Our First Watercolor Challenge: Zinnia
On August 14th, 2025, we launched our very first Seasonal Watercolor Challenge in the Watercolor for Every Season Facebook group. This event was the beginning of something special—our ongoing Seasonal Watercolor Challenges, designed to bring artists together, spark creativity, and celebrate the beauty of nature through watercolor.
For our debut challenge, the theme was the Zinnia, a flower known for its bold colors and joyful energy. Zinnias come in nearly every shade imaginable, making them the perfect subject to inspire our members and kick off a year of creative exploration.
Why We Chose Zinnias
Zinnias are not only fun to paint but also fascinating in real life. These flowers come in almost every shade imaginable, making them a great subject for experimenting with color mixing and layering. If you’d like a little botanical inspiration, you can learn more about zinnias here
. For our community, this was the ideal starting point for a new series of seasonal watercolor prompts, giving everyone a chance to explore painting flowers in watercolor in their own unique style.
How the Watercolor Challenge Worked
Participation was simple and fun.
- Theme: Zinnia
- Deadline: August 20th, 6 PM CST
- Mediums Accepted: Traditional watercolor on paper, board, or another physical surface. Mixed media was welcome, as long as watercolor was the star.
- How to Enter: Members shared their work in the group using the hashtag #zinnia.
We emphasized a few simple guidelines: keep things family-friendly, stay on theme, and focus on enjoying the creative process. The structure made it easy for anyone—whether brand new to watercolor or an experienced painter—to jump in and participate.
The Prize
To make things extra exciting, we included a prize: a watercolor sketchbook! The winner received an art supply item perfect for sparking inspiration, whether by adding to their current toolkit or encouraging them to try something new.
These prizes are not about competition—they’re about motivation. Each week’s reward is designed to celebrate creativity and keep the joy of painting alive.
The Results
The results of this first Watercolor Challenge were incredible. Our Facebook feed quickly bloomed with zinnias of every color and style. Some artists leaned into bold orange and red petals, while others experimented with soft pinks, deep purples, and creative abstracts.
More importantly, the community energy was undeniable. Members cheered each other on, offered supportive feedback, and shared their excitement about the process. Beginners felt encouraged to keep going, while advanced painters inspired others with their techniques. This first event proved the value of creating a safe, uplifting space to share and grow together.
Looking Ahead: More Seasonal Watercolor Challenges
The Zinnia challenge was only the beginning. Each week, we’ll continue highlighting nature and the seasons through new watercolor themes—pumpkins, autumn leaves, cozy winter scenes, spring florals, and more. These weekly challenges are designed to keep you painting, learning, and connecting all year long.
If you missed the first challenge, don’t worry—there’s plenty more to come. Join us in the Watercolor for Every Season Facebook group
to follow along, get the weekly prompts, and share your art. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been painting for years, you’ll find inspiration, encouragement, and a community ready to cheer you on.
Join the Next Watercolor Challenge!
Our first Watercolor Challenge showed us what happens when creativity and community come together: joy, encouragement, and a feed full of stunning artwork. We can’t wait to see even more amazing pieces as we move into future themes.
So grab your brushes, mix your favorite colors, and get ready to join the next Seasonal Watercolor Challenge. Let’s keep painting, learning, and celebrating together!