Mesmerising paint-mixing videos provide some much-needed calm

The world is a strange place right now, and creatives across the world are finding ways to adjust to the current way of life imposed by social distancing. But while it's great to use this time to throw yourself into a new project, there are moments when all we need is a calming distraction from the world around us – and we've found just the thing.

Photographer and painter Walker Boyes has begun posting an incredibly simple series of videos to his Instagram page, in which he mixes paint. That's it. As Boyes says in the first video's caption, seeing the colours slowly transform is "just something enjoyable to watch" – and sometimes, that's all we need. We've been staring at the first clip, SUNSHINE (below), for hours.

Inspired to pick up your own brushes? Check out our must-know painting techniques.

And it seems that the calming clips are just the tonic for viewers on Instagram. "So satisfying!!!" says one follower, while another adds, "So much better than anything to do with Covid-19. Bless you!!!" The simple videos are even inspiring others to follow suit: "These videos have inspired me to finally break out the oil set I bought two years ago. I've been to intimidated up until now!" says @rogers.spencer. We love the latest video, FOREST GREEN:

As well as painting and photography, Utah-based Boyes also works with embroidery. A series of flower studies can be found on his website, and they're almost as meditative as the paint-mixing videos. Little things like this are keeping us calm right now – take a look at some of the simple pleasures we can't wait to revisit when things are back to normal. 

We're loving seeing examples of creativity in the face of adversity right now, from a huge collaborative artwork by French illustrators, to free drawing lessons for kids stuck at home. But right now, all we want to do is watch Boyes' colours slowly transforming into other colours. So if you need another moment of calm, here's one more for good measure: 

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