Painting

A portrait with character

Paint your impression of each other. Being good at drawing is not a requirement.

  • For two
  • Two plus two
  • A table of 4–6
  • 60–90 min
  • Low cost
  • Indoors
01

A reason

A three-step plan. It works in any city — with or without an activity on the map.

  1. Pick a drop-in art class or a café where you can paint.

  2. Paint each other a card in three colours: one for the mood, two at random.

  3. Talk about what came out. Grading and comparisons with famous artists are off the table.

First line

So the chat doesn’t stop at “hi”.

To one person

Shall we paint together? Badly is allowed. Badly might even be more fun than well.

To a group chat

Getting a few people together to paint: a drop-in class or a café with paints. No talent needed, only a sense of humour. Who’s in?
02

Invite

An invitation link: they pick a time and answer in a couple of taps.

Format
When

Up to three options make it easier to choose. Times are local to the place you meet.

Option 1
0 of 60

A place or a neighbourhood. A home address doesn’t belong in the link.

82 of 300

These words go in the message. They never go into the link.

The reply comes to you as a message — the site never sees it.

03

Meet safely

For this idea

Paint an impression, not someone’s looks, and nobody feels awkward. Wear something you don’t mind getting paint on.

Before any meeting

  • Meet somewhere public the first time — and in daylight, if that feels calmer.
  • Plan your own way there and back. There is no need to share your home address.
  • Let someone close know where you will be and who with: send them the plan.

If you go as a group

  • As a group, paint in a circle: each person adds one detail to their neighbour’s portrait until it gets back to its author.
  • Agree in advance how everyone is getting home — especially if the evening ends late.

All the tips for meeting safely

04

Talk

Three questions from the “Honestly?” deck. Any of them can be skipped.

  1. Which film would you show someone to say, “There — that’s me”?

  2. Which of your habits surprises people at first and then makes sense?

  3. Which compliment stayed with you because it was so precise?

Open the deck
05

If you want more

The next reason to meet, in a different mood.

Nearby

AbsoLive is a map of activities, events and places of the Absolute community.

Find it on the AbsoLive mapWhat this activity is

The map keeps growing. If nothing is nearby yet, the plan above works without it.

An idea for someone else?

Know someone who could use a reason to meet? Send them a link to this idea.

Invite