How To Make A Liquid Light Show - Pro Tutorial - Part 1

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  • čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
  • Liquid light show supplies available. Please check out my online store: liquidlightlab....
    Learn more about the history of liquid light & psychedelic light shows on my blog "A Brief History of Analog Light Shows": / liquidlightlab
    Join the "Psychedelic Light Show Preservation Society" Facebook group: / 302433026484493
    Pooter's Psychedelic Light Show Index (great index and history of many old school light shows from around the world): www.pooterland.....
    Handmade Cinema (one of the best scholarly sites around): www.handmadecin...
    Learn more about my own work at:
    www.LiquidLight...
    Part 1 - The Basics Of Liquids. By Steve Pavlovsky of Liquid Light Lab. LLL is a psychedelic handmade light show from NYC.

Komentáře • 320

  • @MaashuCookiemonster
    @MaashuCookiemonster Před 2 lety +20

    I'd wondered for YEARS what this was called, the local theater used to do one of these in between movies. Thank you so much, I feel like I've regained a lost piece of my childhood.

  • @Pogodavisuals
    @Pogodavisuals Před rokem +26

    After almost two decades of VJ-ing on computers and staring at screens, I've recently wanted to get away from digital and dive more into analog, partly because I've been purging from too much technology, and partly because I started getting migranes. I love the idea of getting back to the roots, how it all started! I really appreciate analog visuals and I'm excited to experiment, thanks for breaking it down!

  • @wellyup7879
    @wellyup7879 Před 6 lety +26

    I've been wondering why this art form had nearly gone extinct. It seems that very few people still understand the subtleties behind it. Thank you!

  • @StationOfTerrapin
    @StationOfTerrapin Před 10 lety +26

    Dude.. solid. As a kid i was always obsessed with this.
    Went to new york city at 16 and me and dad saw a liquid light show at the hayden planetarium by Joshua Light Show
    Joshua was a dick to me when i asked him how this stuff was done. Told me to look it up online and found nothing
    Just found this video randomly, thank you so much its so goddamn helpful

  • @joedoomsdaypio4374
    @joedoomsdaypio4374 Před rokem +1

    Excellent tutorial...you fired up my imagination

  • @vercality6170
    @vercality6170 Před 6 měsíci +1

    this is a beautiful art form and i feel like a resurgence is on the way soon. at least i think i can't be the only one trying to get into liquid light projections

  • @pygmygodeus9450
    @pygmygodeus9450 Před 3 lety +5

    Steve, thank you. Such a fascinating video on how to create liquid light shows. How generous of you to share your techniques! Was so into light shows when I was a teenager going to concerts, when my dream was to be a psychedelic artist. And I agree-these hand done optics are more interesting than the plethora of more mechanical creations-what you call “lazy,” ha ha. Beautiful, organic shapes & colors, like something Ma Nature would create.

  • @RRJackson
    @RRJackson Před 10 lety +15

    Maybe the best video I've ever seen on CZcams. I've tried this with a pair of clock faces before, but only using oil and water. I'd never added alcohol. And I used candy dye, but never got very intense colors. Thank you very much for demoing this!

  • @waves7250
    @waves7250 Před 4 lety +18

    Lime and limpid green, a second scene now fights between the blue you once knew

    • @tjprptchable
      @tjprptchable Před 9 měsíci +1

      Floating down, the sound resounds
      Around the icy waters underground

    • @tjprptchable
      @tjprptchable Před 9 měsíci

      Floating down, the sound resounds
      Around the icy waters underground

  • @anawesomeperspective3212
    @anawesomeperspective3212 Před 11 měsíci +4

    Steve there should be a Discord for this

  • @shoppingamericanarecording5808

    Dude, that is so cool. I saw The Charlatans in 1991 and they had a great oil and water light show. I never saw another show like it but it made such an impression and has stayed with me until now, 29 years later. I think I saw you have a video about how you would set up for a live show. I'm gonna check that out too. When I put on a show I want to try to get this going on. It's brilliant. What a great tutorial. Many many thanks.

  • @bernynhel
    @bernynhel Před 5 lety +1

    o yeah, almost forgot - the effects are awesome!! The alchohol tip, the advice to not bother wthi food dye and the detail explaining the use of separate dyes for water and oil are major secrets revealed saving countless hours of trial and error. THANK YOU!!!

