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Petroglyph Ceramic Lounge
Categories: Shopping Arts & Crafts Shopping Hobby Shops Shopping Home & Garden Home Decor Arts & Crafts, Hobby Shops, Home Decor [Edit]
1140 Lincoln AveSuite 5
San Jose, CA 95125
(408) 971-4278
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Si L. said: "If you are sick of the mass produced garbage you get at Ikea and want to upgrade to something with more quality, definitely go to ACO! The salespeople are knowledgeable and the quality of their products is top notch. The only gripe I…" read more »
87 reviews for Petroglyph Ceramic Lounge
Review Highlights
"...location is in the most quaint place, tucked in willow glen."
(in 13 reviews)
"I really enjoy painting things at Petrogylgh."
(in 41 reviews)
"2) shows you different techniques on their walls and..."
(in 4 reviews)
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87 reviews in English
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Review from Tina T.
San Jose, CA
9/13/2011
This place was pretty cool :) Bestie and I came here to express our creative side, hahah. The place itself was pretty spacious and they had interesting pieces to decorate. I decided on a cup and saucer and she did a teapot. Our theme was Disney ;)
They had a variety of paints and that was a plus. I liked how we were able to take as much as we want back to our work station. The atmosphere was nice and relaxed. The worker was also very nice as well. It didn't get too busy when we went - if I remember correctly, we went on a Tuesday and got half off of the sitting fee (I'm not sure if they still do that)
Painting our items took a lot longer than we thought - I think we spent around 3 hours there and that wasn't enough. Due to a bit of a tight schedule, we rushed in the end. I think 5 hours would have been good. After cleaning up, we gave our pieces to the worker and paid for the sitting fee + item of choice.
I returned a week later and the pieces looked great :) Definitely an experience, but a bit on the pricey side. -
Review from sadie G.
San Jose, CA
11/18/2011
My girlfriend had her daughters 9th Bday party here.
Scene: 2 tables reserved, one for the kids and the other for the adult Picasso's. They allowed us to bring in Pizza, Bday cake and drinks (wine for the big kids). One star for that.
Vibe: We all had a great time, socializing and painting our masterpieces. Another star for that. My girlfriend said that I wouldn't be able to paint what i had picked out (a true masterpiece). As everything in my life if I'm challenged or doubted even playfully, it's GAME ON! I worked for 2.5 hours on my serving platter masterpiece. It was a beauty! Ok, I'm partial to my own hard sweat shedding work but none-the-less it came out wonderful and I was so excited to have her pick up the piece and send me a pic. I live in SF so she offered to do this for me and I would pick it up from her on our next girls play date.
The day of the pickup: I wake up at 7am and eagerly am awaiting the text with the picture. 7pm rolls around and I get this message: bad news on your platter. they chipped it and here are your options: go in an repaint a new one (there wouldn't be the same challenge involved or the same vibe so I'll pass). I can bring it in and they can "fix it". Well I can do that at home myself, somehow, someway or they will refund me the $47 it costs me. I opted for this one for the simple fact that all the excitement and energy I put in the original piece would be lost in the other 2 options. Called the store and was told to bring it in and again they can fix it or they will refund. I explained I live in SF and she offered to do the refund over the phone. Perfect. Kinda.
I told my gf about this and I get this message: They lost the bday girls cupcake top that she painted or they gave it to someone else. NOW COME ON!? This was the guest of honor and as much as I was looking forward to my masterpiece, this little sweetie didn't get her special bday item she made at her own party. RIDIC!
Overall: while the experience itself was fun, exciting and entertaining the lows of dealing with their staff not being careful or not paying attention to detail is disheartening. We had talked about doing another girls night out here but after this experience, we'll be looking for a new playground. -
Review from Katharine A.
