How to Have a Painting Date Night
Dinner and a movie again? You look forward to date night all week, but when it actually comes around, you realize that mixing a little variety into your routine can be hard. And do you really want to go watch another superhero movie? There has to be a better way!
Ah, but there is. Painting date nights provide a fun way to break up the typical routine and try something fun, new and interactive.
In this article, we take a look at how and where you and your significant other can paint the town red on your next date night. Literally!
Go Out for a Painting Date Night
First consideration: where can we go to enjoy a nice couples’ painting session? You might be surprised by all of the options available to you. Below, we highlight three prominent locations that you should consider taking advantage of for your next date night.
Puff Pass & Paint
Dubbed the first cannabis-friendly painting class in the United States, Puff Pass and Paint is a nationally recognized franchise that has been highlighted in many well-known publications. With locations in eight major U.S. cities, it is now easier than ever to enjoy this relaxed, welcoming environment.
The classes are intended for beginners which means that you don’t need to have any art experience at all to enjoy them. Instruction is specifically designed to be as accessible as possible. Sessions are limited to twenty students at a time, keeping the groups intimate, and they go for two hours giving you enough time to enjoy yourself without running up a ridiculous tab with the babysitter.
One more thing to mention here. If you didn’t know this already. Puff Pass and Paint does allow and welcomes patrons to “Puff”, “Pass” and get their paint on! So it’s okay to Bring Your Own Cannabis. Whether you’re a 420 couple or rarely ingest the herb, this experience will be something you and your partner won’t forget!
Well the cannabis might make the painting session a little hazing, but fun nonetheless.
Wine & Paint Experience
Another option for a painting date night could be to go visit a wine and paint class such as Painting with a Twist or Sip N Paint. These venues often provide unique experiences, prompts or specific painting technique classes
Most venues offer some type of light finger foods and allow patrons to bring their own booze (whoop whoop!).
For couple date nights, venues have event that focus on painting complimentary pictures. Meaning you and your significant other will paint separate images that come together when hung side by side to create a yet more stunning effect.
Most of the events are themed, so feel free to study up on their calendar to find out what event strikes your fancy. Contact the studio ahead of time to learn more about their snack and alcohol policies.
Find and Paint a Popular Local Landmark
It’s possible to paint with your partner, make it special and make it cheap. Why not take date night out in town?
Find a nice local landmark or place that is very special to you. It could even the town hall, or city bridge or the place you two met.
Paint or sketch it side by side. While you won’t have the benefit of an instructor, you will surely find the experience more intimate than sharing a classroom with twenty other couples.
Unless you or your partner are experienced artists, it’s a good idea to go in with moderate expectations. Remember, a good painting date night isn’t about creating a masterpiece. It’s about sharing a memorable experience with someone you care about.
Of course, if you are going to take your paints into the park, you should probably forgo the cannabis or wine that would have been included in our earlier suggestions. Unless of course, you find a safe and legal way to do it.
Have a Painting Date Night at Home
If you’re like most people, home can often be a chaotic space. Messes you never have time to clean up. Randomness brought in by your kids and pets. Sentences passing through your lips that you never thought you’d say. “Waffles, on the walls? But how?” And so on.
Even couples without children may struggle to reclaim their houses as a safe refuge by the end of a long day. It’s so easy for stress to follow you home. Having a painting date night at home can help you reclaim your space while enjoying a unique but affordable experience. You just need to get your place ready first.
Lighting and Setup
Preparation begins by going from room to room and tidying up. Pick up your things, get the broom going, and lay the groundwork for a romantic evening. Once you’ve taken care of that, you can focus on finding the right music for your mood and even lighting candles if you feel so inclined. Whether you feel like settling in for a romantic night or having a sing along “karaoke” paint night, don’t skimp on the preparation. This is how you’ll set the mood.
Get Some Wine, Weed & Food prepared
Now that the house looks top-notch, it’s time to furnish it with all the goodies you would have gotten at the painting class. If you like to drink, find your favorite bottle of wine. Set out some tasty snacks, or even a romantic meal. And if you’re 420 friendly, bring out the cannabis. No need to arrange for a ride, or be extra mindful of your consumption. Everyone is free to cut loose and relax as they see fit.
What You Need to Have a Painting Date Night at Home
You’ve made the space comfortable. Now it’s time to ensure that you have everything you need to actually start painting.
Supplies
While painting supplies aren’t cheap, you can still probably get everything listed below for a good deal. Keep in mind that some of these items may be obtained for free, or at the thrift store.
Paint
Obvious. You need paint to have a painting date night with your boo thang. While there are high-end options out there, it’s not very hard to find an affordable acrylic or watercolor set. Your local hobby store should have a large supply to choose from.
Brushes
Found at the same store—probably even the same aisle—where you got your paints, are brushes. True working artists will have a variety of different instruments at their disposal while they work. That’s probably not you. Look into getting a beginner set, or speak with an employee at the store to find out what they recommend. Unless you’re dead set on turning this into a hobby though, you don’t need to go overboard with the brushes.
Canvas
You don’t technically need to go with a canvas. For example, there are special papers that can handle paint very well. However, there is something about canvas that makes the experience pop. Plus, they tend to be affordable, and easy to hang on the wall at the end of the night if you feel you’ve produced something presentable.
Newspaper
You don’t want to make a mess, do you? Lay out some old newspapers, paper towels, scraps, etc. Anything you don’t mind throwing out at the end of the night.
Apron
An old shirt will also do. Paint is a messy medium, after all, and you don’t want to make a mess of yourself on date night. Or maybe you don’t mind a messy experience, and in that case scratch an apron off your list.
Choosing a subject or theme
It’s almost game time. However, you can’t just show your significant other a blank canvas and tell them to have at it. Pick a theme that will guide your efforts for the evening.
Options for what to paint
You may begin the exercise by offering your partner options of what to paint. Set up a still life full of objects that have special meaning to you. Pull up a picture of a place the two of you love to go to together and paint the landscape. Make it something that is personal to both of you.
Collaborating on a shared painting
There are many ways you can collaborate on a shared project. Paint a piece of wood with your initials on it. Pick a unique object from your apartment or garage, and make it your project to turn it into your own masterpiece. There are also many split-canvas projects, where you each of you paint half of an image and put it together to make a complete picture at the end of the night.
Encouraging each other to create something unique and special to their relationship
Finally, you can also make the project self-guided. Create something that feels unique and special to your relationship. This activity is all about intimacy, and this prompt bakes that right into the foundation of your artistic process.
Techniques and tips
Demonstrating various painting techniques
Chances are, neither one of you are expert painters. That’s ok. There are lots of online materials that can help brief you on basic painting techniques. Consider consulting YouTube for a quick rundown on what you need to know to get started.
Encouraging experimentation and fun
Of course, you don’t need a ton of knowledge to have fun with painting. Chances are that this date night isn’t going to end with the Mona Lisa. Consider taking the pressure off by encouraging experimentation and fun.
Providing prompts or challenges, such as “paint something that represents your love”
Once again, make sure that you emphasize intimacy every step of the way. The pictures that come out of this experience are secondary. What you’re really doing is affirming your affection, and creating a meaningful experience that both of you will remember for years to come.
