Paintlounge

I’ve been to all 3 Paintlounge locations in the city a few times and this one is my favourite. It’s not crowded like the one on College which is great because you have the freedom to move around and get your paint groove on.
I always feel inspired here, even though my paintings suck on a whole new level. But beauty’s in the eye of the beholder! The space is bright and not jam packed with easels. The staff are super friendly and will help you with any techniques you wish to try or give you pointers on how to achieve that Picasso masterpiece!
There is a small café where you can get coffees/​teas/​iced drinks. I believe at events there is also beer (there was for the Halloween event that I attended anyways). They supply all the paints, tools, paintbrushes etc so you needn’t bring anything except your imagination!
Paintlounge gives you the ability to totally freestyle if you are that daring, or if you want to follow along with some of the suggestions in the multitude of books they have you certainly can. There are specific workshops for techniques (abstract, drip painting, etc) and workshops on painting specific pictures. Once a month each Paintlounge has an event where for $ 25 you can paint, listen to live music and get 2 free drinks. Now seriously — what better time can you have in this city?
So tilt your beret to the side, pick up your paintbrush and let the artistic nature just flow through you to the canvas!

Decided to try out this new paint workshop trend that has been going around and I have no regrets! My boyfriend even enjoyed it and wants to come back. We did the beginner paint workshop which was easy to follow and it even came with a free drink from the studio’s Café. The staff is friendly and the environment is great to work in!

this was my second paint lounge experience. first one was in markham.
this is getting to be really fun. last time i went to a workshop, this time, it was an adult party event. so we could paint whatever we wanted.
the workshops are interesting because everyone is painting the same painting with their own spin on it, which shows a lot of personality.
this time around was just as interesting because everyone could pick their own inspiration. it was fun to see what everyone ended up painting and why. you could see the emotions behind it.
very fun activity, highly recomnend it. if you have a girlfriend. take her.

A fun concept for people who have no experience painting and want to do something different maybe with a group of friends. We stood through a 15 minute lesson on how to paint a very innocuous landscape and then we were left to our own experimentation. I was asked once if I had any questions which I did not. I did, however, enjoy painting something other than my house for the first time in ages.
Taking a look at the pricing, I found it a little on the expensive side. Still, I come back to the thought that anything that encourages people to explore their creativity has gotta be a good thing, no?

Tom Kelley, the author of Creative Confidence suggested that all humans have an innate ability to be creative. Everyone in kindergarten considers him or herself an artist. This belief dwindles because most have a fear of judgment.
Paintlounge is a safe space to build creative confidence. I had attended an awe-​inspiring event at Paintlounge, thanks to Unilocal.The space is beautiful. Typically, all materials required are provided with a purchase for a canvas. The staff briefed us on various painting techniques and provided tremendous support throughout the process. Grace and her colleagues were exceptionally attentive. Grace was an inspiration! She has a background in teaching and a deep passion for art! Social painting is a lot of fun!
During my commute home, several people have inquired about the painting. It was pleasure to have the opportunity to advocate Paintlounge to others! I hope this is a start to a more creative Toronto! :)

Comment vous décrire PaintLounge? C’est en fait des ateliers de peinture pour le grand public. Vous né souhaitez pas consacrer 5 ans de votre vie à étudier aux beaux arts mais vous aimez quand même barioler quelques toiles? Et bien PaintLounge c’est pour vous et surtout pour vos amis. Besoin de changer d’idée, de vous détendre un peu avec vos ami (e)s? Rendez-​vous donc soit dans celui-​ci sur Queen East ou sur Collège Street pour un petit atelier et quelques heures de plaisir. Le personnel est attentif et très sympathique, les prix modiques (20 $ pour 3 heures avec une toile de 30 cm par 30). Mais le plus génial? Vous pouvez y commander un café ou un thé, payant bien sûr. Dernier conseil, ayez de la monnaie pour le pourboire du personnel.

So I checked out this location yesterday and I AM IN LOVE. The set-​up is much more intuitive than their location on College, the space feels bigger, they offer different workshops, and the staff are just as lovely.
I opted for 2 freestyles on the mid-​sizes. Grace and her co-​worker were incredibly attentive, asking me at every step if I needed guidance. They suggested techniques that worked well with my style. And chatted with me about artists and art movements. But also left me alone when I needed space.
My favourite thing about this space — it is not overrun like the one on College! There was room to breathe and create. Even though it’s a bit farther, I will be travelling down here more often so I don’t have to compete for easel space!