  • @stevesloan7132
    @stevesloan7132 Před 4 lety +1

    Wow man is that ever cool! In the 1960's these were called heavy water displays. The Iron Butterfly album cover has one as the background. Also, in the 1980's the Allman Brothers Band used one as the back drop on stage and it was live and changed with the heavy beat and rythm. They used a glass brownie tray and an overhead projector. Thanks so much for showing us the way! Beautiful.

  • @alexisangel96
    @alexisangel96 Před 10 lety +64

    You should also do a video on how to set it up for a live performance

    • @landaujames313
      @landaujames313 Před 6 lety +6

      Yes, this comment right here! 🤘🏼

    • @LiquidLightLab
      @LiquidLightLab  Před 4 lety +4

      Finally added part 2! - czcams.com/video/vn7_ctQjqhE/video.html

    • @Z9zs
      @Z9zs Před 4 lety +2

      @@LiquidLightLab it's really cool that you take the time to make these videos. Do you know where I could find glass shapes like those?

    • @LiquidLightLab
      @LiquidLightLab  Před 4 lety +2

      @@Z9zs Thanks! I usually sell them in my store www.LiquidLightShop.com. I have another shipment coming in a couple of weeks.

    • @Z9zs
      @Z9zs Před 4 lety

      @@LiquidLightLab awesome I'll pick one up then and some of the oils! No joke I've wanted to learn how to do this for 10 yrs but kept coming up with excuses not to

  • @KaliFissure
    @KaliFissure Před rokem +1

    Nice that this is still around.
    I had the good fortune of being resident liquid light and other creative projection stuff for a nightclub, RPM Toronto, for 5 years or so back in the late 80s

    • @LiquidLightLab
      @LiquidLightLab  Před rokem

      Wow, cool!

    • @KaliFissure
      @KaliFissure Před rokem +1

      @@LiquidLightLab I just found out recently that the interaction of oil/water is used to model superfluids.

  • @Cananalope
    @Cananalope Před 8 lety +3

    Love your page. picking up a projector for free from a church tomorrow, gonna be spending a lot of time on your channel.

  • @billwesley
    @billwesley Před 10 lety +16

    I use special slide projectors with horizontal light stages, these concentrate more light in less space so dyes can be more concentrated and colors more saturated, the mixing crystals are about 2 inches across, the lower layer can be patterned glass which imparts rigid shape onto otherwise fluid shape. Much less liquid is used. If one fills a crystal with heavily SALTED water (salt well dissolved) water dye such as food color or water based transparent inks will not mix together despite being water based, they float on top of the heavy salt water and I suspect imprint separate channels into it so that they do not mix of their own accord but may be stirred up. This looks like the clouds of Jupiter. I'd like to know if others are using the same technique with the salt water and water based dyes, this allows virtually any number of colors to remain separated unless stirred up too much, it operates much like the technique of book marbling only no sea weed is used, perhaps sea weed jells salt water, something like hair jell might work to0 further thicken the salt water but for my little stages salt alone is enough. sugar softens and feathers the patterns, alcohol or soap instantly destroys the separation erasing the patterns., oil adds a weird shimmer but has little effect on the water dye separation pattern because it floats above the dyes like a lacquer and LOOKS like a lacquer , dyed oil is particularly interesting because it adds a "finish" with tinted "shine" You move the dye about with pins that have been heated and imbedded in a sheet of clear plastic similar to the pins used in book marbling., or with fishing line, transparent comb, or other minimally invasive implement, but you do not squish them between crystals, it does not work. I would assume all this this would work on a larger scale for overheads but I've never tried it.

    • @jmaz1100
      @jmaz1100 Před 5 lety

      what is the name and model of the projector you use?

  • @lethrbear32
    @lethrbear32 Před 9 lety +3

    My 2015 project will be making one of these, full scale with cellophane wheels and cut outs too. I cant wait to get started.

  • @baileybayer9462
    @baileybayer9462 Před 4 lety

    You've permanently changed my life with this video. Thank you so much

  • @PSMITHjl
    @PSMITHjl Před 10 lety

    Fantastic tutorial! I have had an OHP sitting in my basement for MONTHS just collecting dust. I'm-a pull it out an go psychedelic with that baby!!! A thousand thanks to you sir!!!

