Painting & Vino – San Diego

I love buying Groupons for Painting & Vino. The paintings they choose are easy to follow and the teachers are excellent. I have been to 3 events and all the teachers were so patient and accommodating. The Groupon cuts the price in half and it is usually $ 25 for an event. My only qualm is the lighting at the venues they choose. It is too dark and I am unable to clearly see the colors I am mixing. I understand these are bars, so we can’t have full on natural light, so I guess it is something I’ll just have to deal with.

I’ve been to painting and wine classes before, but this one completely fell short of my expectations. I’m definitely not an expert painter and was just looking for a fun night with friends and to hopefully leave with a fun painting. Instead, the instructor Deron rushed the class along, and in place of offering painting tips, said either «just paint what you see» or «if you really care how your painting turns out, take a picture of the example and copy it.»
If those two tips were easily achieved, no one would ever be a beginner painter, and everyone would be experts. I would have appreciated a smaller group/​class so that Deron could actually provide feedback. If he hadn’t moved us so quickly through the instructions and offered some feedback that was actually helpful, I would go back. I’m glad I only used a Groupon for the class because now I know to go through a different company in the future. No big deal, just disappointing.

My friend took me for my first painting and just fell in love with painting again. I was so excited to bring home a finished piece that I could hang on my wall. The teacher was fantastic and she was very patient… I will definitely be coming back to do more paintings.

I’ve used this company twice now for a painting event and have decided to purchase two more Living Social deals for them. Each time I had a different instructor. One went a little fast, one went a little slow but the fact that the class lasts 3 hours gives you enough time to complete your painting. I like the paintings choices, they’re easy enough that I feel confident I can complete them and difficult enough that it actually takes me the three hours to finish.
If someone was looking to do a painting event, I would recommend «Painting & Vino».

The wife and did our first painting last night! It was a blast! We painted, «Le Chat Noir» at 98 bottles.
We got there a bit early to enjoy some libations and were impressed with the service even though they were really busy. Once we entered the back room and sat down, the fun began! The teacher was very good about explaining what brush was for what, how to use it and how to make sure to get the perfect consistency of paint. She was wearing a microphone to ensure everyone could hear her and she walked around and gave advise often. Painting the cat was pretty difficult for me, but the teacher saw I had a few errors and told me how to correct them, one on one. I appreciated her attention… There were also attendants walking around re filling paint, getting you more napkins etc. Also, the bartenders walked around and get us more drinks which was awesome so we didn’t have to worry about getting up from our priceless works of art. lol
We will definitely be painting more with this company!

Had the best time at the painting class. It was so much fun hanging with my friend and relaxing. The instructor was great and the location was very convenient, we live in PQ. The food was beyond delicious. I had a little mistake on my painting and the instructor was very helpful. I will definitely do this again.

I was recently contacted by the business owner and was offered two free passes to another class as well as a promise to get a full refund through Groupon. I greatly appreciate the quick response from the owner and look forward to taking another class with this company, however with a different instructor. Thank you Lys for reaching out to me.

Loved my experience!
I’ve only been to one class. I’m hooked and will go again very soon. We painted the Almond Branches by Van Gogh. Deron was so awesome, patient. Great music, enjoyed the venue. Hilton Del Mar.

Back in 2014, I asked my coworker if she wanted to join me for a paint and wine class b/​c i know she’s into arts. Since then, I’ve gone to at least 4 classes with her and 2 more with the BF.
Of the 6+ classes i went to, at least 2 of them were done through paint and Vino.
The only reason i gave this place 3 stars is b/​c i can honestly say that compared to my experiences with other companies, I’ve only decided to throw away paintings from this company… (and it’s not b/​c i’m angry at the boyfriend lol) I honestly think this is b/​c of the instructors. The paintings were wayyyyyy too complex for me and the instructor was in his own world. I tried my best to keep up but near the end it was more frustrating than enjoyable.
Also, its worth noting, that the paint brushes we got were so gross. Old paint was coming out and the bristles were all over the place. AND MY APRON SMELLLLLED! All in all, this place was just okay.

This was the first painting and wine class for both my mother and I. We didn’t know quite what to expect, but ended up having a blast! Our class was at Caffe Bella Italia in PB, out in the covered patio area. For some reason I thought the class included a glass of wine, probably because of its name. But you have to buy all of your own drinks. At least one glass included would be really nice, but at least they were offering happy hour prices. I enjoyed a few glasses of wine in the duration of the class, probably made me a better painter :) They also offered food off of their menu, but I got too distracted with my painting.
Our instructor, Devon, was very helpful and encouraged us to take any artistic liberties we wanted. She and her assistant answered any questions we had and quickly got us more supplies if we needed them. I wish we would have had more time to finish our paintings there, but I’m pleased with the outcome! I’m looking forward to my next Painting & Vino class!

