How To Host The Perfect Virtual Paint Night Party For Your Team
With the growing popularity of remote work and increasingly dispersed teams, it's becoming ever more important to find new ways to stay connected and build team cohesion. Fun and creative events like virtual paint nights are a great way to do just that!
Planning an online painting class for your team is not only something really fun that they'll be eager to do, but it can be a great way to build team morale and relationships. Hosting a virtual paint night party is also quite a bit easier than doing it in the physical world because you don't have to worry about finding a venue, getting large quantities of art materials to a single location, setting up the space, or cleaning up once the event is over. All you need is a reliable internet connection, some basic art supplies that many people already have at home, and the willingness to be creative and have fun!
In this article, we'll provide you with everything you need to know in order to plan and host the perfect virtual paint night party for your team. We'll discuss the following:
1. Why Virtual Paint Night Parties Are Great For Team Building
2. How to Plan and Host a Virtual Paint Night Party
3. Tips on How to Make the Event Fun And Memorable
Why Virtual Paint Night Parties Are Great For Team Building
Group activities like online painting classes are great for team building because they promote creativity, self-expression, team bonding, and communication. These are all essential skills that team members need in order to work together effectively.
Creativity has a lot of proven benefits in the workplace including promoting better problem-solving skills amongst employees, helping with stress relief, and boosting morale. When team members can express themselves and be creative in a fun and relaxed setting, it can help them feel more comfortable communicating with each other which is key for building strong relationships. And of course, working together as a team to create something beautiful is a great way to bond.
Self-expression in the workplace simply means giving individuals the freedom to showcase their inner authentic selves in an environment that is fun and welcoming. Team members often don't feel like they can be themselves at work which can lead to frustration, stress, and even turnover. Giving team members the space to express themselves through art can help them feel more comfortable and connected with each other, which helps to build trust, strengthen team relationships, and create a more positive work environment.
How to Plan and Host a Virtual Paint Night Party
In a virtual paint night event, team members work independently but simultaneously to create a painting within a predefined amount of time, and then compare their creations at the end of the session.
Paint night events are quite versatile and provide plenty of format and planning options to choose from. Here are the steps you'll want to follow to successfully plan and host an event:
1. Choose An Instruction Format
Virtual paint night events can be led by a professional live instructor, or the group can follow any number of free YouTube instructor-led sessions like this classic one from Bob Ross, or the group can simply choose a theme of what to paint and each team member then paints their own interpretation of that theme. Part of this decision may rest on the general painting skill and experience level of the group, so make sure to ask the team what format they are most comfortable going with.
2. Choose A Theme
No matter which format is selected, the team will need to decide on a theme ahead of time to help with planning the event and adding some structure. Possible themes could be painting a landscape, still life, or a portrait. Within these three general categories, the team will have to select a specific subject matter. For example, if painting a landscape, the group might decide to paint a sunset over the ocean or a mountain range, and may further select a specific image to base their paintings on. The most important thing is that you select something that is easily understood by everyone and gets the group excited.
3. Choose The Right Art Supplies
One of the great things about virtual paint night is that it can be done for minimal expense since a lot of people already have art materials at home to use. However, depending on the format and theme chosen, some additional supplies may be needed. For example, if the group is following an instructor-led session, then they may need to have the same type of art materials as the instructor so their paintings turn out similar. The instructor will usually either include the purchase of these materials as part of their instruction fee and have them shipped to everyone's home, or they will provide a shopping list to the group beforehand. If the session is a more independently driven activity, then each team member will likely just use their own set of paints and canvas, or purchase any painting materials they want. Even if your team doesn’t have any materials to start out with, the necessary art supplies can generally be purchased for $30 or less.
4. Set A Date And Send Invitations
After the format, theme, and supplies have been selected, it's time to set a date and send out invitations. Make sure to give team members plenty of notice so that they can clear their schedules and be prepared with their supplies. Include all the important details like the date, time, format, theme, and what supplies they will need to have on hand. Make sure to coordinate with the group to pick a date that works best for everyone and to schedule at least an hour for the party.
5. Set Up The Virtual Meeting Space
If you are leading the event or instructing the group, then you will be responsible for setting up the virtual meeting space. This can be done using any number of video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Skype. If the team is using a professional instructor, then the instructor will generally let the group know what platform they'll be using ahead of time.
6. Paint And Have Fun!
Once everything is set up and the team is ready to go, it's time to start painting and having fun! Remember to take breaks as needed and for everyone to enjoy themselves. It's best to plan for a brief introduction, followed by painting time, and then wrap up with everyone sharing their masterpieces, voting for the best paintings amongst the group, and bonding over their experience.
Setting up a virtual paint night party can be relatively straightforward and is a great way to get the team together for some fun and creativity, all from the comfort of home.
Tips on How to Make the Event Fun And Memorable
Now that you have planned the event, it's time to add some fun and spice to the party! Here are some tips to set the right tone and make sure everyone has a great time:
1. Set The Mood With Music
Music is a great way to set the tone for any event, and virtual paint night is no exception. Choose some upbeat and fun tunes to get everyone in a creative mood. If you are following an online instructor, make sure the music volume is low enough so everyone can hear the instructor when they're talking.
2. Have Some Fun Props On Hand
Props are always a great way to add some fun and excitement to any event. For virtual paint night, consider having some fun items like colorful streamers, balloons, or even party hats on hand to help set the mood. Encourage everyone to bring their own and decorate their space in a festive mood.
3. Get Everyone Involved
Make sure to involve everyone in the event by having them help with set up, choosing the music, selecting the theme, or even leading the painting instruction. Getting everyone involved will help make the event far more enjoyable.
4. Make It A Competition
Add some friendly competition to the event by having teams compete to see who can create the best painting. This can be done by having each team vote on their favorite painting from the other teams, or by having a panel of judges choose the winning painting.
5. Make It A Wine Night
The only thing more fun than creating art, is creating art while enjoying some wine! Make the event a virtual wine night by having everyone BYOB (bring your own bottle), and share with the group what wine they brought and why. This will add an extra element of fun and relaxation to the evening.
6. Take Lots Of Pictures
Make sure to take plenty of pictures during the event so everyone can remember the fun they had. These can be shared online or even printed out and hung up in the office.
Conclusion
If your team is uninspired by the usual happy hours they've done plenty of times before, then a virtual paint night party may just be the perfect team building event. Virtual paint nights are fun and creative, and strike just the right balance between being novel but also not too difficult for everyone to enjoy. Virtual paint night parties are especially great for team building because they promote creativity, self-expression, team bonding and communication. All necessary ingredients to create more effective teams.
By following the steps outlined in this article you'll be sure to host the perfect virtual paint night party for your team. However, if you are looking to create the party but don't want to do all the legwork, then contact Ryptic Team Building and let us host your next virtual paint night party. We'll mail out a virtual paint night kit with all the art materials needed to every individual beforehand, and provide you with a professional live instructor to host the party so all your team has to do is show up and have fun!