San Jose, CA
10/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I had a good experience here and a bad experience here-- all wrapped into a bad experience overall. My boyfriend's daughter and I came here for a fun bonding afternoon. We had a lot of fun. It was not a cheap afternoon (about $80), but it was worth it to see the smile on her face and the blast that she had with me. The woman working that afternoon was delightful-- really friendly and helpful. I was so excited to get everything at the end. It was hard to wait the several days.
Fast forward to the pick-up. My boyfriend's daughter was super excited to see the pieces that we created so I went as soon as I was able to pick them up. We did a pumpkin, a kitty (large pieces) as well as a sand dollar, a puppy paw and 3 stars (all small pieces). I thought it would be fun to have stars to represent each one of us, but they lost one star. Not a trace of it. This is not OK for a business like this and disappointing. The stars were a set, so one missing obliterated the meaning of doing them in the first place. I would have been upset, and could have forgiven this, but the situation was made worse by the worker's actions regarding this loss.
1) He was not apologetic
2) He said that this happens all the time with the small pieces
3) He refunded my money for one star, but acted like it was annoying that I dared request it to happen. He had to call a manager (who was painting in the store to help him), but there was no acknowledgment of the uselessness of the 2 other stars without the 3rd.
4) He told me that people often STEAL these and try to get away with not paying for these items. What was he accusing me of exactly??? I had my receipt and I found this JUST PLAIN RUDE.
It saddens me that the little pieces are not well looked after and that the staff is not very well trained in customer service. There should have been a sincere apology and a reimbursement of all three stars. Would have left me with a FAR better taste in my mouth about the place. -
Review from Debra W.
Elbert, CO
9/30/2011
I was visitng my sister from out of town and we drove over to have some girl time.. The place was big and had a wide assortment of bisques. The price was higher than we have back home..but this is calif compared to colorado. I was disappointed with the the help.. if i did not already know how this worked it would have been a disaster.. the employee spent most of there time in the back and did not seem to want to give advice.
I was disapointed but manly with the service not the place.
They do need more books on examples..inspiration for projects. -
Review from Samsudin K.
Santa Clara, CA
11/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
We were there recently a wet weekend and had some painting some porcelain. The staff were great and make sure the paint and materials are clean and always ready for next customer who walked in. For weekend, I highly recommend you make reservation. It does get busy with birthday party and so on.
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Review from Jenn S.
San Jose, CA
4/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
My best friend brought me here for my birthday. I had a blast! I hadn't been to a Petroglyph for YEARS.
For those who don't know .. Petroglyph is a place where you pay a sitting fee (which includes your paints and firing costs and under $10) and then you can go pick out an already fired un-glazed/raw piece of pottery (which you do have to pay for but the prices are listed) -- dish, mug, bowl, figurines, etc. and then you can pick your own glazes/paints and use a variety of methods from sponge to brush to stencil to completely fill out your piece.
The staff here was very helpful and will take the time to explain to you the various painting processes to get a specific type of look.
They also host private parties!
You can bring in your own food and drink and eat while you're painting. :) I even saw someone had a pizza delivered. We opted for the easy sandwich and drink. If you have more than 3 or 4 people in your group it is a good idea to call ahead and reserve a space.
If there is a specific piece you want and you don't see it out -- always ask. They may just not have put more stock out yet. The stencils are a little rough looking but still work great.
I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Kim L.
Santa Clara, CA
7/28/2011
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
I usually come here with my niece who loves to come here. The first time I came here was with my bestfriends, it was a very fun experience.
The staff is very nice and tentative. If you look like you need help they are willing to help. The sitting fee's for adult is $9.75 and children is ~$7?
They have a big selection of things to paint such as cups, animal banks, picture frames and a bunch of other things. Overall I've never had a problem with anything here.
I can't wait to come here when I have kids! -
Review from Tina A.
4/11/2011
I called this location in Willow Glen in search of transfer paper as the gentleman in Los Gatos suggested I do. The lady who I spoke with was nasty and impatient when I asked where I could find such a product. Calm your ass down lady - I just paid $30 for the plate & studio fee and I want to get this done properly.
