Colors & Bottles

Another coupon fail. This place is out of business and they sold me $ 35 painting class coupons. Tip: if you’re buying tickets to these pop-​up businesses, use them immediately.

I bought 3 groupons to use for a Colors and Bottles class. After having difficulty using the website to make the reservation, I contacted the GROUPON HELP through the Colors and Bottles website as instructed. I emailed back and fourth with a representative, Allison, who turned out to be the class instructor. After a few exchanges, she finally agreed to go ahead and register the 3 of us. So it was really awesome to show up to a class at a bar, as a surprise birthday gift for my mother, to find out that there was no class happening. NO email, no communication, no followup. HOW RIDICULOUS. What a joke of a company, don’t waste your time.

Colors & Bottles was a pretty cool experience.
I took the wife here for her birthday. They just so happened to have an event at our favorite bar during the Hawks game. I told the wife we were going to watch the game and took her upstairs for a painting extravaganza.
Colors & Bottles supplies you with all the needed materials to paint a single canvas. I guess it depends on the venue but from what I’ve read some places allow BYOB. Standard did not but you were still able to get drinks while painting which makes it much more fun.
Our instructor was relaxed and she was a teacher so she was very capable of helping everyone out and explained things very well. It was loud because the game was going on but she was still able to be vocal enough for everyone to hear. She instructed us on painting a lotus flower on water. No painting experience is required but there were some people that looked like they knew what they were doing. I was the only person who deviated from the instruction and painted the Blackhawks logo. The paints and canvas were good quality and it was truly a fun experience. It drew a lot of older woman and couples so this is a nice thing to do for your lady friend or for ladies night out.

WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER. I tried to book a painting class for myself and a friend using a buy one get one free promotion that clearly stated I had till ¹⁰⁄₂₃ to use it. I tried to book it on the date and the promo code would not work. I called and spoke to Leah St. Clair, the VP of Customer of Service who admitted this promotion was very confusing. The whole conversation she did not even think about her customer’s satisfaction and offer to honor the promotion due to the miscommunication on their end. Furthermore, she yelled at me throughout the phone call while I was trying to explain my point of view. I ended up hanging up the phone so I didn’t have to deal with a screaming match. NEVER coming here again and will advise all my friends completely against it!

I think it was interesting that they are trying to hold these classes at different venues but I don’t think it works out well.
— We waited half an hour for people that might be late but ended up never showing up.
— The class was seated right at the bar area which was really distracting because there were televisions on and bar patrons ordering and talking. The instructor was talking very loudly so we could hear.
— It was really dark and I didn’t even notice until I walked outside with my painting and realized that my colors were much brighter than I thought. Stinks because you spend 2+ hours painting and then you leave realizing it looks nothing like you thought.
— They said they don’t believe in printing out the art because they want you to make your own interpretation. I wasn’t a fan of that since I still need a visual guide and my eye sight is too poor to see what the instructor was doing. (You don’t have to paint what the instructor is teaching)
— Since most of these classes are at bars, it’s NOT byob.
— Really thin, cheap canvas.
+ I do like being able to order an appetizer when I get hungry.
+ They’ll provide extra plates, paint, and brushes when you need it.
+ Talented instructors. I was very impressed with her Starry Night.

I don’t think I would do it again but I was glad I tried it. Colors & Bottles is really more for the social aspect as it’s not really conducive to creating a great painting so it’s good to know this going in.
There were a few aspects that made me think this way.
We started half an hour after the start time. I can understand some leeway but after the 30 minutes, I was starting to get impatient.
The bar setting isn’t the best since it’s loud and distracting so it may be difficult to focus.
Supplies are okay. They do provide different paintbrushes if you request them. Without them, it would be very difficult to create the strokes that you would need to re-​create the painting. I think those brushes should already be included with your supplies.
I created my painting based on how I saw it at the bar lighting but once I took it outside, it looked very different in the sunlight.
With all that said, I didn’t have a bad time. It was still fun doing something different and the instructor was really friendly and helpful.

A BFF took me to a Colors & Bottles event even though I have never painted before. I was hesitant. But the instructor made it easy, and I tapped into an unrealized potential. My painting turned out amazing. The instructor pointed out how I had a technique that I began to appreciate and explore thanks to her guidance. The no pressure, no mistakes environment made it relaxing and fun. Thank you Colors and Bottles to helping me see what I can do.