  • @adamgoodale8584
    @adamgoodale8584 Před 10 lety +1

    Email this guy. He is very friendly and helpful. I'm looking for part II....
    maybe one day

  • @kbtube8125
    @kbtube8125 Před 4 měsíci +1

    in the 70's and 80's i worked at a sound co. and would provide sound and light shows at parties, schools, we had two metior pro beams that had two steel rods that came out of the front and you would slide a motor unit over the rods and drop in these cassettes we had, we had a whole case of them, oil cassettes, flowers even a orgy scene that would rotate very slow but light up the whole wall. very bright, very sharp optics. i can't even find a picture of them now on the internet., not the projector, not the cassettes. nothing. i loved messing with that thing. just don't grab the orgy cassette at a high school gig. the cassettes were about 6-7 inches round and made of glass with a rubber edge so the motor could drive it. oil cassettes were a two pirce unit to make random shapes.

    • @LiquidLightLab
      @LiquidLightLab  Před 4 měsíci

      I think what you might be referring to is Optikinetics. They still make them actually, and you can get the old ones as well.

  • @MidnightBlueSoTrue
    @MidnightBlueSoTrue Před 5 lety +2

    This is absolutely fantastic. Great presentation. Really opened my eyes to the possibilities. My band Elephant Path is trying to work this into our live set with fans being able to participate in helping create the light show.
    Thanks for the inspiration.

  • @wincancel
    @wincancel Před 7 lety +1

    no.. Thank YOU! i do projections at parties but am performing my first overhead projector liquid light show and your comprehensive video surely helps me a tonne right now. Subscribed !

  • @jenniferespenscheid5865
    @jenniferespenscheid5865 Před rokem +2

    Thankyou so much for this tutorial...I got my plates and ink from you a month ago and getting everything set up- sooooo fun!🙏🏽❤

  • @kcnifhsoj
    @kcnifhsoj Před 8 lety +4

    thanks man, super helpful. im looking to add this as a layer to my CRT video feedback looping rig. and hey, clock glass! i never would have thought of that.

  • @noizyme
    @noizyme Před 4 lety +1

    Love the tutorial. I love the randomness you get from the dyes so much more than a typical light show (lasers and projected lights on their own). I hope to incorporate this style of light show into something in the future.

  • @thejamnasium6447
    @thejamnasium6447 Před 2 lety

    was looking for awesome visuals to add to my band's shows and stumbled on a Dead tribute band with a live liquid show like this. said "damn, that so cool". then I typed in "how to do a liquid light show" and bam, here I am. thank you for your service.

  • @biteme6155
    @biteme6155 Před 2 lety +1

    Thamks for this tutorial. I am fascinated by this and wish to pursue this art form.

    • @LiquidLightLab
      @LiquidLightLab  Před 2 lety

      You're welcome. Check my website to learn more. I also have an online store where I sell supplies to make these - www.LiquidLightShop.com

  • @Tester-sh1mn
    @Tester-sh1mn Před 2 lety +1

    Some of this I could’ve made with our guesswork, but you are a legend for making such a comprehensive guide!

  • @g3tt3rdon3
    @g3tt3rdon3 Před 9 lety +1

    finally! I've been looking for a definitive tutorial on this. it'd be great if you continued this series!

    • @LiquidLightLab
      @LiquidLightLab  Před 4 lety +1

      Finally getting back to it! Added part 2 - czcams.com/video/vn7_ctQjqhE/video.html

  • @jamesblake8529
    @jamesblake8529 Před 9 lety

    not one dislike for damn good reason. 309 : 0 =majesty in like to dislike ratio. well done sir

  • @manuelescamilla1889
    @manuelescamilla1889 Před 9 lety

    Thanks for the tutorial! I managed to put together a small light show using etched glass for a friends performance and it was a hit. My bulb burned out after about 4 hours but I should be getting a replacement soon. I wouldn't have been able to do it without your tutorial. Much appreciated.

  • @stevefrost3484
    @stevefrost3484 Před 3 lety +1

    Fairly simple process but extremely effective - I do my own electronic music and would love something like this for a back drop.

