How to prepare for your ArtsyU Paint Party!

One of the worst anxieties is feeling unprepared! If you've never attended a paint party at ArtsyU before, you might not know exactly what to expect or how to prepare for it. So we've created this post and noted a few practical tips that should be helpful in setting your mind at ease and making your painting session more organized and enjoyable!

Our most important tip is to arrive early! At ArtsyU, you have the advantage of arriving up to 30 minutes before the class actually starts. This is especially important if you haven't registered for the class ahead of time and will need to register or pay once you arrive. The teacher will check you off the roster and collect any vouchers, Groupons, or check your license if you are attending with a special birthday code at that time.



Roll around carts set up with food

Seating preferences, such as sitting up front or at the end of the table tend to be highly sought out positions and are available on a first come first serve basis. We recommend you take advantage of arriving early to ensure these seating preferences. Also, if you are part of a group of four or more people, it's important you arrive early to ensure your group can all be seated together. Unfortunately, we aren't able to determine a group's size from the roster alone or if you are meeting others who have signed up individually. If someone from your group arrives early, one of the teachers can give that person some aprons to place over and reserve the stools for their friends until they arrive. We want to stress the importance of arriving early for those attending in groups. We would never want you to be unhappy because your group is split, but we also don't want to play musical chairs in the studio at the last minute and/or make another painter unhappy by asking them to move.

You are welcome to bring your choice of snacks and beverages to your painting session. If you are bringing lots of food or beverages for yourself or your group, you can ask for a roll around cart to set your food up on. (There are only two carts available, so make sure you arrive early to claim one if it's needed.) We allow "Brown Bagging" of wine in all of our classes with the exception of Monday Family Nights. These classes are more family oriented and nonalcoholic, please keep this in mind when signing up on Mondays!



An artist updo with paintbrushes

Another equally important tip is to dress appropriately for your paint party! Acrylic paint is used at ArtsyU to recreate the paintings. This paint medium is non-toxic and water based, but we still encourage everyone to wear an apron to protect their clothes from any mishaps. Although the apron will protect you from the majority of painting spills, it is still possible to get paint on your clothes. Keep this in mind when dressing for the occasion and wear clothes you'll be comfortable in for a couple of hours. Roll your sleeves up before you start painting and pull your hair back if it's in your way. Dressing in layers can also be helpful. Remove any dangling bracelets or fine jewelry. If we use sponges to recreate a painting, it's possible to get paint on jewelry that is on the fingers or hands when ringing them out in water. In the event that paint does get on your clothes, go to the bathroom or washroom and wash it out immediately. If the paint dries before you get home it will probably be permanent! Also be warily of your neighbors painting beside you. You never know how enthusiastic they might become and their paint and brush may stray into your creative bubble... :)

 

An artist manicure

Some other tips and activities that can be done before class starts might be to: personally meet your teacher for the evening, locate the restroom, purchase a water, soda, or bag of chips from the honor bar, mingle with your friends, check in on Facebook, or post pictures of yourself/ group to our Facebook page or Instagram account at #Artsyu! (We love it when you share your experiences with us!)

Our last and most important tip is to come and have fun! Leave the work world behind and have yourself a stress free and relaxing time, whether that means it's some much needed alone time to unwind or a night out socializing and reenergizing yourself with friends! Now that you've read over a few of our tips, you'll also be informed on how to better prepare and can leave that worry at home too!