HOW TO THROW A PAINT AND SIP BIRTHDAY PARTY

A paint and sip birthday is one of the few group activities where everyone leaves happy. Painting keeps the shy half occupied; drinks, playlist and our energy keep the loud half fed. If you're planning one in London and want to skip the logistics, book a London paint and sip birthday at DWTN from £35 per head. If you want to do it yourself, this is the working plan.

Two paths from here: DIY at home for 6–10 close mates, or book a table at a DWTN sip and paint London night for 6–30. Both work; they solve different problems.

DIY at home vs booked-in — which one

• Group of 6–10 close friends, chill vibe, low budget: DIY works.

• Group of 12+, or a mix of friends who don't all know each other, or you want a dancefloor after: book it in.

• Birthday person likes hosting: DIY.

• Birthday person wants to actually enjoy their own party: book it in.

The DIY plan (6–10 people, ~£15–£25 per head)

1. Venue

Your kitchen or living room. Move the rug. Put down a plastic sheet or old bedsheets. You will get paint on things.

2. Materials

• Canvases: 20x25cm from Hobbycraft or Amazon — around £2–£4 each.

• Acrylic paints: a starter set covers 8 people. Get at least red, blue, yellow, white, black.

• Brushes: two sizes per person, one flat, one round.

• Paper plates as palettes, jam jars for water, kitchen roll for mistakes.

• Aprons or old shirts — non-optional.

3. Reference image

Pick one image everyone paints. Something with clear shapes and bold colours — Basquiat, a movie poster, an album cover. Don't pick a portrait for a first-timer group; noses are hard and someone will cry.

4. Food and drink

Grazing board — cheese, olives, bread, dips. Anything hot needs someone to cook it, and that someone won't paint. Prosecco, beer, one non-alcoholic option for every guest.

5. Playlist

Two hours of RnB and Afrobeats works. Nothing chart-topping brand new — people can't sing along and it doesn't lift a room.

6. Timings

3 hours end-to-end: 30 min setup and drinks, 90 min painting, 60 min food and party after. Longer than that and you'll lose the room.

The two things that always go wrong at DIY

1. Nobody wants to be the teacher. Guests need direction (what to paint first, when to add a second colour) and it always falls to the host. Solution: watch a YouTube walkthrough of the reference image the day before, or hand the room a printout with three steps.

2. The cleanup. Acrylic dries fast and it doesn't come off carpet. Non-negotiable: plastic sheet under everything, and wash brushes immediately after painting or they're bin.

Or: book DWTN and don't host anything

DWTN sip and paint London nights run out of central London most weekends, £35 for the class (canvas, paints, brushes, apron, artist-led). Guided by our artists so nobody has to figure out where the eyes go. Aprons provided. Playlist covered. Cleanup not your problem.

For a birthday group, book everyone on the same event, then email us via contact with the birthday name and group size — we'll seat you together and save wall space. Age restriction is 18+; if it's a kids' birthday, DWTN isn't your fit — go DIY at home.

Book a London paint & sip birthday →

In one line

DIY if you want to host, book DWTN if you want to actually enjoy your own birthday. Either way, aprons.