Six questions come up more than any others when people search for how to run a paint party. How much to charge. How long it lasts. What to bring. How to teach a mixed group. Where to host. Whether to let people eat and drink.
If you have Googled even one of these, you’re in the right place. These are the exact things you need nailed down before your first party, and none of them are complicated once you see how they work.
Let’s go through all six so you walk away with real answers instead of open tabs.
How much should I charge per person?
The starting price for a basic canvas paint party is $35 per person. This includes canvas cost, paint, brushes, table clothes, easels and everything else that makes a paint party run smoothly. This price also includes your time and experience that you are offering your customers.
Now $35 is just the starting price. Let’s say you throw a paint party with wood cut outs then you can raise your price to $40 or $45. Paint party pricing really depends of the materials you are using, some parties have the potential to get up to $95.
The most important thing to know about pricing is your starting costs. Depending on the materials you are using your cost per person should be at least 50% profit if not then more.
How long do paint parties last?
The actual party itself can last from 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours. However, you have to take into account set up and clean up. So in full if you have an average 2 hour paint party the actual time will be around 4 hours. 1 hour for set up and 1 hour for clean up.
Time varies depending on what type of party you are hosting. For example a kids party is normally around an hour and a half. A porch leaner party is around 2 and half hours.
What supplies do I need to bring?
Let’s get one thing straight before I give you this supply list. You do not need a bunch of fancy gear in order to have a successful party. In reality all you need is paint, brushes, water, and a canvas. However if you are wanting your party to feel more professional I recommend getting these items/ doing these things before your party.
Pre-traced Canvas. This was a game changer for me. I started pencil tracing my canvases about 2 years into my paint party career, then I moved onto carbon paper tracing. This is what I recommend for all beginner hosts. Carbon paper is easy to get at craft stores and it lasts a long time. If you are wanting to get fancy then go with sublimation. You can order your canvases with your design sublimated on them from different companies, however you have to know the headcount way in advance and you will most likely have to trace a few more canvases for extras and late sign ups.
Paint. I love DecoArt paint so it is my preferred brand, however really any paint will do as long as you have lots of colors to choose from. I used to be strict when it came to paint colors, I would only bring the colors that used on the example painting. Then at one party a lady asked me if I had purple (I did not) so I ended up having to mix an entire plate of blue and red to make a bunch of different shades of purple.
People don’t sign up for paint parties simply because they want a new painting on their living room wall. They sign up for the experience, and sometimes they just sign up for the materials. As an artist its easy to forget that having an art studio in your home is not a normal thing. I had a lady sign up for a paint party just so she could paint her boyfriend a picture of Spiderman for his birthday. She even had me do most of it so that it was perfect. The point is, make sure you have more than just your example colors, you never know what someone might want to paint.
Brushes. My brush collection has grown tremendously over the years. So for a beginner host I recommend getting a bulk pack off of Amazon. You will be fine with anything except the bristle brushes. Under no circumstances should you buy the bristle brushes, the hairs just fall out and get stuck in the paintings.
Water cups. There are two directions that you can go with water cups. Option 1: plastic solo cups that can be reused and ever painter gets their own. Option 2: glass mason jars that are shared between 2-4 people. The first option I did for years and years and years. It works, however a lot of the cups get accidentally thrown away, broken, stuck together, and they look ugly in photos (unless you get the pretty pink ones). The second option lasts way longer, looks cute in the photos and in the long run costs less. I get my glass jars from the dollar tree and they work great!
Paper towels, baby wipes, trash bags. Those are just the basics.
Plates for paints. There are a few options for this material, but the first thing you need to know is that paper plates are completely fine and I still use them from time to time. However, there are a few upgrades that you can make that truly make a difference in your business. Cardboard paint pallets. These things are life changing. Not only do they add to the experience of being an artist but for some reason they also make painters use less paint. I don’t know the exact science behind this but I swear every time I use the pallets I am barley having to give them more of each color.
Aprons. I got mine wholesale and then embroidered with my logo on them. However, I see tons of hosts use throw away aprons that are made from plastic, or canvas aprons that are just made from a thinner material. The aprons are more of an experience buy but I definitely recommend them, unless you want to spend half the party trying to get paint out of someones favorite shirt.