Do yourselves a favor and take your money to Create It in Palo Alto. No studio fees, no fuss. -
Review from JD S.
Morgan Hill, CA
First time taking my girls here and find that it has lots of choices and the price is reasonable for the work involved.
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Review from Lisa Marie R.
San Jose, CA
12/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
Petroglyph is a cute little place to express your creativity or feel artistic, even when you are not--like me.
I came here last Saturday and it was pure chaos--but I'm assuming that's bc Sunday was the deadline for Christmas pick-up. Anyway, the place was 100% packed...and 90% of that being children. I don't mind being surrounded by screaming children, but I have to admit, it was pretty annoying sharing the paint with them. Unlike Color Me Mine, you can take all the paint bottles to the table...so with the majority of the crowd being children, we were left with almost no colors to bring back. I swear, it was like 10 bottles per person that day. I ended up having to "borrow" from people's tables and ask workers if they had more colors in the back--and luckily, they did. As far as selection goes, they had a nice variety--plates to statues to ornaments to even sake shot glasses, you name it. However, several of their items were out of stock, again, due to the holidays.
Overall, I had a fun experience. For around $65, my bf and I were able to paint 2 shot glasses, a candle holder and a plate (incl. sitting fee for all day). I plan to come here, again, once the holiday rush is over. -
Review from Kim P.
San Jose, CA
3/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Petroglyph is like the quaint small town version of Color Me Mine. These places are usually pretty expensive, but it's a nice place to go to every once in awhile to make a gift for someone or just to hang out and relax.
The place was pretty crowded when we went but we were still able to go in without a reservation. However I would definitely recommend making a reservation if you go just in case.
They have a good variety of ceramics to choose from and a good variety of paints and tools as well. However I think the collection is more expansive at Color Me Mine. I do enjoy however how they have these wooden stumps that you can mount your piece on that rotates as you paint it. It was a pretty nice touch.
The BF and I had a good time. I would come back again. -
Review from ems o.
Milpitas, CA
4/18/2011
Overall an excellent thing to do with your family.
It's a bit pricey though, for three small figurines and a plate, we paid over $100.
They ran out of a bunch of colors when we were there, but over all we had a great time.
Clean, staff was friendly, and we got our pieces back the Tuesday after our session. -
Review from Jen K.
Morgan Hill, CA
8/17/2011
Came here for a girls get together, and we did have fun painting pottery. Its the cost of the pottery plus a sitting fee of $9.75. My sister is pissed because her pottery didn't fire correctly, they offered her a redo for free, but it was a girls event who wants to go by themselves.
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Review from Linnea E.
1/2/2011
I love Petroglyph, but not this location. Los Gatos is better. But if you're going to go, whatever you do, avoid holidays!!! They are NOT equipped to handle a full studio. We went on New Years' Eve, and it was a bit of a mess. They had screwed up our reservation, and at first were not at all nice about it - rather rude actually. Thankfully, they finally decided to fix their error and be nice to us.
We had a good time, but it could have been better. The supply of paints and brushes was extremely limited. We ended up having to go table to table trying to "borrow" paints because there weren't enough to go around, and had to wait for brushes to come available. Check out was also a slow process, with a long line and only one person handling the register. I don't see myself going back to this location. -
Review from Remy-Anne V.
San Jose, CA
5/9/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I finally managed to come Here on a gorgeous sunday afternoon with my brother. I wanted to make our mom a mothers day present...
Located in the cute, cozy Willow Glen area we made are way to Petroglyphs for the first time. So cute! And such a brilliant concept. I took a ceramics class during high school but this was a little easier since all the pieces were already made and all you have to do is decorate it. The sitting fee was about $10 and if you check in on Yelp! you get a $1 off your sitting fee! So I of course took advantage of that. Gotta love those check in offers! We got there just in time because it seemed that everyone else had the same idea to make something for Mother's Day, cuz soon enough the whole place was packed!
