Improve your watercolor, have a couple of hours fun painting along with Tim Wilmot, and...get a critique!

Hello everyone!  I am very excited to invite you to my next live online watercolour workshop.  We are going to paint a fantastic scene from Route 542 in Washington, USA.  It is a great subject that has a bit of everything I love to paint.  We have a large industrial building with lots of interesting shapes and some distant blue mountains under a big sky.  There is also a wide highway with cars and those tall traffic lights that hang over the road.

I really enjoy painting these types of scenes because they help us practice connecting different shapes.  

The highway is a wonderful way to lead the eye into the painting.  We will leave some white paper for the cars and use white paint at the end for the bright highlights.  I will also show you how to paint the traffic lights and the wires so they look natural and not too heavy.  It is all about the balance between the foreground and the sky.

This workshop is perfect for you if you want to learn how to turn a busy photo into a simple and atmospheric painting.  I will be painting right along with you and explaining every step of the way.  You can ask me questions as we go, and we will have a lot of fun with the process.  Do not worry if you think the building looks too hard.  I will show you my easy way to handle it.

Live & Online watercolour demo from Tim Wilmot

Step by step demo of the complete painting process with commentary (English)

Watch the recording as many times as you want!

Can't attend live? No Problem! Register anyway, watch the recording, and send me a photo of your painting for a video critique!

50% discount for Tim's Patreon Members (See Tim's post on his Patreon site or App for Promo Code)

This is the source photo for this workshop:

(You can right-click over this photo to download it now)

We will start by looking at how to simplify that big industrial building.  I will show you how to see it as just a few large shapes instead of many tiny parts.  This makes the drawing much easier.

Next we will practice painting a soft and atmospheric sky.  We want the sky to look light so it makes the building stand out.  I will show you how to mix cerulean blue with plenty of water for a smooth finish.

We will also focus on the distant mountains.  I want to show you how to use a cool mix of cobalt blue and lavender.  This helps create a feeling of depth and makes the mountains look far away.

Connecting the shadows is a very important part of my style.  We will learn how to join the shadow of the building with the trees and the road.  This helps the painting feel like one solid piece rather than separate bits.

We will spend some time on the highway and the cars.  I will show you how to use perspective so the road looks like it is going off into the distance.  We will also use some white paint for the highlights on the cars to make them pop.

Finally we will add the fine details like the traffic lights and the thin wires.  I will teach you how to paint these with a steady hand using a small brush.  These small touches really bring the whole scene to life.

I hope you can join me for this fun project.  It is a great way to learn new tricks and enjoy our painting together.

This online workshop is suitable for painters of any level. It is a demonstration in Watercolor. I go at a slow pace and describe with commentary what I am doing and the techniques I am using. The commentary is in English, and I speak slowly for any attendees where English is not your first language.

All you need to watch and take part is a good/reliable internet connection, and a headphone or PC speakers to hear my audio commentary.  Crowdcast is not like Zoom. Nobody can see you or hear you.  You just see and hear me and it's really EASY!

What you will need (apart from paper and water)

A large and medium size mop brush. Small brush for detail work. A small flat brush might be used.

Your normal palette of colours (I mainly use, neutral tint, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, viridian green, spring green (or a bright green!), cobalt green, cerulean blue, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, lavender, alizarin crimson, cadmium red, light red and a cadmium yellow, white paint for highlights.  I also sometimes use quinacridone gold). You don't need to use these colours.  Please don't buy anything special for this workshop.  Just use your usual things!

Please don't go and buy anything special for this workshop. Just use what your normal brushes, paper and paint.

When you have completed your painting, please take a photo and email it to me as an attachment to timothywilmot@gmail.com and I will then be able to include your painting in the group video to be published on my YouTube Channel.

Here is what previous attendees had to say...

"I see you as one of the best painters for those of us who want to improve our watercolor. You have been a pillar of my growth: clear expression of the technique to be used, continuity in the activity that you develop, a relaxed and patient atmosphere for those of us who follow the challenges of this technique that is as exciting as difficult and beautiful.  I thank you for the support that I have always received and for the opportunity to participate."  Eduardo, Argentina

"I wanted to thank you again for doing these watercolor painting workshops and for providing critiques.  You are an amazing artist, and your workshops are forcing me to find the time to paint and I am so very appreciative of this"  Brian, USA

"It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say that you were one of the contributing factors to my painting more frequently and exhibiting more and having a bit more confidence this past year or two. I think you’re a wonderful tutor and I like the way you paint"  Susan, USA

"I'd like say just how much I've enjoyed your video demonstrations past and present! You have a wonderful sensibility for watercolour and I know that I've learnt a great deal from your videos, so  thank you so much!"  John H, UK

"Excellent. Excellent. Excellent. Based on my experience watching your YouTube videos, your online workshop was everything I expected and more"  Douglas B

"Good pace, good answers to students’ questions, efficient use of time, and such a nice relaxed personality, Tim"  Suzanna B

"Thank you for the wonderful painting experience. I think the timing was perfect for me as I am new to watercolour and enjoyed having the time to attempt keeping up"  Geri G

"It was very good to be able to hear your thought process as you were completing the painting. Loved being able to see your painting from start to finish"  Pearl A

"I’m so grateful to have found your ‘paint this scene’ tutorials. I’m getting so much out of these. Seeing improvements with each new monthly paint along! Your a gem"  Silvie R

"I learn so much from seeing what the others have done as well as getting the critiques from Tim himself. These critiques help us to improve and understand more about the process, something which would be almost impossible to do without this kind of constructive feedback. Thank you so much for all the encouragement and support you give us through these workshops and the follow up critique video"  Mark D, Spain

April 2026 Open Watercolor Workshop - Industrial Building & Highway