How to Do Something Your Don Know: How to Throw a Paint Party

Throwing a paint party is a great way to get your friends together for a fun, creative activity. Whether you're throwing the party for a celebration like a birthday, or just for a laid back occasion with some of your favorite people, you're sure to have an enjoyable time learning and being creative together! With careful planning and preparation, you can ensure your guests leave with great memories and beautiful artwork to take home.

EditSteps

EditPlanning Your Party

Choose the date and time. To give your guests ample time to RSVP and reserve the date, set the date of your party at least two to four weeks in advance. ^[1]Also, make sure the day and time you choose does not conflict with any big events.
- If you would like to provide a meal, lunch or dinner-time are good options.
- If you are planning on serving alcoholic drinks, during or after happy hour (usually 4:30 PM and after) would be most appropriate.
Choose where you would like to hold the party. When hosting a party, you will have the most say and ability to do the party the way you want to if you host it at your own home. This option is also more budget-friendly. If you would rather not worry about the prep and clean-up afterward, consider renting a venue.
- Many hotels and restaurants rent out their spaces for large groups. However, make sure you let the venue know you are planning to host a paint party so they can say whether or not their space can accommodate such an activity.
Make your guest list. Choose a number of guests knowing that not all of them will be able to make it. Also consider how much space you have when it comes to placing the painting stations, tools, food, and drinks. You don't want all of your guests squished together, especially when they will need room to be creative with their paintings!
- Send invitations to your guests. You can do this via mail, email, or even Facebook. Online options (like email and Facebook) will allow your guests to receive, and respond to, your invitations faster.
- On your invitations, include the date, time, location, RSVP instructions, whether or not they can bring guests, and any cost you may expect them to pay.
  - Although it is customary for the host to pick up the tab for food and drinks, ^[2], you will also be paying for all of the art supplies. That being said, you may consider each guest paying at least $5 to make up for the cost of supplies. After all, they will be leaving your party with a great piece of art. If you choose to ask for payment from guests, websites and apps like PayPal or VenMo are good options to easily accept and track payment.
Choose food that is not messy or extravagant. Purchase and/or prepare foods that will be easy for your guests to eat by hand. With many utensils, tools, and other supplies taking up space, you want your food to be simple and organized.
- Finger food like chicken fingers, cheese and crackers, pigs in a blanket, and bite sized snacks are all good options.
- Consider your budget. Costs for a party can add up quickly! Buying food from a grocery store will be much cheaper than ordering food from a restaurant. If you are expecting many guests, preparing the food yourself would be more cost efficient. However, if you are having a small group attend, treating your friends to pre-made food from your favorite restaurant may be your choice.
Choose the drink. Buy a variety of types and styles of drinks so each guests can have something they like. Keep in mind your guests' ages, tastes, and preferences. Also, if you have a theme in mind, consider choosing drinks that go along with it to tie it all together!
- If you are serving alcohol, think about what your guests prefer. Wine drinkers would appreciate a variety of reds, whites, and even roses to choose from. Similarly, have several types of beer on hand such as wheats, stouts, and IPAs. For guests who prefer cocktails, having a variety of liquor (vodka, rum, gin, whiskey) and mixers available will ensure you can make many different types of drinks.
- If you anticipate hosting guests who are under the age of 21, make sure there are several types of juices and soda so they have something fun to sip on, too!
Find and purchase necessary supplies. To allow your guests to have painting project options, choose acrylic paints in various colors, paint brushes in various sizes (3 per person), water cups, canvases (9 in. x 12 in), fabric paints in various colors,^[3], blank white or solid colored T-shirts, aprons, and any other supplies the tutorials may call for.
- Stores like Hobby Lobby, Michael's, and Craft Warehouse will have these supplies in many varieties for you to choose from.
- Make sure you have extra of each type of supplies in case your guests use more than expected or if guests who did not originally RSVP show up.
Organize your party space. Designate the painting area as separate from the eating and mingling area. Set up decorative signs that say "Snacks", "Drinks", and "Painting". Consider putting areas in easy to see areas that direct your guests to each area.
Rearrange furniture and household items. Moving large pieces of furniture toward the walls of the rooms will give your guests more room to move around. Also, you may need to set up extra tables and seats to make sure everyone has enough space for the painting activities.
- Put away breakables. Items that are easily broken and/or particularly valuable should be placed out of sight and reach from your guests. When you have a group of people moving around to different areas of your home, these items are in danger of being damaged. A good place for these items would be a bedroom with a door that can lock.
Lay newspaper or other protective layer over tables and floors. This will make sure paint does not stain them. You can also use butcher paper, table clothes, or other fabric you would be comfortable with throwing away after painting.
- Lay drop cloths under where the painting will take place. You want to protect your carpet or hard wood flooring as paint often stains.
- If your carpet does get stained and the paint is still wet, use a wet wash cloth.
- If the paint is dry use water and little dish detergent on the spot and let it settle for a few minutes. Then, once the paint has softened, use a knife to scrape up the paint. ^[4]
Set up decorations. Consider choosing a theme or color scheme to make your party more exciting. It could be as simple as blowing up some balloons and hanging streamers to renting a disco ball and party lights. However, whatever you choose, make sure the decorations will not be in the way of the painting activity or refreshments.

