u3a - Paint or Draw (POD) - a monthly art challenge

Send in pictures of your original artwork on a monthly theme to feature in our online gallery. No prizes, just prestige!

Are you a dab hand with a paintbrush or pencil?
Do you want to develop your skills or are you simply interested in the world around you and how to capture it in a piece of artwork?

We are running a monthly challenge to encourage people to paint or draw a piece of artwork, then take a photo of their work and submit their pictures via our online form. We are going to be posting a different theme each month and inviting u3a members to submit photos of their creations on that topic.

This is not a competition and it is not about your artistic ability – what we want from you are interesting pictures, possibly different perspectives on everyday scenes or objects, anything which has inspired you to paint or draw. Peter Akers, a member of the paint or draw network, has shared his helpful tips on Starting out in pastels, Sandra Foster has some tips on Acrylics and David Wrigley, another member, has shared some thoughts on Watercolours. We will be extending this network of members so please do contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like to find out more.

At the end of every month, we will choose and publish up to 15 photos of artwork on an online gallery for each theme to share the pictures with all of our members. Just upload your photo using the form below (you will receive an acknowledgement once submitted). Follow the links at the bottom of the page to view previous galleries.

Please only submit one photo per person. Your photo of your artwork should also not include any recognisable people.

The theme "Mud" is now closed. Thank you to all those who submitted photos of their artwork on this theme. This is just a selection of the fantastic pictures that were sent in. It was very difficult to choose as they were all brilliant and much appreciated.

The theme for this month is: "Cathedral"

Deadline for submissions: 4 November 2026

Follow this link to submit your photos on our WuFoo form

This month's gallery: Mud

'Mud bath' by Karen, Longeaton u3a

Mud, mud, glorious mud - but no hippopotamus. Inspired by all the days playing hockey on a really muddy field in my youth.

'Pig' by Dawn, Ilkley & District u3a

Watercolour of a pig in the mud.

'Woodland' by Dennis, Northallerton u3a

Woodland clay path waterclour

'Nero cabbages' by Zan, Aughton & Ormskirk u3a

This is a painting of a frozen, very muddy field of cavolo Nero cabbages, near a Nature Reserve in Aughton, Lancashire. Christ Church is in the background. It was in Winter, during a Lockdown, early in the morning and the cabbages looked magnificently brave, sturdy and beautiful, which inspired me to paint them! (Acrylics on paper)

'Bristol channel' by Ruth, Bridport and District u3a

Gel plate monotype using acrylic paint. A silt filled estuary inlet transformed by sunlight reflecting a bright blue sky onto the mud. Based on my own photo taken at the Bristol Channel.

'Kite' by Janet, Bradford on Avon u3a

A wet afternoon flying a 🪁 kite on the muddy estuary.

'Mud' by Angie, Haslemere u3a

'Madeira' by Nicholas, Hampstead Garden Suburb u3a

My watercolour painting shows muddy beach at Praia Formosa in Madeira at sunset

'Autumn walk' by Wendy, Sherburn & Villages u3a

I saw this broken branch whilst on a woodland walk. It was lying in mud and leaves and I liked the shapes and colours. I painted it in watercolour, inks and gouache .

'Muddly land' by Annie, Pontyclun and Bridgend u3a

This man seemed to be skilfully manoeuvring his way on to muddy land, it seemed to me, when I painted this from a picture I saw. I used water-mixable oils.

'Happy as Larry!' by Ian Weatherley, Witham & District (Essex) u3a

My entry for the 'Mud' theme is a Pen and Watercolour Pencil sketch of a Warthog in a muddy field. I know that he may not look very happy, but I'm sure that deep down, he's really looking forward to a cooling mud bath.

'Riverbanks' by Carolyn, Barnet u3a

I was inspired by the subject being mud, I wondered what you would paint with mud as the subject but then thought of muddy riverbanks and that is why I painted the picture. Also trying to get back into using watercolours so it was good practice.

'Another place' by Julie, Baddow & Galleywood u3a

I have been inspired by 'Another Place' by Anthony Gormley which is an installation of 100 cast iron life-size figures. It was sited in the mud in 2005. The setting is Crosby Beach looking towards Merseyside, Liverpool. I have used water colour and chalk pastel.

'Wallowing' by Jane, Interest Groups Online

One of the first things I think about when I think of mud is pigs wallowing in it. They look so happy and content while doing so. I've chosen to practice painting with watercolours this time (on paper).