  • @jax3636
    @jax3636 Před 3 lety +1

    I am so grateful for this, I'm fascinated by this art form and can't wait to utilize it in my own videos!

    • @o_artye
      @o_artye Před 2 lety +1

      Jack Stauber brought me here :)

  • @totalH20
    @totalH20 Před 10 lety +5

    This is insane! I've totally just got inspired for my final degree work! Thanks so much!

  • @bellanti
    @bellanti Před rokem

    Thanks, I really love the sun at the end.

  • @sean.sullivan
    @sean.sullivan Před 4 lety +1

    Man, thank you so much for putting this up here!!! It’s true this art form is hard to find out about, so thank you for sharing!!

  • @El_Hicks
    @El_Hicks Před 7 lety +2

    Thanks for posting this, man. This was awesome, just what i was looking for. I'm in a Pink Floyd cover/tribute band, as well as one for The Doors, and I plan to do this and probably film a bunch and edit them together for projection next time we play.

  • @RainbowLane
    @RainbowLane Před 6 lety

    Thank you for explaining and showing so clearly how to do this.

  • @skatetapes12
    @skatetapes12 Před 4 lety +1

    I saw someone do a liquid light show once very cool always remembered it

  • @catherinewylie6959
    @catherinewylie6959 Před 3 lety

    Love the oscillations

  • @sillyworm
    @sillyworm Před 9 lety

    Thanks Steve!!! I have 6 free school projectors and just scored 10 clock faces at auction...I'm ready to try this out.

  • @StonedAlbatross
    @StonedAlbatross Před 7 lety +12

    13:53 On the left, it looks like earth spinning and in the center is the sun

  • @GRAYgauss
    @GRAYgauss Před 4 lety

    big psyche head, but a youngin'. I never knew i wanted to do liquid light shows because i never knew they existed. This is the $#!T! Thanks for the demo, gl to ya...Here I am spending weeks with shader programs or days with AE+Blender and this guy makes me think...Why don't I just use and film natural effects >_> I'm pretty into film photography and painting so this isn't anything new to me, I understand fluid dynamics relatively well...But even so, this would have never occurred to me. With just this I'm already thinking of all sorts of chemicals and dyes that solute in different solvents....Man, I blew some glass before on someone else's bench and this is making me crave my own shop from carpentry and welding to glass blowing and painting...

  • @will_5053
    @will_5053 Před 6 lety

    im new to this art style and this video has solidified my decision to start this art style and create my own art so thank you!

  • @tiny2love
    @tiny2love Před rokem +1

    Amazing I need to lern more get back in to this open the chanel again this is so Organic

    • @LiquidLightLab
      @LiquidLightLab  Před rokem +1

      I have some more videos in the works... I also have a store where I sell some of the supplies to do this if you want to get into it - www.LiquidLightShop.com

  • @rvvanlife
    @rvvanlife Před 2 lety

    As a fan of all things 60s, this was fascinating, thank you so much for sharing

  • @et_kokemus
    @et_kokemus Před 4 lety +2

    Good stuff, brother! It's true there never really has been a lot of information about this craft. I very much into all kinds of analog effects as I'm making music all-analog these days too. I'll definitely be incorporating what I've learned here into music videos and eventually some live performances! Keeping the hand craft alive :)

  • @fauxPainting
    @fauxPainting Před 2 lety

    Awesome Joshua would be proud

  • @mistermatt157
    @mistermatt157 Před 7 lety

    Thanks so much for making this video.
    I just discovered thru watching this, how much I want to start doing this!
    Nothing looks like this looks.

  • @koretmulder6316
    @koretmulder6316 Před 3 lety +1

    Thank you SO much for creating and explaining!! This takes me straight back to my childhood. I was a kid in the SF Bay Area in the late 60s/early seventies, and these images up on a screen or wall were a huge visual part of that.
    (And the wiki page for liquid light show *really* sucks.)