THIS IS NOT BYOB.
I will start off by saying I had a great time. A night out with a friend to chat and drink wine while painting was a nice thing, and painting is really soothing. However the number of stars has been brought down because there were several logistical disappointments/​things just weren’t as I was told they would be.
1. Again, THIS IS NOT BYOB. I think I assumed it was because that’s how all of these kinds of things are. But the events are held at bars so obviously they’re not gonna let me bring in my own bottle of wine. The groupon description said «Some classes are BYOB, and during those that are not, discounted adult and nonalcoholic beverages will be available for purchase at the venue.» I looked at a lot of options when choosing my date and not a single one was BYOB. And My class was at Revolver where there were no drink specials on a Tuesday and my single glass of wine was $ 12. That is definitely not discounted by my standards…
2. The painting pictured on the calendar for the date I signed up was not the painting we did. The one we did ended up being easier which I guess is better but don’t advertise something and then do another
3. I thought there would be more instruction. I don’t know why but it was more of a generic «fill the canvas with color,» ‘now try to pick a design to repeat itself in the painting,’ ‘ok now spend the last hour layering in your silhouette’
Basically, I’m disappointed that the company wasn’t completely transparent about what you’d be getting. But for the $ 17 I paid for the groupon it was a good experience, I definitely wouldn’t pay full price for this.

I have to admit that I had a lot of fun with Colors & Bottles. It was held at the Revolver Bar in Roscoe Village where there were easels and canvases set up for groups of 2 – 3. The instructor and her assistant were friendly, helpful and energetic. The whole experience was fun and relaxing.
Since it is held at a bar, some areas didn’t have very good light depending on where you were sitting. Also, the tables were a bit close together so I kept bumping into the person behind me. Probably the best seats were at the bar, but with a group of 3 it would be hard to talk to each other. The drinks seemed a bit overpriced (probably because that’s how the bar makes their money) and the waitstaff was nice enough. Overall, it was a good experience though.

Despite shaky business aspects, my friends and I liked the C&B painting class in mid-​April held at VIAND BAR AND KITCHEN. We painted a butterfly wing. Let’s start with the biz:
YouSwoop advertised the class as a BYOB event for $ 17. I convinced girlfriends to buy the deal. After looking at C&B’s calendar for 3 months ahead, plus receiving no response from C&B to my inquiry on the subject, I saw that no Chicago classes were BYOB. Disappointment reigned, but we forged ahead. Then, an ice storm forced a reschedule. At the time, their online form was unencrypted but C&B’s Stephen kindly took care of the rescheduling while C&B updated the web site design.
I’m glad we chose Viand as the location for painting because it was a fairly upscale yet relaxing spot. No worries, I still rocked my comfy clothes, as paint is not considerate. Wine bottles, clean and spacious interior, no-​drama bathrooms, great lighting, and an uncrowded environment were welcome after reading some of the reviews about other C&B locations.
Our instructor Sarah waited about 20 – 25 minutes to start the Sunday afternoon class to allow people more time to arrive. I understand the practice, but scaling back to a 5 – 10 minute leeway would have been preferable to provide more time to paint within the 3-​hour time frame. It can make a difference when adding details, particularly for first timers.
Sarah did a great job with the instruction of 22 students — clear, easy, and flexible. Some students received individual guidance. All supplies were provided — acrylic paint (although a couple of colors may have run out along with plates), aprons, brushes, water cup, canvas, and easel. You can bring your own supplies if you like. Yet one female student had serious artistic skill and created super clean lines on her painting, so it didn’t seem that used brushes had too much of an impact. The paint dried fast on the canvas, which was appreciated. Pics were taken at the end of class.
I’m happy with the laidback experience and my masterpiece. :-) I would attend another class for around that price and at that location, BYOB or not.

