Art and Cocktails at Art Bar Tokyo

I love drinking but in recent years I’ve been really into attending workshops and creating things.

One day, I decided to visit a place I’d seen on Instagram — a bar where you can enjoy a drink while making art!
When I searched for places like that, I found a few options.
I chose Artbar Tokyo because the time and location were just right for me.
It looked like a fun experience to share with friends, so I invited one of my drinking buddies to join me.

Booking

I booked the Paint Pouring Fluid Art class held on Cat Street in Harajuku and paid by credit card.
The class costs ¥7,150 (tax included) and comes with free drinks, snacks, and all the art supplies you need.
The artwork I created will be shipped to my home later with shipping costs paid on delivery.

On the Day

I arrived a little earlier than my friend and went inside.
An instructor, who I think was Italian, greeted me at the reception, handed me an apron, and told me to sit wherever I liked.
The studio was cozy and compact, with two rows of tables.
Many artworks using different techniques were displayed on the walls, and the tables were covered with colorful paint stains.

Drinks&Snacks

After choosing my seat, I went to the bar counter to select a drink.
There was a staff member behind the counter who prepared the drinks.
You could choose between red or white wine, and add a fruit flavor and soda if you liked.
I thought I might not be able to paint well if I got too tipsy, so I chose red wine with soda and fruit flavor.There were individually wrapped snacks such as rice crackers and chocolates, which were all-you-can-eat.
However, since our hands got messy and there were many steps during the painting process, I didn’t have much time to eat or drink.　I just had a few bites during the explanation.

Making the Art

After listening to the teacher’s explanation, we started creating our own artwork.
First, I made my own colors by mixing paints in three separate cups — each one with a different shade to match the image I had in mind.　We all shared the paints and took turns using them.

Since it was summer, my theme was “watermelon, beach, and sun.”

After that, we added some liquid to each cup to adjust the thickness of the paint.
At this stage, we could also choose to add a few drops of oil — this creates a special effect where tiny bubbles or dots appear when the surface is heated with a burner later on.
I decided to add the oil to see how it would turn out.

Once the colors were ready, the teacher checked the thickness of each one.
Then, I started layering them into a bigger cup — one color after another.
At this stage, there’s no point in overthinking it; you can’t really control how it’s going to turn out anyway. So, I just followed my inspiration and went with the flow.

Finally, it was time to pour the paint onto the board — the most exciting (and nerve-racking) moment!
Once the paint was poured, I added some extra touches with a bit more color and used a toothpick to create patterns.

Then, with the teacher’s guidance, I used a small burner myself to heat the surface, which brought out beautiful textures and tiny bubbles.

The painting takes about two weeks to dry.
Once it’s ready, they’ll ship it to the address I wrote on the form at the beginning.

Impressions

Most of the participants were young couples or groups of women.
It was fun to see other people’s works — each one had such a unique personality and style.
The process itself was simple and relaxing, so I didn’t have to think too much. It really helped me refresh my mind.
Since you can’t fully control how it turns out, it’s exciting to wait and see the final result!
They lend you an apron, but be careful — if paint gets on your clothes, it won’t come off easily.

After the Class

After the class, my friend and I stopped by a craft beer bar in the same building.
The beers were great, and the place had a nice, cozy vibe!

My art

日本語版の記事はこちら
Japanese version article⇒click here!

Here’s the place I visited this time!
[Art bar TOKYO]