    • @LiquidLightLab
      @LiquidLightLab  Před 3 lety +1

      You're welcome!... I checked out the wikipedia page after you mentioned it, and it is pretty bad. Seems like since anyone can edit it, there are quite a few people who seem to added their own entries while neglecting others, or moved themselves to the top of the list.. If you're interested, I recently posted a video here about the evolution of liquid light shows. While not as in depth with regards to the scope or artists who could be mentioned, the important ones are there, as are some key developments in the artforms procession. And some cool pictures too :)

    • @rev.jimjonesandthekool-aid4488
      @rev.jimjonesandthekool-aid4488 Před 3 lety

      @@LiquidLightLab i used to pay 750 dollars to have " Harold" and his gf to do our oil effects for rave parties in 1990's.

  • @mccraejeremy
    @mccraejeremy Před 10 lety

    Thanks dude this is awesome, very helpful! Glad you did it. After watching this I am now realizing that my biggest problem with what I was doing was not being patient enough... It looked very similar to the way it looked in the beginning.

  • @adrianAdrianRogerr
    @adrianAdrianRogerr Před 2 měsíci

    Narration becomes hypnotizing

  • @projektor4
    @projektor4 Před 10 lety +1

    Thanks, this is a great help for me in my quest to inject more colour into my overhead projected liquid light...

  • @ali-inkaOFFICIAL
    @ali-inkaOFFICIAL Před rokem +1

    This is f**kin AWESOME and i love the delivery. I'm wanting to take up this art form now. So thank you for that, so inspiring. I wanna add it to a film clip I'm working on so i like what you said at the end about clips today looking kinda fake and analouge art forms being great. :)

  • @joaquin9862
    @joaquin9862 Před 11 měsíci +2

    LOVE IT !!!!!

  • @raznir2374
    @raznir2374 Před 10 lety +1

    Great video Steve! I like your technique and narration. gonna try this later. THANK YOU

  • @maxajax
    @maxajax Před 10 lety

    Amazing! thanks so much, there is so little out there about this, I had gathered the equipment and started doing it, but got bored as i couldnt get it quite right, i didnt knew about the alcohol, that opened my mind. Im starting doing again. thanks again for the huge help

  • @movinmusicacademyofficial

    Incredible. Thank you!

  • @shasta5468
    @shasta5468 Před 4 lety

    I watched a light show group called Little Princess 109 doing this at the Fillmore/Carousel in San Francisco many years ago. I was fascinated. They also ran 8MM loops of film on separate projectors with trippy M.C. Escher like animated drawings. The 60's version of an animated GIF.

  • @go0dViBeS
    @go0dViBeS Před 8 lety

    thank you so much for this tutorial, my VJing experimentations are going next level with that!

  • @chriskonsultant725
    @chriskonsultant725 Před rokem

    Fantastic, thank you I’ve learned a lot.

  • @peuramauriainen604
    @peuramauriainen604 Před 4 lety +1

    Nice!!! Wow!.. thanks of this tutorial.. its look like monterey pop J.A CONSERT.. And i am eaven born jet at the time!!🙂

  • @YourStoryTeam
    @YourStoryTeam Před 5 lety

    This is very cool! I first saw this on the 1969 Dick Clack show after Woodstock.

  • @weenerdoggs
    @weenerdoggs Před 9 lety

    This was an awesome introduction! Thanks so much for showing me how this is done!

  • @gratefulpan4707
    @gratefulpan4707 Před 3 lety +1

    Thank you

  • @raybjr
    @raybjr Před 4 lety +1

    Thanks for the tutorial, motivated to make some art!

  • @woodswalker88
    @woodswalker88 Před 5 lety

    Wow, you have just explained the whole 60s for me!!!

  • @Fahnder99
    @Fahnder99 Před 2 lety

    simply wow!

  • @JohnsonsonJohnsonson
    @JohnsonsonJohnsonson Před 8 lety

    Thank you for uploading this I always had wondered how to do this.

  • @mygic183
    @mygic183 Před rokem

    great work

  • @vietnamtrongtoi4194
    @vietnamtrongtoi4194 Před 6 lety

    How does this not have a million views???

  • @bearstokesful
    @bearstokesful Před rokem +1

    Nice!! The last 3 concerts I went to showcased this and I had never seen it before. I was watching the guy do this and it looked at rudimentary that I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Would love to see a video on that digital processing side of it, like how it's transmitted to the screen behind the band. I'm guessing there's an info path using cameras, computers, processor, projector?