EditBeing a Good Host

Set out food and drinks. Choose areas where guests can access the food and drinks easily. Set out appetizers and finger foods first so guests can snack and mingle before the main event, painting!
Greet your guests. The time has come! Welcome your guests to your home or venue and show them where the food, drinks, bathrooms, and any other important areas are. Make sure each guest has an apron so they don't get paint on their clothes.
Choose what you want to paint. Think about what your friends would like to paint. Prioritize simple, yet interesting, projects so your guests can feel like they can keep up with the instructions and have a beautiful final product.
Print out instructions for each painting tutorial. Make enough copies so each guest has one of each tutorial in case they want to do multiple projects.
- Consider placing a copy of each tutorial next to every painting station so your guests will have instructions right at their fingertips when they are ready to start.
Use masking tape to paint. Place the tape across the canvass to form triangles , rectangles, and squares. Then, use brightly colored paint to fill in empty space. Finally, pull off the masking tape and you have awesome clean lines between shapes!
- Guests who appreciate simple, yet elegant canvas paintings may like to use masking tape during their activity.
Use nature as inspiration. If you think you and guests would appreciate following laid out steps and instructions for a canvas painting to display, a simple tree painting tutorial may be a good choice.
- For a good tutorial, visit https://thepalettemuse.com/host-paint-party/.
Give your guests a prompt. If you have guests who pride themselves on their creativity, a prompt will give them direction but also allow them some independence. ^[5] Some suggestions include painting something that:
- Inspires you
- Reminds you of your favorite place
- Reflects your favorite season
- Includes your favorite quote
Make team jerseys. If all guests at the party know each other well, consider painting "team jerseys" by painting team numbers, nick names, and logos on blank T-shirts.
- Brainstorm fun graphics that symbolize your group.
- Consider using stencils to help make letters, numbers, and characters clear
Give your guests refills and encouragement! Between painting “steps” make sure your guests have the food and drinks they want and they are having a good time. If they are struggling with a step or idea, try to help and encourage them with phrases like:
- Wow! I would have never thought of painting it that way!
- The colors you've chosen go really well together.
- There's no right way to express yourself!

EditFinishing and Cleaning Up

Thank your guests for coming. Be a gracious host and walk each of your guests to the door, thanking them for making the party fun. Encourage them to take home the pieces they made during the party.
- If you would like, you may choose to give your guests a parting gift such as a fun gift-bag filled with candies or other small items.
Clean up food and drinks. Throw away food and drinks that have been partially eaten. Put other leftovers in a refrigerator. Wash dishes or throw away used paper plates and utensils.
- You may choose to have a few guests help with the clean up process. It will make this less fun part of the party go by faster. Consider using phrases such as, "Before you go, could you pick up 5 empty cups and dishes and put them in the dishwasher?", "Would you mind helping me fold these tables? They're a little heavy!", or "Can you please collect the used paint brushes and put them all in one water cup?"
Clean paint brushes with soap and water as soon as the party is over. For acrylic paint, rubbing the brush bristles with warm water and soap will get the paint off easily.^[6]
- Follow with a clear water rinse.
- Spin the brush in your hands to shake off excess water.
Put away painting materials. Make sure the paint containers are securely closed and stored in a safe place, away from open flames and out of reach from children. Once the paint brushes have dried, they can be stored in a plastic container.