew I could paint? I went into Paint Nite being super apprehensive and nervous about painting, and I could tell from a lot of others around me that they were critical of their artistic ability as well.
Ian, our instructor, was super amazing and thorough with his directions. He provided great constructive feedback as he walked around and guided everyone with tips on what colors to blend, what strokes to use, which paintbrush to use, etc. He made it carefree, fun and relaxing.
I planned a girls night out for me and nine of my girlfriends for the «Love Birds» painting at Henry’s Tavern. The venue changed about two times, but that was fine. Paint Nite was great about informing us about the changes so we knew what to expect. Henry’s has a parking lot which was a plus too since the other pubs/​bars downtown or in Ballard don’t exactly have easy parking. Get to the venue early though if you have a big group and want to sit together.
Anyway, the cool thing about everyone painting the same piece is that everyone still ends up with a fairly different painting. I decided to paint my water blue while the majority had it like the original; red, yellow and orange. I saw some of the other abstract ones, some painted yachts in the background, owls instead of birds, rocks instead of mountains, etc. There are no limitations and no judging! Such a safe place.
The great thing about Paint Nite was that it was fun, something new and experimental. Most of us really wanted to do it again and after this review, I’m going to check out what other paintings they offer. I highly recommend everyone trying this activity at least once! You never know how talented you could be.
Side note: a few of us thought that we’d get one drink per person, but that’s not actually included, you have to buy your own alcoholic beverages.

I attended this event as apart of a Meet Up group and had a blast. If you are looking to attend Paint Nite in hopes of receiving a very serious, structured art lesson, then this isn’t the venue for you! YES, the artists (Greg was my host) are very knowledgeable about painting techniques, color mixing and how to use the brushes, but that is not the focus of Paint Nite. Paint Nite is to have FUN, be social, interact and learn the basics of painting to create a fun piece of art for yourself.
The venue they selected for my event was awesome — friendly staff and great space at the Ballard Annex Oyster House. I will definitely be back!

I attended a painting party for my wife’s work function and this was my first time painting since Art class in school. I was a little skeptical about what to expect especially since I was already getting my drink on by the time we sat down in front of our canvas.
Carmel By the Sea was our objective to paint (landscape with cliffs and the ocean with sailboats), and it sure was nice having an example to follow along with.
Our instructor was pretty cool, he was laid back but also kept us on track and was very helpful in taking care of our questions or bailed us out when we were messing up the paintings.
I think one of the best things was seeing how each person interprets art differently. Everyone has their own take on what to paint and some people went completely off track and painted their own thing. It was nice to not be tied to any rules or structure.
They teach you some handy basics of painting and I learned a lot from color combinations. It was a fun time!

I recently had a double date night at the Von’s location. This was such a fun experience! We let Greg know early that we were in a group of 4 and he made sure that we sat together (the other couple was across from us, which was nice because we were able to laugh and talk together the whole time).
We enjoyed drinks (waitress was very attentive) while painting. Personally, I am no artist but Greg was able to walk the group through the painting step by step and made it an easy fun experience. Even though we were all painting the same thing we all had unique different versions of the Seattle sound landscape that we painted. I’m proud to say that our paintings turned out great and they have made a great addition to our home.
We will be doing this again soon and I can’t wait! I highly recommend this for a date or just a fun night out to enjoy with some friends.

Now that summer is long gone, what to do in this gloomy city during this 9 months of darkness? Bring on the indoor activities!
There are oodles of painting events/​classes in Seattle and Kirkland. There’s wine and painting, palette and pairing in Kirkland and few more in Fremont and Seattle. They all give you similar fun: drink wine and Learn to paint a particular painting in 3 hours or so. Needlessly to say: I was always tempted to go. Tempted: not over excited.
Along came Paint nite: they do pretty much the same things except they do them in my favorite bars! Whaaaaaaaaa. Painting in Ballard Annex oyster house!!! &@#^*£?! It’s kind of my favorite place. I waited so long for them to open, went and creeped on them during construction, tasted them at Ballard seafood fest etc etc. Needless to say: I signed up right away.
For $ 50, you get to pick the date based on the painting that you want to do in a particular bar. I did wait a little bit since I wasn’t too crazy about the first few paintings at the Ballard Annex. They also have classes in Fado’, Von trapps etc on set days.
Well, they had me at oysters and paintings.
The class!
40 people in Ballard Annex’s private room: when you arrive, you can choose a seat with all the canvases and paints readily set up for you. You just have to choose where you want to sit. I think that was a harder task than painting since the class was completely full. You will be close and cozy to your fellow painters next to you. But it’s part of the fun.
We painted a Seattle skyline with space needle and a moon over a very fast 3 hours. Jeff our teacher was charming, funny and helpful. You kind of have to speak up if you need help though. It is a fast pace class. 3 hours of rum filled drinks and paint all over your apron later: I painted my first master piece: a sleepy moon over Seattle skyline. My first attempt at painting came out A ok! There were far more talented people in the class with prettier results but it’s about the experience. Yes, that’s what I’m telling myself!
Best part: I now have a special code for future classes at half the price! Woot woot. Maybe girls night? Lazy Sundays? So many options! I shall return with my entourage soon :) thanks paint nite!