WINSOR & NEWTON WATERCOLOUR CONTEST 2025 | HOW TO ENTER AND WHY IT’S WORTH IT
- Julia Henze
- Jul 4
- 9 min read
There’s something exciting about a creative challenge, especially one that invites you to explore colour, curiosity, and courage all at once. The Winsor & Newton Watercolour Contest 2025 isn’t just a competition; it’s an opportunity to pause, create, and let something beautiful arise.
It doesn't matter if your you’re an experienced painter, a casual sketchbook doodler, or someone who’s simply curious about watercolours, this contest is also for you. And the best part? You don’t need to be a “pro” to participate. All you need is a brush, some paper, and one of the magical colours from this year’s Revival Collection.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the key details of the contest, share two inspiring videos you can paint along with for practice, and help you navigate that all-important first step: starting. Because sometimes, the hardest part isn’t painting, it’s believing you’re allowed to.
As I like to remind myself (and now, you): “Don’t wait for confidence. Just begin and let the painting teach you."
A few of the links below are affiliate links. That means if you buy something, I receive a small thank-you in return. It won’t cost you anything extra.
The Winsor & Newton Watercolour Contest 2025 is open from April 14 to July 13 and welcomes participants from 11 European countries. It’s completely free to enter, and there’s no theme - you can paint whatever inspires you.
The only requirement is to use at least one colour from the Revival Collection, a special set of eight professional watercolours. You’re free to use as many as you like from this palette, but no colours outside of it are allowed. You can also use a pencil for sketching and titanium white (if needed for mixing).
This contest is all about creativity, not perfection. You can enter up to five artworks, and every submission is a chance to explore new ideas, try new combinations, and grow as an artist.
Who can join?
You must be at least 18 years old.
You must live in one of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, or Switzerland.
You might be completely new to watercolour or have years of experience, either way, if you love colour and enjoy experimenting with watercolour, you’re more than welcome to join.
What You Can Win
Winsor & Newton has put together a generous set of prizes to celebrate creativity and give something back to the artists who take part.
If you’re entering from the Netherlands, you have the chance to win:
First prize: €700 worth of Winsor & Newton products
Second prize: €500 worth of Winsor & Newton products
Third prize: €300 worth of Winsor & Newton products
And there’s more: across all participating countries, one international winner will receive a beautifully personalised Series 7 brush, a handmade watercolour brush known for its quality and tradition. I have two of them, and while I don’t use them every day, they’re absolutely gorgeous and a joy to paint with.
Even if you don’t win, every artwork you create brings you further in your own artistic journey. Prizes are exciting, but the process is where the magic happens.
How to Enter the W&N Watercolour Contest
Joining the contest is simple, and you can submit up to five entries. Here’s how to do it:
Create a painting using at least one of the eight colours from the Revival Collection.
Take a clear photo of your work in good light.
Post it on Instagram and tag @winsorandnewton.
Use the hashtags: #winsorandnewton, #wnedition2025 #contestnetherlands2025 (or your local country tag).
Mention which colours from the Revival Collection you used in your caption.
Email your entry to: nl@winsornewton.com (for Dutch participants)
Include the same photo, your full name, and your Instagram handle.
Deadline:
All entries must be submitted by July 13, 2025.
Tip:
Make sure your Instagram account is set to public — otherwise, the jury won’t be able to see your work.
Want to double-check your country’s details?
Click here and select your country to read the full conditions and get started.
Spotlight on the Revival Collection
The Power of a Curated Palette
At the heart of this contest is the Revival Collection - a set of eight professional Winsor & Newton watercolours that celebrate the past while inviting new creative expression. Some are bold and modern, others soft and subtle, but all of them have their own personality.
This palette includes both intense, luminous colours and beautifully granulating shades. You don’t need to use them all, just one is enough to enter, but exploring how they combine can be deeply rewarding.
You might fall in love with a colour you’ve never tried before. Or discover a pairing that becomes part of your future palette. That’s the magic of a limited selection: it invites freedom through focus.
Meet the Colours
Aureoline Hue
A radiant yellow that feels like morning light. It’s bright but gentle, and especially beautiful when layered in thin washes. It lifts other colours without taking over - perfect for soft glows and reflections.
Field’s Orange
Deep and earthy, but still vibrant - this orange is rich with character. It reminds me of old bricks or late afternoon sun. Mixed with purple, it creates beautiful warm shadows. It’s one of the boldest in the set, and my personal favourite for brightness and contrast.
Tyrian Purple
Dark, elegant, and full of history. This colour has depth and mystery, and mixes beautifully with oranges, greens, and greys. It can add a royal richness to florals or architecture and makes your shadows feel bold and expressive.
Viridian Hue
Cool, transparent, and quietly powerful. While it’s not my go-to for trees or plants, I love using it for water or glass. Mixed with Tyrian Purple, it creates a deep, moody blue - perfect for dramatic skies. I used that exact combination in the windmill sketch, and it brought the whole scene together.
Cinnabar Green
Lively and slightly unexpected. This yellowish green has energy and softness at the same time. It blends easily and brings a natural, playful feel to plants, rooftops, or highlights in landscapes. Use it sparingly, and it sings.
Ostwald Grey
Warm, opaque, and beautifully grainy. It’s more than just a neutral, it has a kind of softness that helps tie colours together. Perfect for toning down bright areas, or creating quiet, cloudy transitions. I love it as a mixer, especially with Tyrian Purple.
Mineral Grey
Slightly green, slightly blue, slightly mysterious. This semi-transparent grey creates beautiful textures on textured paper. It has a cool, misty atmosphere, great for distance, fog, or anything you want to feel just a bit far away.
