Watercolor Challenge: Golden Gate Bridge

February 20, 2026 / Diann Zimmerman

This week, your challenge is to paint the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.  It opened in 1937 after more than four years of construction on one of the windiest, foggiest, most challenging stretches of water on the West Coast of the US. At the time, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, an engineering feat many experts once said was impossible. It’s one of the most photographed structures in the world, and its dramatic lines and ever-changing light make it a dream subject for artists. For free reference photos: Pixabay and Unsplash, or use any of mine.

Watercolor challenge:  Golden Gate Bridge

Here are the details:

  • Share a painting of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California
  • Sponsored by Taria Dawson, https://urbansketchingworld.com/
  • Prize for random participant: access to her online course:  Sketch Your Adventures, https://sketchyouradventures.com/course-info/
  • Entries must be posted in the Facebook group: Watercolor – Beginners and Beyond
  • Include topic hashtag in your Facebook post: #goldengatebridge
  • You may enter as often as you want
  • Open to all countries
  • Winner is chosen randomly
  • Deadline February 27, 2026, 11:59 pm ET (New York time)
  • Winner announced March 1, 2026
  • Mediums accepted:  watercolor, watercolor pencils, gouache, water soluble graphite, water soluble inks, and mixed media as long as it includes watercolor

Reference photos you may use: (taken by Diann Zimmerman)

 

What is the prize?   

This week’s sponsor is Taria Dawson, an amazing self-taught Urban Sketcher.  One random winner will receive access to her online course:  Sketch Your Adventures, https://sketchyouradventures.com/course-info/
From Taria:

“Due to the continued request to teach my “let go & sketch” approach, and the success of those that I have taught it so far, I decided to launch this course teaching absolute beginners how to learn the fundamental techniques required for urban sketching.

This urban sketch course will teach you how to capture the magic of the world around you in ink & watercolour, explained in a simple step-by-step fashion.  This course makes it as simple as possible to start urban sketching (or travel sketching) without any prior knowledge or experience.”

Follow her on Social Media:

Taria also has a book on Amazon (Kindle version too):  https://amzn.to/4jVlHNK

How to support Watercolor – Beginners and Beyond?  

When shopping online, please consider using our affiliate links.  This helps to pay for prizes and postage to mail the prizes. We mail prizes all over the world.  As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  #ad

Amazon:  (I will get credit for anything you purchase after using my link to land on the Amazon site)

Art supplies:

Online watercolor courses:

Thank you for your support!

 

If you have ideas to share for future challenges, please add your comment to the post –>add challenge recommendation

 

Where else can you find Diann/Watercolor Beginners and Beyond on social media:

 

For a free 7-day trial on my Patreon:  Diann Zimmerman – Patreon.

 

This painting challenge is not endorsed, sponsored, or administered by Facebook or Instagram.

#paintingchallenge   #internationalgiveaway    #weeklypainting  #watercolorchallenge #weeklychallenge #watercolourchallenge #watercolorbeginnersandbeyond #paintingchallenge #artdimazi #goldengatebridge #tariadawson

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