We had a great time here! Looking at their website vs the other companies, they definitely have the best selection of pictures. You can tell that their teachers must all be good artists. And our guy was very good and patient going through step by step. In comparison to the only other paint company I’ve done this with, it was a little bit less relaxed and casual– and my mom and I really didn’t drink too much wine– but only bc the picture was a little harder and we wanted to make sure it looked okay!
My only complaint was that the instructor was at the same level as we were so at times it was somewhat difficult to see what he was doing. Definitely would recommend this company to others though.

This is the second paint class company that I’ve taken a class with.
While it was a great experience, I have to say that the one I took with A Painting Fiesta was a bit better. I would give it ½ a star higher rating.
See review here:
the similarities:
–so much fun!
–with the groupon, it was under $ 25 for a 3 hour class that included all the materials and instruction you need (plus they set everything up and clean up too!)
–no problem using groupon and easy check-​in
–great venue: the hilton del mar was easy to find, beautiful, the space where we were seated was in a private section of the restaurant with a nice skylight for a bit of natural lighting. parking was easy and validated. the food looked really good and the service was attentive. they were in no way pushy or tried to get you to buy anything from the restaurant. the seats were comfortable and there was plenty of room to work. good, but rather quiet music, played in the background
–the painting you are going to paint is shown completed at the beginning of class, so you know what it «should» end up looking like while your instructor paints along with you beside the sample demonstrating what to do
better:
–a larger availability of dates, times and paintings to choose from (the paintings and styles are much more varied also)
–large choice of venues throughout the city, although I can see how if you have your heart set on a particular painting/​night the venue might be a long drive or visa versa
worse:
–the classes sell out quickly, so you have to book a couple weeks in advance
–the class was very large, so you only got a bit of individual attention (the instructor passed us maybe 4 times throughout the whole class to check our progress, did correct us once, but she was available if you raised your hand); there were two helpers who would bring you extra supplies if you needed them but they were not really able to answer questions about the painting process
–the chairs and tables were low down and because the class was so large it was very hard to see the instructor and the sample painting. you are able to go up and look at it, but it got kind of annoying to do so in a large room and it was frustrating not being able to watch the instructor very well as she was painting.
–our instructor, keri, did a good job, repeated herself several times and once wrote the instructions on some paper at the front of the class, but she seemed very rushed; she would give the instructions for each of the steps one to three times at the beginning of the step, show you the step and then walk around without repeating herself so for anyone who wasn’t onto that step yet or didn’t hear her cause she said it quickly (for example, the ratio of mixing colours we had to ask her over and over again) you felt frustrated… several people were asking those next to them about what to do. after she gave you the instructions for the step and walked around a bit, she sat down with the other helpers and just waited for someone to raise their hand and then went to help them… it would have been better if she was more interactive. I understand that its because she needed to keep the class going so we would not go over time, but it would have helped for her to repeat the steps a bit throughout the step or write it down. also, her microphone was very staticky, which she apologized for, but it also seemed to keep her from talking very much. Some of the steps she couldn’t really describe well (for example, we were painting a scene inspired by a photograph she took and there were a couple items in the picture that she couldn’t describe/didn’t know what they were so she just kind of said «its an orangy blob in the corner»). Still, she did a great job considering the size of the class and complexity of the painting and was talented. She gave us a ton of tips, kept reminding us to water down our pain and would give us tips based on problems she saw other people having. She was really pleasant when you asked her for help, complimentary and genuinely interested in us having a good picture. She and the other girls were nice enough to take pictures of us at the end of the class. In her defense, this class was much larger and the painting way more complicated than the other one I took.
–apparently the painting we did was a ⁹⁄₁₀ difficulty… we learned this AFTER the class… it would have been nice if they posted that on the website so we knew what we were getting into or at least told us at the beginning of the class so we felt better about struggling and feeling like our painting wasn’t going great. Keri did do a good job breaking it down into steps and my painting turned out much better than I was expecting!
–the other place had a hair drier to dry our paintings at the end which I could have really used at the end.
In all, it was a great experience and if there is another groupon I will definitely consider this compan

The only paint company I paint with! The best paintings at the best locations! They have great teachers too. I have painted everywhere with them. They have a great staff. Locations at Capri Blu, Wine Steals, 98 Bottles, Del Mar Hilton, We even had a private house birthday party in which we had the best teacher and they set up everything at the house. It was a blast. We have two more girl birthdays coming up and all have bought their tickets. The only bummer is if you like a class and painting, you better buy immediately because they sell out so fast! We’ve lost a few girls to each of the upcoming parties because they didn’t buy right away!

I am not in any way an artsy or creative type. However, it was a great experience and I am already contemplating another session either here or at another painting type place.
Our session was held at Hotel La Jolla (great choice) and valet parking was provided for us (nice touch).
The instructor had a amiable personality, was easy to hear, and although she went a bit fast at times she did a great job at helping people understand or maybe catching us up when she did go a bit fast.
The painting for that day was a bit simplistic (not EASY just not as complex as some of the others) but it was definitely fun. Those damn trees were my downfall though.
Customer service for the company was not bad. Our groupons weren’t working but they responded to our inquiry within the day.

I have attending two Painting & Vino classes and I was very pleased with the experience.
First Impressions: The room was ready to go when we arrived. I appreciated how organized they were. It is clear that they have done this quite a few times.
The Instructor and Staff: Both were very willing to help and give their feedback on the process. I encourage you to stay on top of the directions. There were a few times that I felt rushed, but it was clearly communicated that it was to keep the class on schedule.
The Selection: this is what makes Painting & Vino stand out from other paint and wine classes. They have a great variety of options available. Most of the other wine and paint places I have seen are things like butterflies, tress and flowers… I love that we have a change to be more creative.
The Environment: The music is upbeat and comfortable. Not too loud and really provides a creative and relaxing experience. I love it and I will be going again!

Last night my painting companion and I got to experience the social outing that is all the rage right now — interactive painting and wine night!
Set up in the back room at 98 Bottles in Little Italy, the instructor Deron, equipped with a microphone, provided step by step instruction to transform our blank canvasses into works of art, specifically «Shorebreak,» the evening’s artwork we were copying. Smocks, acrylic paints, brushes, paper towels were provided, and Deron’s assistants were quick to dispense more paint if you ran out of a color during the evening. Measuring sticks were provided; coordinates were given throughout the lesson for our precise copying. In addition to the completed painting at the front with the instructor, there were two other paintings set up on easels throughout the room, and we were encouraged to photograph a closeup so we had them right at our stations.
Drinks aren’t included with the class fee. Servers from 98 Bottles came around to get drink orders, and as the class started at 6pm, I believe we had one hour left of the happy hour specials.
Although they encourage people to arrive 15 minutes early, the class started approximately 15 minutes late. Arriving just at 6pm, my companion and I still scored spots next to each other.
The class ran three hours long, and you are very much focused on listening to the instructor and painting during the entire time. At the end, the instructor went around the room to help people individually, even after time was up. Deron’s assistants also offered to take photos throughout the night (you can decline when they approach you), and they share all the photos from the evening on the Painting & Vino Facebook page.
TIP: You can select your reservation based on the painting you want to recreate, and the company’s calendars are released on the 20^th for the next month. They have either local San Diego scenes or well known famous paintings by Monet, Van Gogh, Matisse, etc.

I’m not sure how this company could get anything other than 5 stars. They are organized, patient, talented, and challenging.
Today, I had a class taught by Deron. It was difficult to teach and I applaud him for picking the most challenging classes. When we finished I looked around the room and saw plenty of fantastic pictures. He moves very quickly and gives plenty of direction. Be sure to grab a seat in the front!

