Why I won't stop painting water | Oil Painting Time Lapse + Art Chat

Thank you for joining me for this oil painting time-lapse. I'm painting another underwater scene starting with a pencil sketch first and then toning and layering colors on top. After quite a long break from my water series, last year I finally started a bunch of new paintings in the underwater theme. I had access to a pool and I spent like a week creating the reference material for this series. Some of the shoot was actually done at night and I was just having so much fun experimenting with underwater lighting in a way that I haven't before. And I'm still working on all of those paintings, many of which haven't even been started yet, but it's a whole new series that I'm super excited about and yeah I've been chipping away at these pieces on and off for a while. If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably seen glimpses of those paintings so you will see them slowly popping up on my channel here and there too. This painting is depicting daylight obviously, there are sun rays dancing on the skin which is so much fun to paint. Also if you're interested in seeing my process for this piece in real time, I made a very long demonstration on Patreon where I explain everything I'm doing, all the colors I'm creating, how I mix them. It's almost seven hours long so four separate videos of the process. Just me sitting there painting and talking to myself. So if you're interested in that, I will link that in the description. And you can also access my full tutorial library at linadonyastore.com slash tutorials and experience for yourself what on earth goes through my head while I sit at my easel and paint for hundreds upon hundreds of hours. And we still do this on there, like I have so many videos. So yeah, I hope to see you there. I know I said this so many times throughout the years on this channel in so many videos, but I still feel that every time I paint water, it's a whole new experience. There's no magical hack or formula or secret method. It really is just figuring it out along the way with each new painting. The water creates really interesting abstract shapes that on their own don't look like anything. But viewed in the context of the rest of the painting, the puzzle forms this illusion of a warped reflection. And in every painting, the shapes are different. The colors are different. With every painting, I also feel different as well, whether it's something personal I'm experiencing or a book I'm reading. There's so many things that impact my headspace when I sit at the easel to paint. And oftentimes, while I paint these shapes, those inner experiences become associated with them almost permanently. So it's really interesting to look back on paintings from the past, looking at different parts of the water I've painted, I can remember what I was feeling and thinking in those moments. They're like little time capsules that only I can access. Water is a subject that I keep returning to. Even if I take breaks from working on the water series, it still calls me back. When I first started painting water-themed portraits like over a decade ago, I was seeking feelings of tranquil and serenity after a very chaotic, not peaceful time in my life. It really rattled me to my core. Like huge wake-up call. Like maybe there is something in me that is attracting people that will hurt me. And maybe that something is also preventing me from noticing the red flags or having the strength and self-respect to walk away before it gets really bad. I started to value my freedom and autonomy so much more than I ever have, along with my sense of inner peace and the feeling of being safe and secure in my home. Like I was determined to never ever lose that ever again. And I also just wanted to heal with those paintings and turn something bad into something good. And I literally named those paintings serenity and tranquility. Like it was so on the nose, but it truly was what I was seeking and creating at that time in my life. And not only did I use those pieces for the purpose of personal healing and growth, but I also launched my art store and essentially my art career with them. Every time I come back to the water series and add a new painting to it, in a way it feels like coming home to a friend. Like we're checking in and catching up and building on this story that maybe nobody else fully understands, that I don't know if I can ever explain, and that's okay. But anyways, I really appreciate you being here. Thank you so much for your support, for listening and watching. I hope you enjoyed this painting time lapse. I'm wishing you a beautiful and inspiring day, and I'll see you in the next video. Bye everyone!