Paintlounge

Awesome! My 5 yr old and I had a great time, very knowledgeable staff, very patient, helpful and accommodating for March Break. We will definitely return with more friends.

Went for a Valentine’s Day special and really enjoyed the experience! I have not one artistic bone in me, so I was purely there for a laugh. The space was a bit smaller than I expected, but it didn’t feel crowded! The staff members were friendly and offered advice and suggestions. There are inspiration books if you have no idea what to paint. Beverages were available as well. I recommend painting with a glass of wine, makes it that much better!

Used a Groupon and attended a workshop to paint «Le Havre». The Groupon provided a discount on the regular price to attend a workshop, and even included a free beverage. I ordered their mocha, which was amazing aha! Despite there being a full class of 20 people, it was very organized.
The moderator, Joey, was very enthusiastic and encouraged everyone to use their own creativity rather than trying their hardest to simply copy the original exactly. We were taught how to mix colours, guided through general steps of how to progress through creating the painting, and he showed techniques to apply paint in certain ways, all of which was very helpful and made for a proud end result! :)
The workshop was scheduled to run from 7:30 — 9:30 but ran for about half an hour longer, that way everyone could finish their painting.
I had such a fun time here, I loved hacing a night to dedicate to creativity and art; I am definitely interested in coming back again! :D

I am by no means an artist but painting her is a lot of fun. For starters, it eliminates my least favourite parts of painting; the cleaning up, having enough/​or right paint for a project and having the right tools. You get three sized canvasses to choose from and for $ 5 can bring back a project on a different night to continue it. The staff are friendly and there has always been a lot of space while I was there. A fun way to spend a few hours even if you have no idea what to do with the final product.

This review is meant to be highly useful to you as a potential customer of PaintLounge — the things I wish I knew upon my time at their «expressions» evening. The expression evening is an event that you pre-​purchase tickets for, and keep in mind they have a pretty strict cancellation fee. The event is $ 28 including tax, and was touted as having live music, free style paint, and then you get two non-​alcoholic drink tickets. That was all the info we got. They also tell you to get there at 7:15 pm because the event starts right at 7:30 pm.
Here is what I wish I knew:
— actually get there at 7:15 pm. They have limited stools. They really should ask you upon ticket purchase how many people are in your group, and then pre-​select seats so you just stand at the easel they pick for you. Instead, I would pick an easel, and the lady would come around and move me. This was very frustrating, and a bit rude. I didn’t get there early so you could just keep moving me. When she finally settled on where I «could» stay, another group asked us to move — all of this could have been avoided if they asked for more info upon ticket purchase. They have a registration list, so it’s not like they don’t know who is coming.
— they have plastic bags you can put around your purse or personal belongings. The coat rack fits very few coats, and no spaces for bags. Don’t want to get paint on anything
— they have pencils and erases so you can sketch what you want to paint before putting paint to canvas.
— they don’t have decaf coffee options — pretty stupid for an event on a week night that starts at 7:30 pm and goes until 11 pm. So if you don’t like caffiene late at night, you are limited in your selections
— the music is really amateur. The whole event is amateur, but not in a bad way, just in a very «local» way. The singer kept apologizing for things, and then they had the barista sing for a bit, and basically everyone who worked there took a turn singing.
— everyone is weird. the people who are attracted to this type of event are very granola, and want to talk to you, and want to talk about art, and you may not want to. I didn’t want to. Just don’t, then.
— you actually will be there a long time, at least until 10 pm.
Here’s the info they give you when you get there:
— here are the paints, here’s where to put dirty brushes, there’s a break at 9:15 pm to listen to original songs by the singer. Two drinks per person. That’s it. That’s all they told you. They do this at 7:17 pm, so if you aren’t there then, it’s a bit confusing.
So, why 4 stars? Because it was fun. It was actually really fun. I’m not an artist, I don’t ever do «arts and crafts», but it was really enjoyable. It could be a fun date night, it could be fun by yourself. It was interesting and I felt like I got good value for my money. I wish they had alcohol, but it wasn’t needed.

