Ultimate Panting Guides

The Wine Trail Edition: Ultimate Painting Guide

Welcome to your Altered Paints Party! Grab a glass, grab a brush, and remember: in this tasting room, there are no mistakes—only "happy accidents."

Step 1: Set the Scene (Pop & Pour)

Unroll the "Van Gogh-Away" Tablecloth: Spread it over your table. When the party's over, simply bundle up the mess and make it disappear.
Distribute the Goods: Give each guest one palette tray, a set of brushes, a wooden ornament, and their individual Surprise Party Package.
Fill Your Glass: Pour your favorite Finger Lakes Riesling, Cabernet, or mocktail. Rule #1: Paint in one hand, glass in the other.

Step 2: Master the Technique (Sip & Stroke)

Base Coat First: Use your largest brush to lay down background colors on your wooden wine bottles, grape clusters, or stems. Let it dry for 3–4 minutes while you take a sip and enjoy your party music.
Layer the Vintage Vibes: Add shading along the edges of the wine bottles and grapes. Want depth? Mix a drop of black or dark purple into your main color for easy shadows.
Detail Work: Use the fine-tip brush for glass highlights, wine labels, or writing fun quotes (e.g., "Sip Happens", "Wine Not?").

Step 3: Pro Tips for "Professional" Results

The "Two Cup" Rule: Keep your water cup FAR away from your wine glass. Painting water tastes terrible, and Merlot does not make a good brush cleaner.
Embrace Expressionism: If your lines get a little wobbly after glass #2, don't panic. Tell everyone it's "French Impressionism."
Sealing (Optional): Once dry, give your wooden ornaments a quick spray of clear acrylic sealant if you plan to hang them outdoors or on a holiday tree.

The After-Hours Edition: Ultimate Painting Guide

Welcome to your Altered Paints High-Spirits Session! Spark up your creativity, turn on the music, and let your imagination roam completely outside the lines.

Step 1: Prep Your Vibe Station

Deploy "Van Gogh-Away" Protection: Cover your table with the mess-proof tablecloth. Future You will thank Present You when cleanup takes exactly 4 seconds.
Pass the Supplies: Hand out the paint palette trays, brushes, the retro cartoon ornaments, and the Surprise Party Package to everyone at the table.
Set the Atmosphere: Put on your favorite chill playlist (aka Altered Beats) and open your favorite snacks because you're going to need them.

Step 2: Bring the Cartoons to Life

Block Out the Bold Colors: Start with the big areas on your retro characters (Pot Tarts, Baked Potatoes, or Leaf). Use vibrant, unmixed colors straight from the pod for that classic Saturday-morning cartoon look.
Add Cartoon Character: Once the base coat dries, use your fine brush (or a black paint pen if you have one handy) to trace outer edges, cheeky smiles, and goofy eyes.
Highlights & Accents: Add tiny white dots or swipes to make eyes shine or add "frosting" effects to your characters.

Step 3: Emergency Rules for High-Minded Artists

Don't Eat the "Forbidden Frosting": We know the paint pods look bright and delicious, but they are strictly for the wooden novelties! Stick to the actual snacks.
Bob Ross Emergency Green: If you run out of green, mix yellow with a pinch of blue. If you make a mistake, paint a smiley face over it.
The Judgment-Free Zone: If your Baked Potato ornament starts looking like a cosmic meteor, congratulations—you've created avant-garde modern art.

Each guide is curated towards the type of kit you purchased. Read, sip, puff and paint with an artists flare using these hilarious guides!

Note from the "Chef"

"Our paints are non-toxic, but they taste like bad decisions. Please keep the brushes in the water cup and the wine in the wine cup. We've seen things... messy things."

— The Altered Paints Crew