Back to the job...the guy working was very friendly. A lil quirky but super nice and friendly and gave us the run down on the procedures and how and what we could do to make our pieces. My brother chose a dolphin piece (our mom loves dolphins, i swear she musta been a mermaid in a past life or something). Iiiiiii... on the other hand. Chose this dish/plate with 3 dividers. (I just had to outdo my lil bro haha) There are all sorts of pieces to choose from, from plates, cups, frames etc. We painted and painted. They have so many different colors available and a good supply of everything so that your not waiting for someone to pass a color to you. Smart. I loved how they also have the different examples of how textures and colors can look. Totally helps when picking out what colors you want to use. Along the back wall of the cash register are also works of other people who's are all finished and need to be picked up.
The downside with this place is that you could easily spend a lot of money. Our total came out to $70! Yikes..but of course it all depends on the pieces you pick since they are different prices. My dish was $30. Sooo...i mean its worth it something..nice and personalized that you hand painted and designed yourself. But just remember the $10 sitting fee is just the sitting fee. But other than that I had a great time and fun. In talking with friends...this place would totally make a cute first date place! (hint, hint guys!) very casual and fun. And the upside is...its a guaranteed 2nd date! Cuz they are ready in 2-3days for pick up hahaha..so you gotta go back lol. I guess it would suck if you were on a horrible date and didn't want a 2nd one haha.
Whether you are with family, friends, 1st date..or 2nd date. It's definitely a cute and fun place to go and get your Petroglyph on! -
Review from Janet N.
9/20/2010 2 photos
I definitely love this location a lot more plus it's walking distance away from the Willow Glen Frozen Yogurt Company!
MyTien P. and I came here to make some pieces for her new place in Davis to warm it up a bit with personalization. Why do I like this place better? There are more choices; from banks, plates, varieties of mugs and figurines to even the season jack 'o' lanterns for upcoming Halloween they have got it here.
There was only one worker here at the time but she greeted us and let us do our thing without questions asked. After painting, chit chatting and the like we finished our pieces and brought them to the counter. The cashier was friendly enough to explain the process to MyTien since she has never been and engaged in conversation about desserts! She was definitely a sweetheart with awesome hair!
Would love to come back with Alex K. or my brother for a sweet bank to store funds in! -
Review from Patricia L.
San Jose, CA
10/8/2010
I love going here! It's such a great place to be creative. The staff is very helpful with explaining what the process is. You basically spend some time walking around looking at all of the different ceramic pieces to choose from, then you pick the one you want to paint, the person working there helps you set up your table, you pick out all of the paint and tools you want to use, and then you start painting! It's that simple. They have a pretty big selection of things to choose from. The place is nice and clean. The staff is friendly. The mood is chill. It's a unique place to hang out and chill with someone. You sit there, paint, and chat.
I ended up picking a circular box with a lid and the bf chose a surfboard. It took me two sessions to finish my piece. The bf hasn't even finished his piece! I guess I don't mind since that means I get to go back and work on another piece.
My advice: make sure to layer on a lot of paint because I took a look at other people's finished pieces that are on the shelf behind the counter and a lot of them were splotchy because they didn't layer enough paint on it. If you don't want your piece looking like a five year old made it, then make sure to layer on the paint! -
Review from Pam v.
Sunnyvale, CA
8/12/2011
This place was great. It was kind of intimidating for first timers who haven't ever painted anything as adults but they didn't laugh me out of the store when my masterpiece was on par with 5th grade level so yay!
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Review from April G.
Los Gatos, CA
6/29/2011
Nice place to hang out with the kids & relax time with friends .
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Review from Adina C.
Santa Clara, CA
9/29/2010
I love this place. I love the smell when you walk in. I am pretty sure its the clay that I am smelling. I would come here everyday if it wasn't so expensive. Every time I have come here I have had a great experience. The staff is friendly, and very helpful. And the place is always clean.