Love the concept and the experience. Went for Valentines Day and it was nice to see so many other couples enjoying the experience together as well. They have a special on for the day. The only problem we had is that the staff were a bit cold and not very helpful. In an environment like this, where I was a new painter, it would have been nice to have a little motivation. Didn’t damper the experience though and we will certainly be going back! Planning all the paintings we want to have around our house.

We came to Paintlounge for Family Day, a group of 5 adults and 1 teen. They had a special where a group could paint a large canvas for $ 50. It was such a fun way to spend an afternoon! None of us are all that artistic, but enjoyed playing around and worked with the «tree of life» motif they suggested for family day.
Nice atmosphere and the 2 people who worked there were helpful and unobtrusive.
Would definitely come back with friends!

I had a fantastic time here. Had not picked up a paintbrush since high school and it was a great opportunity to re-​engage my artistic side. They have lots of supplies and take care of all the cleaning, you just throw on your apron, pick your colours and tools and create whatever you want. You pay a fixed fee based on your canvas size (a few different sizes ranging from $ 25 to $ 50 from what I remember). If you’re going to be painting all the time it’s pricey but for a few times a year with no hassle this is perfect. They were a little light on providing instructions as it’s more of a freelance experience. Great spot for a date!

My boyfriend and I are not artsy people, and we went here to do something a little different.
We went for the abstract workshop — it was really easy to reserve a spot online — and we really had a great time. It’s true that the instructors weren’t typical instructors (ie, it wasn’t a step by step class), but they were there if you needed advice on how to do a certain effect or what would happen if you did A and B together, etc. I personally really liked it like that. It meant him and I could laugh and joke while we attempted to paint our abstract masterpieces. You also have access to different tools and paint.
I had a really great time — I highly recommend it for anyone looking for something different to do in Toronto! We both left in a great mood and are planning to go back sometime soon.

This is a fantastic place to come with a group, be it friends or meetup, or even better yet, a date! Or wait, even by yourself!
Don’t expect instruction. The canvas are pricey if you ask me.
12×12″ or 11×14″ $ 20
16×20″ $ 30
18×24″ $ 40
24×30″ $ 45
24×36″ $ 55
I had no inspiration and just played with colours. But it was a fun time!

This is a great place to come for a birthday party. I booked my girlfriend’s party here and we had an awesome time. The atmosphere is really relaxed and welcoming and laid back. Even people like myself who can’t paint worth shit had a good time. Be aware that there’s a $ 20 outside food fee if you bring anything in.
Accessibility: flat entrance, washroom on the same floor (and it’s huge)

It wasn’t the moment that I laid brush to canvas, it wasn’t even when my canvas started to resemble the picture I had in mind. It was during the strokes, during my unbreakable concentration did I begin to feel something familiar; something that I’ve not felt for a long, long time. The feeling of utter disregard for the world around me, and being completely entrenched in the world that is slowly coming to fruition, with each decisive moment, nothingness becomes something tangible, but not completely within the grasp of definition. I knew that feeling once during my lessons in middle school #6 back in Qingdao while learning watercolours.
I come from Qingdao, the beer capital of China, and our number one pastime aside from drinking is painting. It took Paintlounge to remind me f that.
I picked an easel near where the food was easily accessible, and I don’t remember stopping to grab anything even once. I was in a world of my own. I was in a realm where every dab of paint gotten me closer to somewhere that felt emotionally distant. That’s my definition of visual art. Something immediate that inspires great coveting for emotional distance.
The place was small, and at the beginning I was afraid that I’d be crammed with strangers. But as I painted, the more enclosed I felt with what real estate I was given. I didn’t mind. The staff came around with encouraging words.
A Samantha said she «really liked» my painting. I told her it was the original jacket design for The Great Gatsby. I felt pretty good about it.
Moments later, I heard her say the exact same about someone else’s painting. It was like instant infidelity, and I have to say. I was slightly heart broken.
But YO. whatever, I’m a Man.
I remained standing for the duration of the event, as mostly everyone else did. I didn’t see more than three chairs, so I am assuming that there isn’t enough to match all the easels. I could be wrong. Not that it mattered, but if I was here for an entire day, chairs would be nice.
The staff here clean up after me, which felt really weird as I am accustomed to cleaning up after myself. At least after painting. It’s nice for kids, but it felt unnecessary. I felt irresponsible, like leaving the dishes at the table after dinner at someone else’s house.
Despite being served beer and wine, this place is not licensed. So they would have to attain an SOP from LCBO if wine is to be served. This is a hassle, but then again, it is kids friendly.
Not open Mondays. Monthly events with discounted prices.
Coffee, custom teas, latte, ice cream sodas, desserts.
Alcohol soon? Fingers crossed!
So, nobody knew my painting. Someone had to Google The Great Gatsby original book jacket. Not even avid fans to the novel/​films knew!
It’s not THAT far off!