    • @LiquidLightLab
      @LiquidLightLab  Před rokem +1

      Yes! It's a camera and light table set up, and that goes through a video mixer and to the screens.. I actually sell some of the gear to be used for this: www.LiquidLightShop.com

  • @gilliandelear7160
    @gilliandelear7160 Před 6 lety

    Thank you. Great explanations. I’m going to try some of your ideas!

  • @DaElnid
    @DaElnid Před 9 lety +2

    Muchas gracias por hacer este tutorial. He aprendido muchisimo. Hasta hace poco no sabia de esta tecnica. Este tutorial es exelente. Muchas gracias.
    (translation: Thank you very much for making this tutorial. I learned a lot. Until recently I did not know this technique. This tutorial is excellent. Thank you very much.)

  • @Joackolbt
    @Joackolbt Před 10 lety +1

    Just an Incredible video !
    Better impossible, Thank you so much for sharing the info !!

  • @jmaz1100
    @jmaz1100 Před 9 lety +1

    thank you for for this tutorial
    this is what i have been looking for!!!!

  • @EIGHTYBugg
    @EIGHTYBugg Před 9 lety

    WOW THANK YOU!! I have been contemplating buying a liquid light projector, but Id so much rather make these myself!!!!

  • @mikedergz6163
    @mikedergz6163 Před 4 lety

    Rad i admire this bro thanks for keeling this art alive!

  • @kylekeayshagerman4354
    @kylekeayshagerman4354 Před 2 lety

    Love it! Thank you!

  • @s0ulbaba
    @s0ulbaba Před 6 lety

    Thank you Steve. This was great.

  • @raultellegen5512
    @raultellegen5512 Před 6 lety

    This is absolutely amazing...wow!!!

  • @GentryPerry
    @GentryPerry Před 10 lety +1

    Thanks so much for this video! You have awesome work!

  • @GrumIsMe
    @GrumIsMe Před 4 lety

    Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge, this is so helpful 👍

  • @Bigfatquizzes
    @Bigfatquizzes Před 6 lety

    Wonderful and inspirational

  • @catherinewylie6959
    @catherinewylie6959 Před 2 lety

    Thanks for this. I should have watched this again before I started playing around. Made a murky mess of things adding more mineral oil here, more water, more alcohol. Should have kept it simple.

  • @1horton3
    @1horton3 Před 7 lety

    great work, thanks for demystifying that. I tried to figure it out on my own about 8 years ago and couldn't get there

  • @truiz5049
    @truiz5049 Před 6 lety

    Thanks man, this was super instructive.

  • @noemimakesthings555
    @noemimakesthings555 Před 3 lety

    I LOVE THIS! Thank you so much for making this video! I can't wait to try this!

  • @Onlylettuce92
    @Onlylettuce92 Před 10 lety +1

    Wow thank you for the upload!

  • @uhhhcal6699
    @uhhhcal6699 Před 6 lety

    thank you so much for this!! this was really helpful :') im definitely planning to try this soon

  • @artismagical
    @artismagical Před 3 lety

    Thank you✨

  • @virginiatoffetti3394
    @virginiatoffetti3394 Před rokem +1

    Such incredible contents. The colors are incredibile! Could I ask you which lens are you using?

    • @LiquidLightLab
      @LiquidLightLab  Před rokem

      Thank you! I honestly don't remember. It was a stock e-mount lens

  • @bmxseeker6780
    @bmxseeker6780 Před 7 lety

    wow that's so cool , ill like to use that for my band , thanks for the info you right theres not a lot of info on this , your videos are the coolest , thanks and rock on

  • @EdCosico
    @EdCosico Před 4 lety

    Just saw this for the first time, thank you! My materials arrived and I’m setting things up. I sub’d too.

  • @blackleaf1128
    @blackleaf1128 Před 9 lety

    Hey Man. Thanks a lot for sharing that. Im pretty impressed.! Keep on that good work. - Big up from Germany!

  • @shamburglar
    @shamburglar Před 10 lety +1

    This is awesome! Thank you!

  • @deevonnell9005
    @deevonnell9005 Před 10 lety +1

    Great tutorial

  • @redjagstang7
    @redjagstang7 Před 8 lety

    this was so helpful thank you so much for uploading this!!!!