Bought a $ 17 YouSwoop with my girlfriends and it took us forever to finally decide on a class, which are held at various bar venues. We finally decided on a cool swirly painting at The Joynt in River North. As other Unilocalers have said, the downside to Colors & Bottles is that its not BYOB. So I guess I would only do this again with another deal.
The class was held in one of the back bar rooms at the Joynt. It was set up with easels at the bar and various tables. I wish the room was more well lit. They also play fun music while you’re painting.
Our instructor was a substitute that day and him and his assistant Fabrice were both very nice and fun to chat with. Luckily the painting we had didn’t require difficult instructions, but they were both very helpful with questions, and encouraging.
The materials we had were just ok too, they used Blick paint. Instead of a canvas, we got a flat panel type board, which I think is probably cheaper?
Overall, I had a fun time painting with my gal pals and it was actually very relaxing. I think I’d want to try a Bottle & Bottega venue next time for a more high quality experience.

I was disappointed that the YouSwoop deal falsely advertised this as a «BYOB» painting class. The classes are held at various bars, and of course you can’t bring wine in! For shame, YouSwoop!
That being said, my girlfriends and I still had a lot of fun. This class was at The Revolver. I ordered a glass of wine and man, do they give a generous pour! One glass was enough for me!
The tables at the front of the bar were set up with everything we needed: a canvas, two different size brushes, a cup of water, paper towels, paint and a smock. I suggest bringing your own brushes if you need various sizes. Hmmm… maybe BYOB stood for Bring Your Own Brushes?
The instructor and her assistant were super friendly and came around to give us painting tips, encouragement and extra paint. We did an ocean sunset painting which was tougher to replicate than it seemed! Mine looked nothing like the painting, but it was still fun. See, this is why I stick with photography!
This was an enjoyable afternoon activity that we want to do again!

Super fun! My friends and I attended a class at the The Revolver and had a great time.
The class was originally scheduled at Newport Bar & Grill, but at the last minute it was changed to take place at The Revolver.
The setup was organized — each person was given a canvas, two paintbrushes, cup of water, apron, and paint with the colors that we needed. The tables were a little on the small side and I didn’t have a good view of the instructor and her canvas, but it didn’t matter too much after I caught on to what we were trying to paint. She was, however, helpful and friendly– she walked around a few times to give us some tips on our painting — never critical which is a plus since this was my first time painting anything!
The instructor had a helper who would fill our pallets with more paint if we needed it which was nice since I did run out of paint every so often. Of course, we got to bring our painting home. I was pretty satisfied with my painting so I might just hang it up.
The only downside was that the place wasn’t Byob, but you can still order a drink from the bar (It’s byob depending on the venue). I would definitely try this again!

I attended a class at The Revolver with two girlfriends. We thought we might run a bit late so we tried calling the place to inform them, but no answer… that was a frustrating way to start off the experience. We were each set up with a canvas on a stand, an apron, pallet of paint, brushes and a cup of water. Things on top of things! It was kind of difficult to get situated comfortably. The set up wasn’t ideal and our little group could barely see the instructor let alone hear what she was saying. It was also hard to get her attention during free periods to ask for help– I had to get out of my seat several times. Also, we felt a little rushed out when she kept reminding us what time the class was over.
The décor of The Revolver was nice, but the dim lighting is not ideal. It was a little disappointing that they do not offer any drink specials (it was a Tues night, c’mon!). I was also surprised to find out after the class that some people ordered food– I had no idea there was a menu! (Not like there would have been room to put a plate)
It seems that everyone there was pretty much coming in with some sort of an online deal. We all agreed that it was a good time, but we would only consider going back with another Groupon. It would be nice to try another venue. Overall, it’s an enjoyable experience to chat and feel crafty with friends… hanging up your final masterpiece is really up to you.

Great fun, great food (our venue was Flagship Tavern & Grill)
Here are my complaints: Venue was too loud for a class. We were toward the back and couldn’t hear the instructor let alone see her (or see what she was doing … or see the painting)!
Lighting was horrible! After all, it’s a bar — not designed for painting, but still.
AND took Waaaaaaaaaay too long! Class moved quickly at first, but then dragged on forever! Nice instructor who seemed to want everyone to succeed. (Sara)
I give it 4 stars because I believe if some of these quirks were fixed it could be worthy of 4 stars, but mostly because regardless of the class it was a lovely evening with great company, and you can’t put enough stars on that!

