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

[@MaashuCookiemonster]

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]

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]

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!

[@KaliFissure]

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]

Wow, cool!

[@KaliFissure]

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

[@stevesloan7132]

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.

[@StationOfTerrapin]

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

[@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.

[@vercality6170]

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]

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.

[@spitzenkorper-void]

Steve there should be a Discord for this

[@RRJackson]

Maybe the best video I've ever seen on KZbin. 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!

[@biteme6155]

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

[@LiquidLightLab]

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

[@bernynhel]

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!!!

[@baileybayer9462]

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

[@alexisangel96]

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

[@landaujames313]

Yes, this comment right here! 🤘🏼

[@LiquidLightLab]

Finally added part 2! - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJ-akJaqhs-knqc

[@LiquidLightLab]

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

[@iTzAtaXi]

You’re referring to Pink Floyd I suppose..

[@samuelban]

I hope you still answer questions, but what did you use to record the art from up top? Or was the recordingg made from the tablet?

[@Tester-sh1mn]

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

[@LiquidLightLab]

Thank you!

[@Tester-sh1mn]

@@LiquidLightLab Nah thank you!

[@lethrbear32]

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

[@tiny2love]

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

[@LiquidLightLab]

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

[@Cananalope]

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

[@PSMITHjl]

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!!!

[@billwesley]

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]

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

[@MidnightBlueSoTrue]

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.

[@joedoomsdaypio4374]

Excellent tutorial...you fired up my imagination

[@wincancel]

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 !

[@kbtube8125]

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]

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

[@thejamnasium6447]

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.

[@adamgoodale8584]

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

[@waves7250]

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

[@tjprptchable]

Floating down, the sound resounds Around the icy waters underground

[@tjprptchable]

Floating down, the sound resounds Around the icy waters underground

[@noizyme]

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.

[@jamesblake8529]

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

[@kcnifhsoj]

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.

[@manuelescamilla1889]

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.

[@jenniferespenscheid5865]

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

[@LiquidLightLab]

Yay!

[@g3tt3rdon3]

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

[@LiquidLightLab]

Finally getting back to it! Added part 2 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJ-akJaqhs-knqc

[@StonedAlbatross]

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

[@stevefrost3484]

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

[@shasta5468]

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.

[@totalH20]

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

[@sean.sullivan]

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!!

[@will_5053]

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!

[@sillyworm]

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

[@rvvanlife]

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

[@LiquidLightLab]

You're welcome. And thank you!

[@jax3636]

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]

Jack Stauber brought me here :)

[@GRAYgauss]

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...

[@joaquin9862]

LOVE IT !!!!!

[@El_Hicks]

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.

[@maxajax]

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

[@mccraejeremy]

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.

[@bellanti]

Thanks, I really love the sun at the end.

[@mistermatt157]

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.

[@RainbowLane]

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

[@koretmulder6316]

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]

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]

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

[@ali-inkaOFFICIAL]

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. :)

[@et_kokemus]

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 :)

[@freddavies2521]

How do you recommend getting hold of the clock glass?

[@LiquidLightLab]

@@freddavies2521 I have a store that sells it! - www.LiquidLightShop.com

[@freddavies2521]

@@LiquidLightLab thanks, I’ll bear it in mind

[@skatetapes12]

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

[@bearstokesful]

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]

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

[@pawelschmidt7201]

Love the video. Amazing colors. Thanks for sharing. Is there a way - emulgation or something? - to stop the oil from "moving to the side" so fastly and kind of slow down the process a bit? Just thinking on a live gig... would be hard work to keep the liquids in motion by shaking the glass every 3 seconds for straight two hours.

[@LiquidLightLab]

It is hard work. But the idea of the art is so that it is done by hand, and is alive and connected to the music better.

[@snitzelll3710]

Questionn, can you use acrylic for rounded glass instead of glass? Here in Perú is hard to find these types of glass

[@catherinewylie6959]

Love the oscillations

[@jonnyreverb]

Have you ever tried it with the subtractive color primaries; cyan, magenta, and yellow?

[@leftoverking]

do two identical clock faces work well together, or is it better to have two different size plates?

[@LiquidLightLab]

They have to be different curvatures. That is more important than the size. That way, you can hold on to the top one and control it... I sell custom glass, made specifically for LL shows on my store, if you are interested. Cheers! - www.liquidlightshop.com/

[@leftoverking]

@@LiquidLightLab thanks for the tip. I am getting inspired by your and Chris's videos. My uncle was brother ed langdon, one of the founders of the brotherhood of light.

[@LiquidLightLab]

Wow! Amazing. Thanks for watching. Feel free to reach out at any time.

