Drink, paint, chill- what’s not to like? Paint Chill Co. is a new art class experience available in Southampton, Portsmouth and Chichester.
It’s for every ability as the sessions are guided with plenty of tips, tricks and help if you need it. At the end of the evening the canvas is yours so you can take your masterpiece home and make plans to become the next Picasso.
Take a look at how I unleashed my creative side when I was invited* to spend an evening with Paint Chill Co. held at London Road Brew House.
It’s very rare as an adult that you get to embrace your creative side by picking up a paintbrush and letting loose. When’s the last time you did something art based? My guess is that it’s a while ago unless you’re an artist or crafting is your hobby.
I’m still very creative and draw and make things when I have time. But, that is the problem, I am time poor and as a result I don’t get to do as much art as I’d like to. As you can imagine I was delighted to be invited to an evening where I could focus on an art project and complete a piece in one sitting.
Each session is based on recreating one image, and as this was a late summer/early autumn class, our picture reflected the season. Upcoming sessions were tailored towards Halloween, Christmas and winter with the odd exception.
When you arrive all the canvases are set up and all you have to do is sit, paint and chill with the added bonus of being able to have a cheeky beer or glass of wine. Oh and thankfully they supply aprons!
Extra paint, tissues and clean water are brought to you which leave you to focus on the task in hand – painting a picture.
The team were very welcoming and helped everyone to find a seat and familiarise with the tools they would be using over the evening. The set up is kept nice and simple – primary colour paints, a blank canvas and three different brushes.
At the start of the class the instructor makes it very clear that you can paint whatever you want. Although the session is guided around creating one image you do not have to stick to what they are saying – you can add in different elements, use different colours or paint something entirely different.
I loved this freedom, most people stuck to painting the image the instructor was teaching but everyone’s painting turned out completely different.
This session was to re-create an image called ‘Summer rain’, a series of flowers on a colourful background.
Here’s the artist’s version that we were trying to re-create.
Here’s my version of ‘Summer rain’ from start to finish.
Where do I begin? This class was so up my street and I felt so chilled by the end of it! It was extremely well run and  The instructor and helpers were brilliant and I really felt it gave me a break from the norm.
It was also a lovely experience to share with some of my blogging friends who were also there. Amy Harwood a local illustrator who came to do the session with us has now become an instructor, so if you go to a local session you’ll see Amy’s friendly face!
Paint Chill Co. have some amazing upcoming events that will be fun to share with family or friends for a bit of festive fun.
I can’t wait to see what kind of events it will hold in the new year too. It would make a great birthday treat or just an excuse to get together!
Would you like to try this out and are a bit nervous? If so, or if you’ve got any other questions, pop a message in the comment section and I’ll do my best to answer them based on my experience. If you book a class let me know!
* Gifted experience – thanks Paint Chill Co. As always, all opinions are my own – otherwise what’s the point?!
As always a huge thanks to Southampton Bloggers for putting my name forward for consideration.