Ultramarine Ash
This is the quiet sibling of ultramarine, but cooler, softer and more granulating. It feels like sky just before rain. It’s a perfect partner for the other greys in the set and adds lovely texture to washes and shadows.
Let’s Paint Together | Two Video Resources
To help you get started, I’ve created two videos using colours from the Revival Collection. One is a relaxed livestream where I sketch loosely and chat while painting. The other is a more structured workshop with step-by-step guidance.
Both are free, available on YouTube, and suitable for all levels. You can follow along, pause when needed, or just watch and get inspired.
Livestream Replay: Florals + Architecture
In this livestream, I created a colourful sketch combining floral elements with architectural shapes. I used multiple Revival colours, including Tyrian Purple, Field’s Orange, and Viridian Hue, and shared how I mix them to create depth and contrast.
Full Workshop: Windmill Scene with Revival Colours
This 40-minute workshop guides you through a Dutch windmill scene using nearly all the Revival colours. You’ll see how I simplify shapes, build up contrast, and use colour combinations like Viridian Hue and Tyrian Purple to paint a rich, expressive sky.
You don’t have to finish a full piece in one go. Just watch a part, try a section, or play with a colour that intrigues you. These videos are here to support you, not to set a standard.
Note: Feel free to use my videos to practice and explore the colours, that’s what they’re for. But please don’t submit the same artwork (or a close copy) as your contest entry. The competition requires original work, and your own ideas are always more powerful anyway.
Where to Start | A Simple Creative Flow
If you’d like to join the contest but don’t know where to begin, try this simple flow. You don’t need a big idea or perfect plan, just a little time and curiosity.
1. Gather inspiration
Look through your photos, your sketchbook, or even around your house. What shapes catch your attention? What colours or contrasts feel interesting today?
2. Make a few thumbnails
Draw two or three small rectangles and play with different compositions or ideas. This helps you explore without pressure. Need help with this? I wrote an article on how to work with thumbnails, it’s easy, and really worth trying.
3. Choose your colours
Pick one to three colours from the Revival Collection that appeal to you. Try them out, mix them, and see what they do. One of my favourite combinations is Tyrian Purple with Viridian Hue - they create a deep, moody blue I’ve used for dramatic skies.
4. Do a loose sketch
Before you commit to a final piece, do a quick version first. This helps you solve any problems and frees you up to experiment.
5. Create your entry
When you feel ready, make your final artwork using at least one of the Revival colours. Don’t aim for perfection, just enjoy the process and see where it takes you.
Why Joining Matters | Even If You Don’t Win
Taking part in a contest can feel a bit scary. You might wonder if your work is good enough, or worry about how it compares to others. But this contest isn’t just about winning. It’s about showing up for yourself, and letting your creativity move.
By joining, you give yourself a reason to paint, even if it’s just for an afternoon. You make something that didn’t exist before. You learn how a colour behaves, how a line can flow differently, or how your ideas surprise you.
You also begin to shift your focus. Instead of asking, “Is this good?”, you start to ask, “What did I discover here?” And that shift - from performance to process - is where the real value lives.
Even if your painting never wins a prize, it may still become one of your favourites. Or it may open the door to something new.
So yes, enter the contest. But do it for yourself first. And let whatever happens next be part of the reward.
You Don’t Have to Be an Expert
It’s easy to think that contests like this are only for “real artists” - people who sell their work, teach workshops, or have thousands of followers. But that’s not true. The Revival Collection is made with professional materials, yes, but that doesn’t mean only professionals can use them.
Sometimes, the most striking artworks come from someone who’s just trying things out. A bold shape, an unexpected colour mix, a little sketch that tells a story - these things matter just as much as technique.
This contest isn’t about perfect anatomy, complex lighting, or polished compositions. It’s about creativity. Energy. Personality. A sketch that makes you feel something.
So don’t hold back because you think you’re not good enough. You might actually be more free to play and that’s a real strength.
Tips for Sharing Your Work Online
Once your painting is finished, it’s time to share it. Here are a few tips to help your artwork look its best online, and make sure the jury can see it clearly.
Take your photo in daylight
Natural light gives the truest colours and softest shadows. Try placing your sketch near a window or photographing it outside on a bright but cloudy day.
Crop and straighten
Make sure your image is well-framed - no background distractions, no crooked angles. You don’t need fancy editing, just a clear view of your work.
Mention your colours
Don’t forget to list the Revival colour(s) you used in your caption. This is required for the contest and also helps others learn from your mix.
Use the right hashtags
(If you’re not in the Netherlands, check your country-specific hashtag here.)
Make sure your Instagram account is public
If your account is private, the jury won’t be able to see your work, even if you tag everything correctly.
Take That Step
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably already thinking about joining. Maybe you’ve even picked a colour or a scene. That’s your sign - go for it!
There’s still time. The deadline is July 13. You don’t need to overthink it or wait for the perfect moment. Just sketch something. Let the colours guide you. See what happens.
Whether it turns into a full painting or stays a quiet experiment in your sketchbook, it counts. You showed up. You made something. And you’re part of something bigger - a creative community across Europe, connected through colour.
So take that step. You’ve got everything you need.
If you have found this post useful, here are a few ways you can learn from me:
Watch my videos on YouTube. I have an extensive collection of inspirational videos, sketching tutorials for watercolors, gouache, colored pencils and markers.
Read my Monday newsletter. I share sketching tips, workshop announcements and other resources to help you on your creative journey.
Join Brave Brushes Studio, my club for amateur artists and urban sketchers. If you are looking for a way to work on your skills consistently or if you want to connect with other sketchers, get feedback on your work and have access to a vast Library of learning resources, Brave Brushes is the place to be! Use coupon code WN2024 at checkout to get 10% off your first payment. Cancel any time.
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