Easels. This is the most optional item in this list. Half the time I end up taking easels back from painters because they would rather paint flat. The pro to having easels is really the photos/ marketing and the experience for the customer.
Table cloths. I love the plastic table cloths from the Walmart party section. They are my tried and true. I normally get colors that match the theme/ season of the paint party however I always keep a few plain white table cloths on hand. I always get a mix of round and rectangle just in case.
Example painting. This is a non-negotiable. Your example painting is not only a reference for your painters but it is also validation for your painters that you can do the painting. Because a lot of my business is online, I tend to have a bunch of different versions/ sizes of my example paintings, but just 1 on a larger canvas is fine.
Instructions. Depending on how you are wanting to teach this item is optional. I like to teach by walking around giving steps along the way, talking with each painter, etc.. So my teaching style relies on printed out steps that way no one is fully depending on me for what they are supposed to do. I give each painter printed out instructions with step-by-step words as well as a picture by picture. That way they have a visual representation of what step they are on. However, lots of hosts like to paint along with their painters, in which case printed out instructions aren’t really needed.
Extras! This is everything else I bring with me in case of a “craft emergency” these items aren’t particularly necessary, but they do make my parties run a lot smoother. Phone charger. Pencils and sharpies. Speaker for music. Guest list. Dirty brush container (I use a bucket). Door-prizes/ hostess gifts. Business cards/ promo cards. Ring lights.
I have a checklist that I go through every time before I leave for a paint party and almost every party I forgot something. Get a system that works for you.
How do I teach a group with different skill levels?
You will never teach a paint party in which every painter is at the same skill level. And that is totally fine, it’s what paint parties are for. At the beginning of every paint party I always ask “By a raise of hands who in this room has painted before? Ok, so most of you. Now who has never painted before? Yay, you guys are my favorite.” It’s very important that you acknowledge the newbies and ease their nerves. This is not supposed to be a hardcore college level art class, this is just a group of ladies having a fun craft night together.
Because my teaching style allows me to walk around the room and talk to each painter, teaching different skill levels is easy. The best practice to do is to always have a painting that is targeted toward beginners. Even if it looks complicated make sure that the steps are easy to follow and leads more like a paint by number rather than a lesson on shading.
Finally, I always let the group know that if they need my help with anything to just let me know, good paintings are good for business.
What are the best venues to host at?
I have always always always had amazing parties at churches. Church groups like women’s bible studies, youth groups, and more love to have a fun paint party. On the opposite end of the spectrum, breweries and local restaurants are also great places to host. A few others include community centers, retirement communities, schools, and offices. Corporate partiea re great for big crowds and repeat customers. I always bring a look book with me to try and book future parties at the current parties, you’d be surprised by how many parties get booked just from painters looking through the Christmas designs.
To book a venue I use the Magic Script. I will choose 10 places around my town and email them this script with a few photos from past paint parties or a few paintings that I offer.
“Hi! My name is ______ and I teach step by step paintings. I would love to teach at your restaurant (or whichever venue you are reaching out to) on a slow night. Do you have time to talk this week? Thanks!”
Should I let participants drink and eat?
Absolutely! Most of the time the place you are hosting will have food. In the case of restaurants thats one of the main reasons to host there. You host on a slow night and if brings in customers that are going to buy from the venue. In most cases the place you are hosting will have snacks and drinks for everyone, and if your lucky they will let you have some too.
Better Now Than Never
Here’s the truth. Every question you just read has a clear answer, and not one of them should keep you from starting. You do not need it all figured out before your first party. You just need a plan you can follow and the nerve to book that first date.
The women who make this work are not the ones with zero fear. They’re the ones who take the next step anyway. That can be you.
If you want the shortcut, this is exactly what Paint Party Headquarters is built for. Inside PPHQ you get done-for-you paint designs, step-by-step business training, ready-to-use marketing materials, and a community of women building the same dream you are. You don’t have to figure it out alone, and you don’t have to start from scratch.
Come join us inside PPHQ and let’s get your first paint party on the calendar. Click Here to Join!