Watt always paints outside and from life. This he believes gives his work a spontaneity and enables him to catch the nuances of Scottish light. Watt has long had an intense interest in light and its play on colour. "I am not a sunshine painter; I like the northern light, skies and the Scottish winter light can give an unreal atmosphere", explains Watt who has explored and painted the landscape in the outer reaches of Scotland. He usually spends each summer painting on the Faroe Islands. James Watt has been described as a Modern Impressionist. The fluid brush strokes and love of colour are hallmarks of his work. He is often asked why no people appear in his paintings. " I used to include the people who were working on the boats or harbours but I found that they distracted the eye from the ships and boats I wanted to feature so I simply stopped including the people"