Finding Stillness Through Movement: Painting Two Koi

Today I painted two koi in a small oil painting, 4 by 6 inches. Of course I love koi, but I also needed their presence right now.

The Quiet Strength of Koi

Koi move quietly through the water. Even while moving, they have a strong presence. Bright colors, but not loud. They stand out, yet stay calm. I've always been drawn to that contradiction.

Lately, I feel like I need to move forward, but at the same time, I want to wait. There's so much to do, but my heart craves stillness. Koi can hold both at once. They seem like creatures that move forward without rushing. Because they're in deep water, everything looks slow. That's why today, I wanted to steady my own breathing by painting koi.

Capturing the In-Between

From the start, I didn't want to make this painting dramatic. Instead, I wanted a moment where something almost happens, but doesn't. The two fish are close but don't touch. They pass by, but stay in the same water. That sense of distance feels like relationships between people. I want to get closer, but not too close. I want to be kind, but I'm scared to step in too far. I wanted to quietly capture that subtle space in the painting.

The Painting Process

For the process, I first chose the flow of the two fish, then placed the larger shapes. At this size, feeling matters more than details. I added a bit of red to orange and white, then mixed in gray and blue so it wouldn't be just flashy. I think koi colors look beautiful because of the water color around them. I didn't draw all the edges clearly. In water, boundaries always blur a little.

I kept edges only where I wanted to show them, and let the rest fade into the background. The hidden parts make the visible parts come alive. Finally, I added just a touch of light to finish. Too much would break the stillness. Today it felt right to stop here.

Silent Life

Koi don't make a sound. But they're definitely alive.

Watch the full painting process: