How to Host a Paint and Sip Night at Home (NZ Guide)

Short answer: to host a paint and sip at home, each person needs a canvas around 20 x 30cm, a small easel, a 12-colour acrylic set, three or four brushes and a palette. Plan on two to three hours, pick one simple picture everyone paints together, and cover the table. Using our paint and sip kits, it works out at roughly $22 to $33 a person, depending on group size.

What each person needs

• A canvas. 20 x 30cm or 30 x 30cm is the sweet spot. Big enough to feel like a real painting, small enough to finish in one night.
• An easel. A tabletop easel keeps the canvas upright, which makes painting easier and looks the part.
• Acrylic paint. A 12-colour set covers it, as long as it includes white and black. Acrylic dries fast, so you can paint layers in one evening.
• Brushes. One flat for backgrounds, one medium round, one small round for details.
• A palette, a cup of water and paper towels.

For the table: an old sheet or drop cloth, and an old shirt for each painter. Acrylic washes off with water while it's wet but stains once dry.

Which kit for how many people?

Prices as at November 2026. The kits for four, six and eight are over $75, so shipping is free. The honest trade-off: the Kit for Two uses canvas panels on mini display easels, the Kits for Four and 8 use medium canvases on wooden easels, and the Kit for 6 has four of each canvas and two panels. Panels are flatter and lighter. Canvases on easels feel more like a finished piece. Both paint the same. See them all in paint and sip kits.

An easy first painting: sunset over the sea

Choose something with big shapes and no faces. A sunset works for every skill level, and nobody's painting ends up looking wrong.

1. Sky (20 minutes). With the flat brush, paint horizontal bands across the top two thirds: yellow near the horizon, then orange, then red, then purple at the top. Blend where they meet while the paint is wet.
2. Sea (15 minutes). Paint the bottom third dark blue mixed with a touch of purple. Use side-to-side strokes.
3. Sun (5 minutes). A half circle of pale yellow sitting on the horizon line.
4. Break (15 minutes). Let the layers dry. Top up drinks.
5. Reflections (10 minutes). With the medium round, dab short horizontal lines of yellow and orange on the water below the sun.
6. Silhouette (20 minutes). Paint a headland, a pōhutukawa or a little boat in black. Keep it simple.
7. Details (10 minutes). White highlights on the waves, a couple of birds, and your initials.

If you have a confident painter in the group, let them demonstrate each step first. If not, put the finished example on a phone or tablet where everyone can see it.

A timeline for a two-hour night

• 0:00 Arrive, drinks, find a seat. Paints and water already out.
• 0:15 Sky and sea.
• 0:50 Drying break. Food goes out now, not earlier, so nobody has paint on the crackers.
• 1:10 Reflections, silhouette and details.
• 1:50 Line the paintings up for a photo.

Our kit pages say to plan on two to three hours including drying time. If your group chats a lot, it'll be three.

Tips from the shop

• Squeeze out small amounts of paint. You can always add more, and it saves waste.
• Two jars of water each: one for rinsing, one clean.
• A hairdryer on cool speeds up the drying break.
• Set out the paintings to dry flat overnight before anyone takes them home.
• Everything in the kits can be used again, so the next night only needs new canvases.

FAQ

How many people does a paint and sip kit suit?

Our kits come for one, two, four, six and eight painters. In the Kits for Four and 8, everyone gets their own canvas, easel, paint set and brushes. In the Kit for Two, the pair share one paint set and one brush set, and in the Kit for 6 one pair shares.

What size canvas is best for paint and sip?

About 20 x 30cm or 30 x 30cm. It's big enough to feel worthwhile and small enough to finish in one evening.

How long does a paint and sip night take?

Plan on two to three hours, including a drying break.

Do I need painting experience to host one?

No. Choose a simple picture with big shapes, like a sunset, and paint it step by step together.

What else do I need to buy?

Nothing for the painting itself. Bring drinks, food, paper towels, water jars and something to cover the table.

When should I order for a Christmas party?

Orders are dispatched from Auckland in 1 to 3 working days. For Christmas delivery, order by Monday 14 December.

More guides

• How to start acrylic painting
• Best acrylic paint NZ