I especially love that there are so many other cool places (within walking distance) that you can go to when you want to take a break after hours of painting. Sometimes you just need to get up and stretch your legs. So you can head over to Jamba Juice or Powell's, or even head across the street to Aqui's and get a margartia. Lol. Jk. No drinking while painting!
I also wish that they had same day service. I hate having to remember to come back and pick up my finished piece. It's usually the anticipation that kills me. I want to see how it turned out. But patience is a virtue right? -
Review from Rachael B.
San Jose, CA
4/21/2011
came here on a fun mid-week date with the BF. had lunch at aquis(YUM) and then came over here to paint. i picked a large vase and BF picked some salt and pepper shakers.
we lucked out that the place was not very crowded, but there was a small group of children at the back that got quite boisterous at times. overall we had a good experience. minus one star for the prices (a little expensive, especially paying for a studio fee), and one star for because although sometimes friendly, the customer service is hit or miss. -
Review from Christina G.
San Luis Obispo, CA
12/31/2009
I like the gallery setup for this place. Plenty of space to paint, plenty of paints... but that's kind of where the thrill of Petroglyph ends.
Their selection is quite limited compared to other pottery-painting places I've been (and how long must I wait until you have cookie jars to paint?). Still waiting on their call to tell me when they get cookie jars in. I've left my name and number there twice, but they never seem to call me back to alert me. NOT the way to run a business, especially since it turns out they have indeed gotten those jars in at least a couple times since I've left my number (according to my neighborhood snoop). I love my penguin cookie jar I made there a year ago, but have yet to see other cookie jars SINCE I painted mine.
My suggestion... pass by/enter this place multiple times before you finally take the plunge and plop down studio fees. Their selection of items for painting is quite small and often changes, so hold out until there are at least a couple of worthy pieces. Still a great activity to do with your friends when you're hanging out in Willow Glen. -
Review from Jen H.
Updated - 3/21/2010
I guess my anger cooled down after my first post.
Although they broke my piece ( we're human, we all make mistake), they initially refused to give me a refund on my credit card. They wanted to issue me a gift certificate...
I went back today to demand my refund, and they gave finally refunded my $$ into my card.
eh, i think i will try another place if i do decide to paint pottery. Maybe CMM.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/17/2010
NOTE:if you don't know me, i can be your best friend or worst enemy.
OMGGGGGGGGG! If i can give this… Read more »
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Review from Amanda G.
2/4/2010
I had been wanting to try my hand at painting something here for quite awhile.
My guy had promised me a visit as part of my birthday gift,(almost 6 months ago!.
We hadn't had time to do it until last weekend.
We were passing by after dinner at Yuki, and noticed they were still open, (and would be for a few more hours.)
I was pleasantly surprised that they stay open as late as they do.
The guy working there was awesome, he explained everything to us, and gave us some tips. He was so encouraging, and had a great sense of humor.
Neither my guy nor myself are artistically gifted. In all honestly, we suck. BUT, for some strange reason, I still thought this would be fun.
Even though our creations didn't turn out as we had envisioned them, we still had a good time. Also, after our items were glazed, they really didn't look too bad.
I don't know if my husband would do this again, but I would.
If you don't take your project too seriously, and just have fun with it, a good time can be had here. Even for bad artistes like ourselves...
I was also informed by the awesome guy, ( I wish I remembered his name!) that you you can bring booze in with you...
Hmmm, a girls night here with some wine might be a lot of fun.
It is a little expensive, but pretty much worth it. -
Review from Nathalie V.
San Jose, CA
12/2/2009 1 photo
I love coming here to unwind and use a different part of brain. So many possibilities!
Petroglyph can get really busy on the weekends, so I always call ahead of time to make a reservation. The staff is always friendly and helpful. There is a good selection of pottery pieces to paint - plates, bowls, cookie jars, trinket box, vase, teapot, doggie bowl, and soap dish just to name a few.
