This is for the Lakewood location…read more Came here for the $35 beginner class. You will not be going home with a done piece; it is much more challenging than it seems. So much fun. You are given step by step instructions on how to prep the clay and use everything. If you want to get good you need to dedicate some time. They have many classes you can take as well as open studio time once you become proficient. Shhhh... BYOB Tips: Short finger nails Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty Bring a few towels Hair tied back Highly recommend as it is a lot of fun and humbling. 5/5

I have been wanting to try ceramics for a long time, and I signed up for a 3 week mug wheel…read morethrowing class and absolutely loved it. The teacher was friendly, knowable, and helpful! It's a shorter class than usual but the perfect introduction. I'll be signing up for more classes and can't wait to continue my ceramics journey in this welcoming environment.

I always enjoy visiting Whimsy paint. Last time, I went with a few friends and we had a blast…read more The session lasts two and a half hours and as always, my only issue is with the pacing. We are given too much time during the first couple hours and all of a sudden the last steps speed up. The instructor insists you can stay longer if needed, which is nice, but by then, I doubt anyone wants to. I wonder if they slow things down so that people get more drinks, and when it's too late to order more, things move much faster. In any case, it's too bad!

Best costumer service I've EVER had. They are always…read morewilling to help. Always very kind and responsive. We love to paint here and will always be excited to do so.

Great class, and I'm a beast. I learned, teacher was nice and informative. I'd go againread more

Had a great first lesson with Christina. She was extremely patient, insightful, and very hands-on…read more We loved every minute of it! We'll definitely be signing up for the course. Thank you!!!!!

This is a popular and so much fun "paint and sip" franchise where an instructor guides you through…read morea painting step-by-step while you enjoy drinks. We enjoyed the company of Lulu our instructor. So funny and cute! There are several choices of drink. Soda, wines etc. There's snacks available. Perfect for a date, a night out with your gang or a GNO! They offer a variety of themed nights. Upcoming highlights for late April include Blacklight 90s Mixtape nights and Date Night sets where two canvases join to create one image. I bet the "Paint Your Pet" event and candle-making workshops if you want to branch out is pretty popular! If you prefer a social "paint and sip" experience, prices are generally based on the length of the class and the surface you choose to paint on (canvas, wood, or glass). There's a 2-hour session, and a 3-hour sessions. Here's a code (DENVER26) for a $25 discount on your ticket purchase.

UPDATE- Painted tonight with Emily and Josie. It was super fun and a great painting! We will be…read moreback.

A group of six college friends took Leslie's Textured Silver Ring Making Class at the Boulder…read moreMetalsmithing Association, and we had such a great time! Leslie was a wonderful instructor, and the class was both fun and incredibly hands-on. We learned several different techniques for creating texture on silver and then went through the entire ring-making process--from shaping and sizing the silver to soldering the ring together and finishing and polishing it. We learned a lot, but Leslie made everything approachable even for beginners. Best of all, we each came home with an amazing, genuinely high-quality silver ring that we made ourselves. It didn't feel like just a fun craft project--the finished rings are beautiful pieces of jewelry that we'll actually wear. An unexpected bonus was having their social media person stop by and do a personal photo shoot for our group while we were making our rings! It made the experience even more fun and memorable, and we can't wait to see the photos! Such a unique experience to do with a group of friends. We had a wonderful time and would absolutely recommend Leslie's class!

We had an amazing small group class with Leslie. She guided us through making a textured silver…read morering that reflected our own individuality. Leslie was so generous with her expertise, time, and assistance as we tried our hands at jewelry making. Highly recommend!!

A close (and fun) friend suggested that we spend the Friday morning after Thanksgiving in a…read more"Scraptastic" class at this North Boulder location, and I am so glad that I went. The overall atmosphere within Erinn Diekman's glass art workshop was so terrific, and I had such a great time. Erinn was truly kind to this arts & crafts novice, the newbie of all newbies, but she made it such a fun experience as I learned about creating art work (making bowls, plates, wall hangings, ornaments, coasters, etc) from scrap glass in all sorts of colors, transparencies, shapes, and sizes. Whether you're an amateur like me, or a serious artist, this is a really fun way to spend a couple of hours, either by yourself or with friends & family. Erinn is patient, friendly, helpful, and brilliant, making the whole experience pleasant. Strong recommendation.