I went here for their monthly live music event. The experience was overall a bit stressful. We arrived a 9pm and then told us they would close at 11:30 so we should begin, apparently the event had started at 7:30pm. I like the idea of social painting but found the enthusiasm of the staff a bit superficial. I hadn’t painted in a long time and they kept on coming over and looking over my shoulder and making jokes or compliments– my painting was really not good and I was just trying to enjoy myself. I ended up feeling a bit self conscious. I would return if I had something I mind I really wanted to paint, and a plan. It was a cool place.

I revisited after the Unilocal Event to paint a couple of canvases for my room. They were running a great promo at the time (check their site for details) — bring a date and get half off the second canvas. I didn’t bring a date but I did paint two canvases so they let me use the promo to get half off my second painting!
Once again, the staff were incredibly encouraging, fun, and helpful. Hanging out with them was definitely the best part of the experience. Even though I was by myself, I didn’t feel neglected or ignored. They checked up on me every few minutes to comment on my progress and suggest different tools and strategies I could try.
After I was done, the owner lady offered that I could leave the piece there to dry and pick it up within a week. It’s really convenient if you don’t want to wait for your canvas to dry and/​or don’t have a car to lug around huge canvases with you!

This is a great idea! Not many people, especially living in cramped quarters downtown, will have the room and dedicated space for an easel and painting accoutrements. This is where Paintlounge comes in. The staff are qualified artists and can help out and suggest ideas for your artwork and techniques to produce the look and feel that you desire. With a party organized like the Unilocal event we had there, adding drinks and food help to relax people and get those creative juices flowing. This environment is difficult to achieve working at home with interruptions and distractions making Paintlounge a welcome alternative. All the equipment is there and it is well stocked with consumables, so no excuses, get painting!

Had the best time here painting last night. Haven’t tried the workshops, but will be back to buy a canvas for sure. Everyone who worked here was really nice, too. I’m an artist!!!

Pros:
— Pleasantly surprised by how clean, bright, and organized the space is.
— There are plenty of easels, and there is a table with bulk dispensers of acrylic paint, brushes, and other tools that all the painters share.
— I can bring in my own canvas to Paintlounge, and they will only charge for the materials
— Good selection of music
Cons: (in my opinion, anyways)
— The staff was surprisingly hands off during the workshop. I felt that, as a beginner, I was not provided with enough guidance or pointers, particularly on techniques or how to prepare a good composition. My resulting painting looks rather childish. The workshop is not the same thing as receiving painting lessons. They walk you through general steps which would hypothetically lead you to the finished product, but you are responsible for going up to the counter and asking them for help when you feel you need it. Sometimes I don’t want to badger the person at the front, who already seems exasperated from explaining the same instruction to the multiple students.
I will give Paintlounge another chance and go in for freestyle painting. The workshops are OK, but rather expensive given that it was not as informative as I had anticipated.

Came here on a weeknight for a workshop. I had a real blast. The studio is very nice, bright, with lots of aisles, and a paint and brush station to grab supplies… the staff were friendly and gave me useful tips on how to blend my colors and encouraged me to experiment with different brushes. After three hours, I created my first master piece! I felt like I need a bit more than 3 hours because I wasn’t able to finish painting but that’s okay. It was also cool to see how everyone was painting the same picture but everyone’s painting came out differently with unique takes. I also like their drink and snack choices. I ended up with a red roobios and gnger tea which is delicious! I definitely want to go back and try another workshop soon!