There are inspiration pieces scattered throughout the studio, along with some technique tips. If you are still stuck, check out the completed pieces displayed behind the register.
The turnaround time is not bad - 2 to 3 days is the average.
If you have not checked out this place yet, grab some friends and go already. :) -
Review from Melinda T.
San Diego, CA
2/10/2010
I went with my sister and niece to make some gifts for my mom. We have since decided that my niece is not quite old enough for this activity but she enjoyed it for 45 minutes or so and then hung out in the cubby in the back with the movie playing.
There is a wide variety of pieces to choose from. The sitting fee covers your paints and the kiln firing so it seems reasonable. They also have a frequent customer card to earn a free sitting so be sure to ask for it.
Unfortunately, something went wrong in the kiln. My piece required some touching up and my niece's shattered. This is quite disappointing because that was the whole reason we went really... -
Review from Kirby S.
San Jose, CA
9/30/2009
This place gets 4 stars, because who doesnt like arts and crafts, and not having to clean up the mess at home? you get unlimited colors, they fire the pieces for you, and there are a lot of things to choose from.
the -1 star is for the staff. my friend and i wandered around for a pretty long time, before finally asking someone what to do. even though it was obvious we had never been there, she let us sit at the table she assigned us to for another ten mins before i got up an asked her what we should do NEXT. THEN we got the 'paint is here, brushes here, 3 layers' schpeel. my friend was done first and went up to turn in her piece, and came back to the table telling me about how rude the girl was. i figured she was exaggerating, but when i went to pay i was shocked too. she was short tempered and rude. my receipt says 'alyssa' but i dont know what her name was for sure. as a whole, she was completely condescending and rude, even though she knew we had never been there. SORRY i dont know your store inside and out!
and now from reading other reviews i see that they offer a frequent-painter card, which we werent offered. wtf.
anyway to end on a good note, i will go back, just hope the staff is friendly next time. its fun and im pretty sure its therapudic to sit and paint for hours. -
Review from Cristina S.
San Jose, CA
4/19/2010
Ok, So, I love the IDEA of this place. I love the company and the activity, but I HATE this location.
When my friend and I went to go paint, we literally cleared our schedules (we're both perfectionists) for the day. We sat, and gossiped, and painted, a generally fun afternoon. Well worth the money in my opinion. But while we were sitting there, the guy that was working there DROPPED a piece and it shattered. He LAUGHED. what? I'm sorry, I wouldn't laugh if I just broke someone's hard work..
My friend and I went back to pick up our pieces, and the same man that broke someone else's piece says to me, " Oh, yeah, that one broke" Again, what?! Excuse me?! No call? No nothing, not even a sorry. I was SO upset, I don't live near Willow Glen and he could have at least called me so that I didn't waste my gas.
Rude customer service, no respect for somebody else's property (after all, I had already paid for it), I will probably never be back. -
Review from Jenna G.
Santa Clara, CA
4/3/2011
Way better service than the location in Los Gatos. I like how they let you bring food and drinks in. You can paint all day if you want to. The chaos of brithday parties is a bit annoying. (Wish they had the parties in a separate room.)
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Review from Stacy D.
San Jose, CA
1/6/2008
I work at this location, I feel compelled to write a review. I started painting at a Petroglyph location 10 years ago, so I can see the experience from both a customers and employees eyes.
Pros:
-A flat rate sitting fee (which includes: paint, brushes, glaze, firing time, using the studio) 9.75 for adults, 7.00 for kids 12 & under
-No set time limit (unless you are with a party)
- Decent selection of items
-You don't have to clean up your mess
- Most of the time you don't need an appt (the weekend might get a little
crowded though)
- Good way to unwind, and be artistic
-Good hours M-T 10am-9pm, F-S 10-10pm, Sun 10-7pm
- You get to keep your pieces forever
Cons:
- It's expensive (the floor staff doesn't set the prices, so don't get mad at them)
-It does get over crowded on the weekend, similar to most other places (movies, mall, etc).