I was PAINTING with a little VINO
What could be better than a a relaxing weeknight with girl friends, food, a little VINO and PAINTING? Almost NOTHING I can tell you.
This is one of the many out there where you buy a canvas and paints and are instructed how to paint a specified picture. The food and alcohol are separate. You can usually select anything on there calendar from a women’s high heel shoe, tulip, city scape, forest, animal, river, waterway, sunset, tree, etc. You get my drift I’m sure. The object is to have fun and if you can listen, know your colors and hold a paint brush you probably can do this activity.
I have done several and this one was yet ANOTHER GROUPON so it was half off. SCORE! In fact you can find deals on Groupon, Living Social, Amazon Deals, etc all the time. Just be patient and one will pop up so you can try if you have not already. They are sometimes held at studios but the more fun types are at different restaurant, and wine bars which add another dimension to this activity. Plus you usually get to eat and drink which is RIGHT UP my alley.
So I bought the Groupon and my Unilocal Bud (friend) Milee S. had already picked out a date and pictures so I had a free schedule so I was on broad and registered right away. About 5 minutes later I got my confirmation email to say «I’m In», but instead of a YEE it was for PAINTING and VINO!
I arrive to the designated place after having a brain fart and driving past it and 15 minutes out of the way but I STILL managed to be the first person. Haha! Nicole showed up about 5 minutes later and Milee S was not too far behind. Nicole and I picked a place for us to seat that was close so we could see the instructor and painting up close and personal. And we ordered some food and drinks.
The class started on time which for me was a GREAT thing because weekday activities are sometimes hard when they end too late and I have a STANDING BUTT CRACK of DAWN wake up call to get to work in time the next day! And me curled up under my desk in the fetal position asleep when I should be working tends to be frowned upon for some reason. EMPLOYERS are so uptight.
Anyway, the instructor explained the canvas, brushes, water cup and how to NOT GLOB on the paint because it would NEVER DRY to start the next step or to take home. She told us in CLEAR and CONCISE words how to mix the colors to get the color we needed for the background, eyes, and nose. At first I thought she spoke a little TOO remedial like we were kids but she must have had a feeling she was in a room for of BRATS because she would say…“take the smallest brush and outline in white, take the number 5 brush, which is the biggest and fattest and lightly dip the tip into the paint and make sweeping, irregular shaped brush strokes for the fur lines., etc and all I heard all FRICKIN night was a bunch of whinny people say over and over at nausea…“What brush, what size brush, what brush did you use. It was ABSO-​FRICKIN-​LUTLY ANNOYING and at the same time COMICAL to hear. I laughed til I cried. But the instructor and her little helper were SUPER DUPER NICE, ACCOMMODATING, SMILED the ENTIRE TIME, REPEATED OVER AND OVER, came around to HELP, used different ways to achieve the SAME result, WENT SLOW, WAITED for everyone to CATCH UP, ETC. They were AWWWEEESOME! Customer service at its finest!
In the end even though I thought my picture was HORRID it looked pretty GOOD! And I painted it ALL BY MYSELF! A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT! And at the end our instructor told us that our painting was a high skill level but she kept it to herself and DIDN’T FREAK everyone OUT before we even started! That was GREAT! I felt even more like Picasso at that point.
I figured I would use my painting as a white elephant gift in the upcoming holidays until the parentals say it and said it was BOMB and that they wanted to frame it! WHAT, WHAT! I smiled from ear to ear like a giant 5 year old.
If you want a fun activity that is relaxing to do with the family or friends then find a Groupon of LS and sign up.
THANKS for an AWESOME night!

I have no concept of art or painting. My girlfriend invited me to escape the world through art and at first. I will admit that I was reluctant. Just came back from the event and it was surprisingly lots of fun.
The venue is nice. a little section of Little Italy (?) that I do not frequent. Planes fly close overhead but parking is plentiful after 5pm (street and metered, free after 6pm) The folks in attendance were really chill and social.
You come and enter to the Back Room where they check you off the attendance list, hand you a white canvas and you find a seat. The instructor is kind and tries her best to guide you through the art work. and I gained a new appreciation for folks who know how to paint.
They provide all the tools you need and one guy runs around to take orders for food and drink (you can also order in advance. they were very quick with the food and it was pretty tasty). We had the bruschetta flatbread (yum!!) and the poke bowl (eh. tasty but wouldn’t order this again). In the meanwhile you try and keep up with the instructions.
Paint colors are provided on a paper plate, along with 5 different brushes and a cup of water. They will come around and refill your paint as needed.
What’s cool is viewing all the art work after the fact. Everyone has a little bit of a different take in their perspective of the same piece of art. Surprisingly lots of fun and even with no talent (as myself) you’ll come out with something looking reasonably like art.
Would absolutely recommend the event. The venue is chill and kind of fun too. 4.5 overall for the painting and vino event. Interested to try different art again!

I love this concept! Drink and paint art… The best combo… It was so fun. The deal on groupon made it so worth it. I’ve been looking around for painting and wine one time fun activity to do with my BF but I didn’t like some of the other company’s location. I like Paint and Vino because they have it at good rated wine bars. And their art is better than other companies.
I did mine at 98 bottles and they reserve a big spot for it. It was fun, organized, and easy. Our instructor was good, but I felt she gave waay too much time for us in the beginning and rushed it towards the end. In the beginning, it was just toooo slow, then when time started running out, she kinda rushed things and forgot to tell us to paint some things that were on the original painting (just one thing though, it’s not too noticeable) But she was still a good instructor. Very friendly and helpful.
This was more of a girls night out thing. And then those poor guys who their gf (me) dragged them along. I think we had like 5 guys total in the class of about 50ish. Don’t look to come here alone… it’s a lot funner with friends/​BF. You just drink and «make art»… drunk art.
What a fun experience! I wish the deal would expire later because I would really love to bring my BFs mom to this. We had a great time, and when another deal comes out, we’ll definitely take advantage of it.