Spray Paint Your Own Canvas in a Chicago Graffiti Studio
An artist covers aerosol, stencil and graffiti-style basics, then you spray your own canvas and take it home.
Studio W.I.P. is a Chicago street art studio run by Native 312 Events, and this 90-minute workshop puts a spray can in your hand. The listing sets out three things to learn: aerosol technique, stencil design and graffiti style.
You do not need to draw. The listing says the session is curated by the studio's artists for people who are not the most creatively inclined, and the canvas you paint goes home with you.
The booking sells two ticket types, an adult ticket from age 13 and a child ticket for ages 10 to 12, and an adult has to be on every booking. One booking takes up to eight people.
Paint your own street art at Studio WIPA 90-minute spray paint and stencil workshop. Materials and a canvas to take home are included, and drinks are BYOB.www.viator.comA Short Lesson, Then the Canvas Is Yours
Visitors describe brief instruction followed by plenty of time to design. One wrote in April 2026 that the instructor covered text, drips, splatter and drop shadows, and that the group had a minute to practice on the walls. Most of the session is your own time at the canvas, with the instructor circling the room and checking in.
Stencils are part of the kit, and several visitors mention a large selection to choose from. One in September 2026 noted that the instructor had made most of them himself. You share the studio with other guests, so expect a room of separate projects.
Paint Hangs in the Air, So Plan for It
The studio says it uses a European acrylic spray paint that is VOC-free with only a slight odor. Masks are not required, and the studio keeps some on hand for anyone who asks. At least two visitors, in 2023 and 2025, still recommend wearing one, citing paint in the air. The listing also says the workshop is not recommended for people with serious lung or breathing conditions.
Gloves and aprons are provided. The studio's own advice is to dress for an art class: paint only sometimes washes out, and its tip is dish soap and very hot water before the wash.
BYOB, With the Studio Keeping an Eye on It
Drinks are not included. The listing and the studio both describe the workshop as BYOB, and the studio sets 21 as the drinking age while the class itself is open from 10. The listing warns that the operator can turn away anyone who appears intoxicated, and a workshop canceled that way is not refunded.
One visitor in November 2025 wrote that alcohol was not part of their session and that they carried their bottle back to the car. Families come too, and visitors mention bringing children from 10 to 16.
The Listing and the Studio Give Different Addresses
The booking listing still gives the meeting point as 1047 W. Lawrence Ave. in Uptown. The studio's own website and its booking system now list 1744 N. Kimball Ave., near the 606 Trail, and the booking system labels that address as its updated main location. A visitor in July 2025 wrote about coming to the studio's new location for the first time. The two addresses are in different parts of the city, so set your route to Kimball Avenue before you leave.
The studio's booking notes ask guests to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before the start. Those notes mention plenty of street parking, with buses and the 606 Trail nearby. Its notes for a separate neon workshop call parking a premium and suggest transit or a taxi.
📍 Studio W.I.P., 1744 N. Kimball Ave., Chicago. The booking listing still shows 1047 W. Lawrence Ave.
Start times change by day. For late October the calendar shows 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM on a Tuesday, and four starts from 1:00 PM on a Saturday. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund, and note that the listing allows the operator to cancel if too few people book. Tips are not included.
The paint dries in about a minute, one visitor noted, so your canvas leaves with you in a bag at the end.