- Lots of kid parties (kids running around screaming, and adults not paying attention to their kids) Overbooked for parties on the weekends as well.
-Run out of items frequently on the weekends (due to parties).
-Staff has many jobs other than answering questions, and assisting people with their piece. 30+ people and 2 staff members doesn't always work. (Cut the staff some slack)
-Parents think the studio is a day care so they don't feel responsible for their kids. (Staff can't be held responsible for bad parenting)
My suggestion is that you call beforehand. See if there is room (make an appt), ask if there is a lot of stock in, ask if there are any parties that day.
Not every business is perfect, but you will all have a much better experience if you are aware of the studio situation before you make the trip. -
Review from Tiffany T.
Kirkland, WA
1/31/2006
I have been here twice and I've always had so much fun. Petroglyph has a great selection of different paints, brushes, and ceramic objects. The studio is almost always clean and there is usually no waiting. The staff is very helpful in explaining the process for newbies, but it's pretty self-explanatory.
Petroglyph isn't just for artsy and creative people (like me), but for anyone who would like to personalize their own ceramics. -
Review from jessica c.
Castro Valley, CA
5/22/2011
Petroglyph has a nice selection of ceramics to pick from, and a nice open painting area. Currently working on finishing a project there, and I can't wait to see how it turns out when I get it back!
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Review from Jean K.
9/7/2008
Usually I'm an a Color-Me-Mine goer, but an I ended up trying this place out because of an aquaintance.
So the great thing about this place is that they have several paint containers per color so you can take it to your table and use it as often/slow/what not as you want. Also I kinda liked the unfinished factory looking like ceiling since it gave off a artist's studio vibe.
Now for the cons. They're not very clear with directions; actually they don't give it to you unless you ask for them. I walked in and wandered around for about 7 minutes and there was no "do you need help with anythning?" or a "have you been to petroglyph before?" In that area, I guess Color Me Mine is very attentive.
And while this may sound like a silly reason to not be happy with a place, my soap dispenser stick was too short. Obviously I painted a soap dispenser, and when it came out, I liked the way it looked. They gave me a top pump to put on, but the stick inside (that sucks up the soap I guess) was only about half as long as the whole dispenser. Umm.. so what do I do when the soap is only half full?
Price wise I think it's okay. I like the whole stamp thing with pay 3 times and get one free. -
Review from Sarina I.
San Francisco, CA
3/31/2009 3 photos
I loooooove this place. Even if you are not an artist! Which is me, I still love it. There are plenty of ceramics to choose from to get your paint on. I came here on a friday night with my sister and it wasn't really packed. Plus they're hours are great and no need to schedule an appointment. I also think this would be a great date spot to get to know someone and express your creative side.
So I ended up painting two ceramics. One was a Cupcake (girly right) and the other was a holder or coaster thingy. I love how the employees do not rush you or encourage you to do a certain one. Plus they are very helpful in letting you know what paints look best for what design and so on.
anyways after you are done you have to wait like a few days i think to a week for it. So bad idea if you are just in the area for one night. But I couldn't wait to see how mine turned out and I was satisfied! Yayyyy for petroglyph, you made me friday nite when I was bored out of my mind.Listed in: Willow Glen
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Review from Vicki A.
San Jose, CA
8/17/2008
My son and I come here several tiems a year to spend a relaxing afternoon painting together (hint - great place for rainy days). He loves it, they have a great selection of kids items (dragons, piggy banks, frames) for him to choose from. It is also a great place to got to make unique and oh so special gifts for grandparents (we did a plate with his handprint on it) that are lifetime treasures. We have also made holiday items there that are so special to pull out year after year (christmas and halloween decorations). Like other reviewers have said, it is not cheap to come here but when you think about the special momentos you create it is well worth it. It can get crowded during the holidays and weekends so you may want to call ahead to reserve a spot.
