Original Watercolours by Tim Wilmot

Quai Caligny, Cherbourg

Cherbourg, 15" x 11"

The 'Quai Caligny' running alongside the Harbour in central Cherbourg.  There's a few ways of doing misty hills or low lying cloud - I went with the shortcut way.  After an underlying wash was allowed to dry (fairly light), I put in a few random areas of clear water where the ridge of the hills are.  Then I painted in the sky with a darker tone of mainly yellow ochre allowing it to bleed into the damp areas.  Quickly after that, I continued with the background hills, allowing it too to merge in with those damp spots.  Fingers crossed, you end up with a passable impression of some mist and clouds.

 

Bristol Harbour Festival 2

Bristol Waterfront, 15" x 11".

Yachts moored up at the annual Bristol Harbour Festival.  It was an overcast day so I went for the dull and dreary look.  Sky went in very quickly, cool blues were drawn across the damp paper.  Rather than paint the yachts in too loosely, I decided to spend a bit of time on the left two, putting in details of railings, masts and windows.  Last to painted were the reflections and ripples on the water with a small mop brush with a good point.

 

Place de la Gare, Lille

Gare de Lille, 15" x 11".

The main railway station in Lille, with the facade on the left and some very active fountains at the entrance of the building.  I think this is my first attempt at fountains and decided to go with a heavy contrast against the background buildings.  All made easier because the fountains were quite solid and not little dainty things. A little cobalt turquoise was added to the fountains to give it a bit of body and help with feeling of clear water. The block paving pavement had these nice rectangular patterns which hopefully aids the composition and leads your eye into the picture.

 

Upper Borough Walls Bath looking towards the Theatre Royal

Bath, 22" x 15".

Upper Borough Walls road looking toward the Theatre Royal on the left and the Beau Nash Building on the right.  It's a very busy part of Bath so I tried to cram in plenty of people all walking in random directions going about their business - all connected with each other.  The architectural details of the two major buildings in the background would be impossible to replicate in a loose style painting, so of course they're deliberately painted in quickly and briefly - just little dabs of paint to represent windows etc.

 

 

 

Station Road, Yate, 2

Yate, South Glos, 15" x 11".

A quick sketch (I think about an hour) of the main road leading into my home town, and a view across to the local hardware store with its car park on the right.  The whole painting was done in a very loose style, plenty of contrast between light and shade, and plenty of dry brush strokes to 'roughen' up the appearance of the road surface.  Perhaps the focal point is the entrance to the car park with that reflection of light on the car side window and the solitary figure walking towards us.

 

Watermouth Bay, North Devon, 2

Watermouth Bay, Devon, 22" x 15"

Perhaps a more unusual view for a painting of Watermouth Bay in North Devon, looking inland rather than out to sea.  There's a little narrow slip way here and I think a small lifeboat station and boat yard buildings.  The painting was based on one of my own photos - taken on quite a cloudy early summer day, so I had to imagine where the shadows might be if the sun was out.

 

Olhao, Algarve 5

Olhao, Algarve, 15" x 11".

A loose sketch of the main street in Olhao leading down to the seafront.  Quite a loose painting done with two brushes - a medium sized mop brush for all the washes and a 'sword' brush for the tree on the right and a few thin lines here and there.  While the initial wash was still damp, I painted in the tower block with slightly thicker paint so it bled just a bit into the background.  Neutral tint was used with ultramarine blue and burnt sienna for the darkest shadows.

 

 

Goose Green Yate 6

Goose green, Yate, 22" x 15".

A local spot a few hundred metres from where I live.  I've done a few paintings of this location, from different angles and seasons.  This time it's early autumn, and in the foreground, some purple leaved maples have dropped their leaves.  The dark tree on the right was done with a sword brush, loaded with plenty of dark paint (neutral tint mainly).  Just dabbing the paper with the point of a brush like that gives some fairly nice leaf effects.

 

Free Painting Videos from Colour In Your Life

I've recently come across an Australian TV company who have produced some great videos showcasing some well know international artists.  The programs are aired mainly in Australia, NZ and the US, but you can view them on Youtube.

Here's a great one featuring some of my favourite artists - Alvaro Castagnet, Hermen Pekel, and Joseph Zbukvic.  They are all paiting one huge watercolour!  It's complete chaos from the start, but they end up with a very good result and you can see each of their individual styles.  Who said too many cooks.....

 Click here for a link to their Youtube Channel.

It would be great to see all these aired in the UK.

 

Yachts Gathering, Bristol Harbour Festival

Bristol Harbour, 22" x 15"

One of my accepted entries to the Bristol Harbourside Art Prize.  A row of up market yachts at the Bristol Harbour Festival with the Arnolfini Art Gallery behind.  I can remember doing the painting on a warm summer's evening and the tricky bit was to get the hull washes not to dry too quickly and have them merge in with their reflections.  I only just made it and had to work pretty fast.  I try to avoid having to re-wet paper to get that merging effect.  The reflections were done with a medium sized mob brush, with a nice point.

The exhibition is currently open in Bristol at the Harbourside Art Gallery.