Venue. Venue. Venue. A good venue seriously makes the experience 10 times better.
Tips:
–Don’t just pick a painting you like, pick the pair (venue and painting) you like best.
–Arrive 10−15min early, get a drink and a good seat close to the instructor.
–If you get a shitty brush, ask for another one… they have nicer ones but won’t give them out unless you complain or ask nicely.
–Drink…but not too much, you’re hoping to display this where people might actually see it… right?
–No need to dress up, they provide smocks but shit happens when you drink and you’d be surprised how easy it is to end up with paint on your face or on your knee.
–Don’t be shy, walk around and check out the other paintings… I have never seen a bad painting come away from these classes and each one has a different unique impression.

Who knew it would be so tough to coordinate schedules with your friends along with the availability of dates for the classes and locations?! It took us 3 or 4 months out to finally get our calendars together for this event. We all purchased the LivingSocial deal for $ 17. Even though it took some work it was fun and worth it! We loved the food at Motel Bar and the drinks were fabulous as well, even though I was concerned with us having to pay for drinks as I know other companies have a BYOB option while painting. The location was pretty spacious and comfortable enough for painting. The instructor was very patient and helpful. My friends and I had a blast, and have been talking about doing this again. It was relaxing and something different — where we could still chat and hang out without feeling unproductive. It was nice to be at a place where we could be casual and not just getting together to paint the town but an actual canvas. I am still looking for a frame to put my picture in up in my home.

My roommate and I bought the google offer for this and were very excited to try it, however had a disappointing experience overall. The bar was crammed full of us and all of us in the back couldn’t even see the instructor. We were told to come up and take a photo of the painting on your phones for reference! Really?! They couldn’t even print out copies? The materials were pretty terrible as well. .
We each got two brushes which were in pretty bad shape and too thick to use for the outlining. When asked if we could have another brush, we were told they didn’t have any left. The worst part was when we asked for an extra Styrofoam plate for mixing she said we should just mix on top of our old ones! They weren’t even dry yet so there was no way we could do that! So frustrating. I don’t understand why they had to be stingy on Styrofoam plates…
We won’t be back.

The class itself was fun. For $ 17, using a google offers voucher, I attended a 3 hour painting class and ended up with a pretty cool painting that I will certainly be displaying in my apartment. You pick the class you want to attend, and there are different venues and paintings to choose from. I ended up going to a small bar near my house, and painted the Chicago skyline.
The class was pretty big, and the space was not at all conducive to teaching a class. You could barely hear the instructor, and to resolve this, the bar decided to turn off the air conditioning! How is that the answer? By the end of the night, I was dripping with sweat. The instructor did notice the space was not ideal for teaching his class, so he abandoned the traditional «sit at the front of the room and explain what you’re doing while painting» teaching method, and ended up just constantly walking around the room offering advice.
As the venue was a bar, the class was not BYOB, as it is at some other locations. There were zero drink specials offered, and I was not at all happy at the cost of beer and wine. Come on… it was a Tuesday!
The class was a mix of people who truly did already know how to paint quite well, and those of us who haven’t held a paint brush since second grade (myself being in the latter group). The instructor was really nice and gave helpful suggestions on how to make your painting better. I would have liked more individualized attention, but with a huge class, that was impossible. He came by maybe 4 times over the course of the 3 hour long class.
I would consider taking another class offered by Colors & Bottles, but at a different location that allows BYOB, and perhaps with somewhat of an easier painting.

The «meh I’ve experienced better» rating with two stars is exactly how I would pin this…
I’ve gone to cocktails and canvases in Atlanta and LOVED it. So much fun!
Expecting something similar, my boyfriend and I went to the Green Door Tavern this week to paint…
First of all, we spent around 30 minutes using pencil to sketch our lines which seemed weird to me. Even better… they ran out of pencils so people had to share. The space was dark, cramped, and I was constantly afraid of knocking into someone else’s painting. No aprons, so if that acrylic cheap paint gets on you… too bad.
The teacher was mainly talking to the people on the left side and I couldn’t see him or his painting really because of the awkward seating arrangement. Also, he talked a lot about himself and his art work… He went so fast and didn’t make sure that everyone was on the same page. Even at the end of the class, the painting he drew didn’t even look like the one on the website.
Overall, this sucked, and even with a livingsocial deal I wouldn’t come back. The only good part about the night was the $ 3 Pranqsters.