Guided painting classes have become popular in recent years, thanks to companies developing art classes locally and nationally. Within the Killeen and Harker Heights area, there are two popular companies that offer such classes. How are they alike and different? Which one is the better choice? Let’s take a look at what each location has to offer.

Tap Tap Art Studio History

Tap Tap Art Studio is a local small business. It was developed to help promote the arts locally, outside of regular primary and secondary classes. The company initially operated from a bus. Eventually, its popularity grew, and they now have a physical location. Tap Tap Art Studio focuses on all aspects of art: from music, painting, pottery, and more.

Painting with a Twist History

Painting with a Twist is a national brand. The first location was opened in Louisiana after the devastating Hurricane Katrina ruined area. It grew over time and became one of the most recognized names in its category. The idea behind Painting with a Twist is to have fun while learning something amazing. Painting with a Twist focuses only on the painting aspect of the art.

Activities for Children

Both locations offer activities for children; however, Tap Tap Art Studio offers a wider range of activities. Tap Tap Art Studio offers camp and after-school activities, whereas Painting with a Twist only offers children’s painting classes. These child-friendly events are limited to specific days and times, but the paintings are appropriate for the advertised age range.

Parties are available at both locations.

Adult Activities

Both locations offer adult painting services, with the option to BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverage) and to bring snacks. The benefit of Painting with a Twist over Tap Tap Art Studio is the variety of classes offered to adults. Painting with a Twist offers more classes for adults and a wider range of painting options. Tap Tap Art Studio’s paintings for adults are often rare, limited, and offer few design choices.

Painting with a Twist offers a specialized Paint Your Pet session. In this session, you send in a photo of your animal. They draw out the outline of the painting. Each guest has a different picture. From there, they guide them on how to mix colors and such to make the animal appear realistic. This customizable painting can be especially important to those who may have recently lost an animal and want to cherish the memory of their fur babies. In this session, they provide more one-on-one guidance to ensure the painting is as realistic as possible. These sessions cost more because of the assistance and customization they offer. It’s well worth it for the animal lover!

Parties are available at both locations. However, Painting with a Twist allows fundraising activities for groups of any kind. A percentage of the cost goes back to the group. Usually, the paintings are related to the topic/group at hand.

Available Paintings

The paintings at both locations are easy yet challenging for non-artists of any age. Both locations offer a 16″ x 20″ canvas (sometimes the size varies depending on the painting) with a pre-drawn artwork. Both locations guide the user through the painting process (completing the background first, allowing it to dry, then moving on to the next layer, allowing that to dry, etc.). Both locations have a color palette for each painting, but they also allow customization.

Both locations offer assistance with paintings. If you are a struggling artist, such as myself, they come by often and guide you. Rarely do they step in and “fix” the painting, but it is possible. As someone with a heavy hand, I sometimes overdo the paint on a project. However, they will come by and show how to spread it out without messing up the painting’s look or concept.

One difference between companies is that Tap Tap Art Studio allows mixed-media paintings. A recent painting at Tap Tap Art Studio featured acrylic paint with pearls for their “Chucks and Pearls” piece. Painting with a Twist only offers acrylic painting; no other media are available. If they conducted the same session, no pearls would be added. Instead, it would have been just paint depicting the pearls on the shoes.

COVID Adjustments

Painting with a Twist has made the effort to adapt to the times with COVID. Painting with a Twist offers take-home paintings. Included in this are instructions on how to complete the piece. They have also provided online videos on how to complete these projects for visual learners. They have constant access to customer service for questions. Tap Tap Art Studio offered some take-home projects when COVID first hit the United States, but has since discontinued them.

Classes have been reasonable in terms of a cap limit on the number of people. Both locations have large rooms to space people out. Both locations have a maximum number of participants to reduce the risk of COVID exposure for guests. Both locations are adamant about cleaning their supplies, rooms, and door handles. Both locations offer sanitizer, masks, and other COVID-19 needs when entering the building.

Overall Feedback

Both locations offer amazing activities for children and adults. The biggest takeaway from this is a matter of preference.

If you enjoy learning and completing several art pieces, Painting with a Twist may be more up your alley, given the available options and times. If you’re more focused on activities outside painting, Tap Tap Art Studio would be a better fit for your interests.

Try both places and see which one fits your needs and wants. Support a small local business or support a small local franchise. Either way, support the local arts and economy while learning something new and having some fun!

Personal Paintings from Each

Tap Tap Art Studio

Below is my mixed media “Chucks and Pearls” from Tap Tap Art Studio.

Painting with a Twist

Below are completed paintings from Painting with a Twist