It is also a great place for birthday parties, we did my son's 6th birthday here last year and all the boys had a great time together. We were able to bring in all our own food and drinks - it was really easy we just had pizza delivered from Pizza my Heart down the street. -
Review from Stella T.
San Jose, CA
2/21/2007
When I was young, the Petroglyph Ceramic Lounge was an incentive for going to school and behaving. It was a field trip for all cool 5th graders right before Mother's day. Otherwise, I would go with older cousins who enjoyed painting ceramics on their free time.
A son of my mother's friend was once a manager here, back in 2001. I used to think it was so cool that he was the manager, so all the employees there thought I had a crush on him.
My first visit was a cup for my mother. I tried drawing a moon and a star on it, but it ended up looking like a round Asian/yellow face on crack, so I decided to cover it all up with purple goop.
Not the best idea. Anyways, very peaceful and calm. All the fifth graders were so excited when we get out ceramics back. I don't know why I don't go here anymore, but I plan to go sometime soon. -
Review from Bonnie G.
Union City, CA
3/3/2011
picked up my daughters art and after giving it to her we both realized that they gave the us the wrong item! Something tells me the employees tried to "recreate" it! The "fakey" had similar colors but definitely lacked all the special details that my 4 year old added. And to top it off, my daughters name was handwritten by somebody else and spelled incorrectly. Contemplated calling or going back but I don't want to go through the hastle. I'll just bring my daughter to a different company that's more organized and with better pricing.
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Review from Kathy S.
2/7/2009 1 photo
I couldn't believe how inexpensive this place was. They charge a $10 sitting fee and then you basically pay for the item you purchase (avg price $10-$15). So for around 20 bucks, you get a custom painted dish/cup/bowl etc.. It's a pretty good deal. And, you can bring your own food/drinks. They're even cool with alcohol!
Added bonus: if you don't finish your painting you can always come back and touch it up next time.. for free :)
The staff is really helpful too and they offered a couple of excellent techniques for what I was doing.
Also, you have to leave your masterpiece there for a few days so they can heat it and add a clear layer of paint to laminate it so be prepared to come back a few days later to pick up your stuff. -
Review from Ceece S.
Campbell, CA
7/17/2009
Petroglyph is a great place to go get your paint on! They charge a $9.75 studio fee for use of all their paints, brushes and supplies and then you pay for whatever ceramic piece you choose. There is a good selection of pieces here. They have everything from hair brushes, teapots, light switches, figurines and plates to signs, mugs, frames, and trinket boxes. You name it; they have it. However, the pieces are a bit on the pricey side. They can range anywhere from $9.00 to upwards of $50.00, but you can still find some cute, substantial pieces in the $15.00-$20.00 range. Paint your piece - take as long as you need and come back in a couple days to a ceramic that has been glazed in the kiln and is now microwavable/dishwasher safe!
The employees are helpful and courteous, and I love that it's never too crowded, even on the weekends, provided you get here early enough. It's also within walking distance to a good variety of restaurants, if you've worked up an appetite after all of your artistic efforts! Driving in downtown Willow Glen is a pain, if you ask me, but if you get there early enough, you should be able to find parking in the lot behind Jamba Juice with no issues.
FYI - group reservations can be made here (with a credit card on file) for parties of 7 or more people. If each person in the party picks a piece for $12.00 or more, the studio fee is reduced to $5.00. They also allow you to bring in food and drinks. So, it's perfect for birthday parties or in our case - a baby shower! -
Review from Cerissa B.
Austin, TX
3/3/2008
I have painted at the facility many times. I have always had a pleasant experience.
I once showed up on a Saturday and they were very busy. I was unaware that you had to make an appt. The woman at the counter was very pleasant and got us in anyway.
I love picking up my painted pieces.
