Have you ever taken a paint and sip class? If so, have you thought about teaching at sip and paint parties yourself?
You don’t necessarily need to be a professional artist or an art teacher to lead a class at a paint and sip party. In fact, I started teaching myself after just a few paint and sip parties.
Once I learned the basic techniques and did a lot of practice, I was ready to get out there and start helping other people to learn what I had learned.
Keep reading to learn more about what it is like being a paint and sip instructor.
No Experience Necessary
One of the great things about getting into teaching sip and paint is that you don’t need to have any experience as a teacher. As long as you know how to do the various painting techniques, you can teach them to other people.
I never had any professional art training. I only attended a few of these parties, and then I learned everything else I needed to know through online painting tutorials.
YouTube is a great place to find thousands of tutorials for all types of painting. You can find tutorials for watercolor, acrylic, and oil painting, as well as tutorials for using other materials in your art.
A Great Side Hustle
If you are looking to make some extra cash on the side, teaching at paint and sip parties is a great way to do so. I was actually making a profit right from my first class!
Of course, you will need to buy all of the necessary art supplies for each student in the class, unless the party host is taking care of that.
I prefer to bring the supplies myself. That way I know that everyone will have exactly what they need to complete their paintings.
For my first sip party, I spent less than $300. This included enough canvases for each student, a set of paints for each student, and a set of brushes for each student. My first party was small, so I only had to buy enough materials for about 15 students.
What Do I Bring to the Paint Party?
Remember, the students at sip parties leave with the canvases they paint on. Most of the other materials can be reused. I have found that one set of paints will last for at least three to four parties.
Keep Your Costs Low
You don’t need to spend a lot of money on professional art supplies. Most of the supplies you will need can be found at most dollar stores.
The store I go to has beginner paint sets for around $4 each. So, I bought 15 sets for that first party, at a total cost of around $60 plus tax.
You can also get brushes at dollar stores for around $2 to $3 per package, and all of the sizes students at the paint parties need will be in the packages.
Spend More on Canvases
When it comes to canvases, I do like to splurge a little bit. The canvases you buy at dollar stores are usually not pre-treated with gesso. This means I would have to treat each canvas myself and allow each one to dry for 24 hours.
This is too much unnecessary work. You can purchase multipacks of canvases at art supply stores for around $20. Each package has five to six pre-treated canvases, depending on the canvas size. So, for that first class, I spent around $60 plus tax.
Other Materials You Will Need
Other materials I purchased were water cups (I just bought a package of disposable cups), paper towels, drop cloths, and tablecloths. All of these supplies came from the dollar store, so I didn’t have to spend any more than $15.
My Profits
So, as you can see, I spent around $200 for all of the supplies I needed for that first class. Plus, I was able to reuse the paints and brushes, so I didn’t have to buy them again until I had done about three or four paint parties.
I charged $40 per person for the class. Since there were 15 people in attendance, I received a total of $600. That means the profit for that first class was around $400.
Being able to reuse some supplies meant my profit margins were even greater for the next few parties.
Also, check these tips on how to run a successful paint and sip business.
Who Supplies the Wine and Snacks?
I didn’t want to spend much money in the beginning, so I set up my parties so that the host would supply the snacks. They could also supply the wine, or ask their guests to bring their own.
Personally, I do not drink wine during paint and sip parties. For starters, I don’t want to get tipsy and mess anything up. Also, I drive to and from the classes, so I don’t want to get a DUI.
When I teach these parties at my studio, I give the party hosts the option to have wine and snacks included, or to supply their own. The price I charge depends on who is buying the treats.
If you are both a host and an instructor, here are some tips on hosting paint parties.
Doing What I Love
One of the things that I like the most about being a paint and sip instructor is the fact that I am doing something that I truly love. I don’t have to take on a second job to earn extra money.
I am at a point where I could turn this into a full-time income if I wanted to. The only reason I don’t is because I also love my job as a freelance writer.
If you are thinking about teaching a paint and sip class, know that there is money to be made. It is also loads of fun, and you get to meet new and interesting people at each painting party.
I love teaching these paint classes, and I’m sure you will as well.
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*image by Miljan/depositphotos
Sari Green is a semi-professional artist and professional writer. She has been hosting paint & sip parties for the past couple of years, and truly enjoys helping other people to create their very own masterpieces. She loves to create, and you never know what she’s going to come up with next!