Battle Between Link and Dark Link Brought to Life in Epic Speed Painting

One of the most memorable battles in Ocarina of Time is Link’s duel with Dark Link, the personification of our hero’s dark side. As they say, you are your own worst enemy, and Dark Link lends truth to that saying with his mind-bending move mirroring. Evoking the high-stakes emotions of this battle is Adam Scythe’s water color speed painting Dark Link vs. Link.

To really appreciate the intricate detail of this epic portrayal, I highly recommend watching the speed paint in full screen. The composition of the piece is split in half, with a contrast between the lurid blues and greens on the bottom half that Link occupies, and the grays and blacks on the top half of the painting, where Dark Link is shown leaping onto the Master Sword in a clever, impish tactic that has our hero struggling for his life. The artist’s choice to put the perspective behind Link’s back mimics our view during gameplay in Ocarina of Time, thrusting us back into the experience of fighting Dark Link all over again. Link, as he does in the game, becomes a placeholder for the player (or in this case, viewer), inviting us to grapple with the darkest parts of ourselves.

The original painting took two hours and ten minutes, but the video is sped up to four minutes – pretty impressive for a piece like this! You can even buy the original painting or a signed copy. Be sure to let us know what you think of the painting in the comments!