For $1200 I have an unfinished ring, a few tools I'll never use again, and more than a little…read moreregret. The teacher clearly favored a couple of students, always helping them first, while the rest of us fell further behind each week. I emailed the teacher to ask if I could come back for a couple of hours to finish, and she never responded. We clearly didn't click, it wasn't much fun, and I will not be taking more classes.

I have called and sent emails multiple times regarding classes and private instruction and no…read moreresponse. Unfortunate.

School works in the footsteps of the great master. It is the dream of every person who hopes to…read moreget real information to build high skills in the art .

I want to be fair in saying that REAL Academy of Art Colorado was very clear that this is a…read moretraditional master-style art school. That was explained before I enrolled, and I take responsibility for not fully understanding what that style of instruction would actually mean in practice. I paid for a full semester of 12 sessions, and because of their schedule I had to complete them over four weeks, attending three days a week. I was driving a significant distance each time, so I was investing a lot of time, money, and energy into the program. What I found was that a large portion of the experience consisted of standing at an easel and drawing for very long periods with relatively little hands on instruction. I understand that sustained drawing is part of traditional atelier training, but personally, I could do that at home. I was paying for instruction, critique, demonstrations, and clear guidance, and I did not feel that I received enough of that to justify the cost. One thing that especially bothers me in hindsight is the lack of guidance around basic studio tools. They had mahl sticks available, but I was never instructed to use one. I was struggling significantly with fatigue in my arm and hand from holding my arm up and trying to draw straight lines for 3 hours at a time. I had also specifically explained that I had health issues that made prolonged arm positioning difficult. As I have continued studying art, I have learned how useful a mahl stick can be for exactly this kind of problem. Knowing now that such a simple tool could have reduced a substantial amount of the fatigue I was experiencing makes me very frustrated that nobody thought to suggest it, especially when the tools were right there. My experience with the instructors also varied. Ali was very disappointing for me. When I tried to express that I was unhappy with the amount of instruction I was receiving, I often felt that the conversation turned into long explanations rather than practical help or a concrete change in what I was being given. James was different. When I told him I was frustrated, he did listen and would try to give me something specific to work on. I appreciated that effort and want to acknowledge it. To be more specific about what I actually did during my time there, much of the work consisted of straight line blocking. They would draw simple shapes, star like forms, and I would the break them down into straight lines, working from the largest lines to progressively smaller ones. I later learned that this exercise had a name, but that was never really explained to me at the time; I was essentially just told what to copy and how to proceed. We also copied Bargue plates, again using straight line blocking. In my experience, there was very little actual instruction or critique during this process. Ali specifically told me that he did not believe in giving traditional feedback and instead preferred to tell students that they had done better than they had the day before. That may work for some people, but for me it made it extremely difficult to understand what I was doing incorrectly, why it was incorrect, or what specifically I needed to change in order to improve. I also found it frustrating that even while I was attending three days a week and clearly expressing dissatisfaction with the experience I was already having, I was pressure to purchase additional classes and and told i needed to spend even more time there. That did not sit well with me. Another thing prospective students should know is that many of the additional activities, painting workshops, and other offerings are not included in the regular tuition. They are separate and can be quite expensive, so the total cost of participating in everything the school offers can add up quickly. I also heard other students express similar frustrations about wanting more instruction, so I do not think I was alone in feeling this way. I do not think REAL Academy is necessarily a bad fit for everyone. If you specifically want a very traditional atelier environment where you spend long stretches of time independently drawing and observing, with relatively limited hands-on teaching, you may enjoy it. But if you are looking for an instructor who is actively teaching throughout class, demonstrating techniques, introducing tools and methods that make the work easier or more effective, giving frequent practical feedback, and helping you progress through varied exercises, I would strongly recommend asking very detailed questions before enrolling. I wish I had understood all of this before paying for a semester and making the drive several times a week. I hope this review saves someone else some time and money if this is not the type of art education they are looking for.