Girls' Night Painting Party at Lexington Marketplace: Custom Designs, Laughter, and Zero Pressure!

Hey everyone!

Last Friday night, I had the best time leading a painting party at Lexington Marketplace in Lexington, GA—this is a cute craft and antiques vendor booth shop with a dedicated creativity space for things like paint parties. It was an all-women group of 8 of us, and we spent 3 fun-filled hours creating our own individual designs on 11x14 flat panel canvas boards. No pre-set picture to copy; instead, I taught everyone how to pick elements (like flowers, animals, barn designs, whatever spoke to them) and make it uniquely theirs.

We started by warming the canvas with a glaze mixed with burnt umber and yellow ochre for a nice base tone. Then we transferred our chosen designs lightly onto the canvas. For referencing during the painting process, we used alcohol markers. Such a gamechanger for sharp lines and painting details later! From there, we mixed our colors on a stay wet palette (keeps acrylics workable way longer, no dried-out blobs mid-painting). I limited the palette to just a few key colors: Burnt Umber, Yellow Ochre, Crimson, Cobalt Blue, Titanium White, and a touch of Phthalo Cyanine Green. That restriction actually sparked more creativity—everyone ended up with beautiful, cohesive pieces.

I helped each person individually several times (walking around, giving tips, fixing little things), and we took a fun break midway to wander the booths and check out all the antiques and crafts. Snacks were out, water on hand, brushes and glaze for blending, and at the end, I used a hair dryer to speed-dry layers so we could add final touches and seal everything with a clear sealer. Everyone walked away with a finished, sealed painting they loved—and huge smiles!

Pictures below are a few examples of the kind of custom designs we created with that limited palette (yours will be totally unique, of course!):

Want to Try This at Home? My Recommended Supplies

This setup was perfect for a small group—easy to manage, and the wet palette was key for longer working time. Here's what I used (or recommend grabbing for your own party or solo sessions). Affordable on Amazon!

• 11x14 Flat Panel Canvas Boards: Sturdy, no stretching needed—great for parties. This value pack of 6-12 black or white primed boards works awesome: [Amazon link to Canvas panels] (like Phoenix or Bakeyba 11x14 packs).

• Alcohol Markers: For crisp details and fade-resistant lines—love dual-tip sets for versatility. Check out this 80-120 color set (HEVEGRD or Abeier brands are solid and affordable): [Amazon link to Alcohol markers].

• Limited Palette Acrylic Paints: Stick to Burnt Umber, Yellow Ochre, Crimson, Cobalt Blue, Titanium White, Phthalo Green—mixes endless combos! Grab individual tubes or a small set with these shades: [Amazon link to paint set].

• Homemade Wet Palette Setup (my favorite tip—keeps paint wet for hours!): Super easy DIY with a plastic container, sponge/paper towel layers, and parchment paper on top. Key supplies: Airtight container (like a shallow food storage tub), kitchen sponge or paper towels for moisture, and parchment paper (not wax paper!). This basic airtight container + parchment paper combo is perfect to start: [Amazon link to Airtight container] (search for "plastic airtight container shallow" + "parchment paper sheets"). For ready-made if DIY isn't your thing, check pre-made wet palettes like the Stay Wel palette: [Amazon Link to Sta-wet palette].

• Other Essentials: Brushes [Amazon link to Brushes], glaze medium for blending [Amazon link for Glaze], hair dryer for quick drying, final sealer spray, plastic table cover, and water cups.

(Quick note: Some links are affiliate links—if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the blog!)

Final Thoughts

Teaching this group was so rewarding—seeing everyone light up as their personal designs came together, no two alike. Lexington Marketplace was the perfect cozy spot, and the break to browse booths added such a fun twist. If you're near Athens/Lexington be sure to visit. If want to try a custom painting night at home, start small, limit your colors, and use a wet palette—you'll be amazed how far it goes!

Happy painting, Tracy

If you use the link to buy, I do get a small commission which helps support my art business. I do not recommend getting more paint colors than the set, because you will not have a cohesive painting. Learn to mix colors with this limited set and your paintings will be more intentional.