[@leftoverking]

@@LiquidLightLab thanks for making these videos! i have been enjoying all the history you and chris are putting out there.

[@raznir2374]

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

[@em77038]

For a beginner, what you recommend to get started? What projector, etc? Thank you rad work dude!

[@YourStoryTeam]

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

[@JeyCollini]

I love this. I'm looking to do this but with a vertical application. Have you any experience doing so? Would all colors just blend into a mess?

[@georgevandyke4235]

This is really cool... I couple of questions... I wonder if by using permanent dyes (and maybe ice) that you could make some really cool custom frisbees

[@projektor4]

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

[@1horton3]

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

[@DaElnid]

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.)

[@go0dViBeS]

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

[@kcirredyelnam5092]

where do I find square 10 inch convex clock glass?

[@weenerdoggs]

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

[@315retro]

I think it'd be neat to do this over the top of a projection of some old school rubber leg cartoons... I'm not sure how you could get that to project though.

[@virginiatoffetti3394]

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

[@LiquidLightLab]

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

[@johnnymurf]

Would it better to have the 3 glass dishes curvature identical be better or have them ever so slightly different curvatures? Thanks for the vid.

[@peuramauriainen604]

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

[@squidink7073]

I know I'm late to the party here with this question since it looks like the last question answered was 7 years ago but I'll give it a shot. Will convex circular plexiglass (acrylic) work as a substitute for glass? I have access to the plexiglass, that's why I ask. Thanks.

[@LiquidLightLab]

No, plastic won't work because oil doesn't clear off it very well.. If you're interested, I sell high quality, custom designed glass in my shop - www.LiquidLightShop.com

[@maf5454]

Dude, I did my own wet shows in my folk's attic about a hundred years ago and I didn't even think about layering! That is a great idea, I just might start doing them again just for the grins. Have you ever tried a VERY small piece of dry ice in the dye mixture? It was really intense! Have you experimented with polarized light? Just wondering, what the effect would be?

[@fractalmaui]

nice effect! have you considered adding a basic parts list? the clock face glass seems like a rare item. could these pieces be done in plastic and not glass? then someone could have them fabricated more easily?

[@LiquidLightLab]

fractalmaui plastic won’t work well, because the oil will cloud up the material. I actually have had glass made custom, which I sell. We should have more in stock soon - liquidlightlab.bigcartel.com/category/art-supplies

[@jooseppifallos5203]

Hello! How do you dispose of the liquids after a show or rehersal?

[@fauxPainting]

Awesome Joshua would be proud

[@jessemartin8512]

Such a great tutorial! Question: is 2,500 lumens enough for a small space? What is preferred?

[@catherinewylie6959]

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.

[@VinceBrown-ks6bj]

Steve ~ Thank you for the info. Great stuff. Question : Will a Wolfvision VZ-8Light3 Document Camera Overhead Projector work for this? It appears that this unit is intended to be run thru a computer, then to a monitor or projector, but can it project directly onto a large stage screen (like a standard overhead projector).

[@naturalebeing]

whaaaat theeeee.... mine doesn't look like that at all :/ is there alcohol on the top glass when you put it on the bottom glass?

[@mikedergz6163]

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

[@CannedCam]

couple of questions; where would be a good place to look for the glass? which overhead projector would be best? I was looking at Apollo brand. And what would.be the best way to display this on stage (:

[@jabodeetonso3390]

Hello, can you please give an advice on camera and projector from your experience..cheers) thanks for your input, very inspiring.

[@miguellaverde666]

what kind of gear would you recommend for a live show? what sort of projectors work best? what do you normally use?

[@vietnamtrongtoi4194]

How does this not have a million views???

[@george14141414]

Would greatly appreciate some help! So I've been trying for a while now to get my first projector but literally evvvvvery UK listing seems to have no information about the lumen rating (if anything at all). Can I just buy a 3k lumens bulb for any projector, as long as it can handle the appropriate wattage?

[@bernynhel]

yeah yeah oil n water dont mix and yellow and blue make green - brilliant. how about what kind of projectors are best and how best to apply them for staging the effects behind a band in various types of venues???

[@LiquidLightLab]

bernynhel It’s all good. One can never tell with the Internet anymore. There’s all kinds of weird people on here... Thanks for your kind words.. There is a part 2 in the works. It should have been out years ago, but I’m finishing up a re-edit of it as we speak. ✌️🖖

[@mirage69]

Do you add the oil dye straight to the mixture or do you dilute it in mineral oil to create your colors before you add them? I’m using candle dye and I’m having trouble keeping keeping them together, and I’m burning through dye fast. So I’m wondering if I should add mineral oil to my dyes before.

[@LiquidLightLab]

Cosmic King oil dye into mineral oil, or float oil dye on top of water. If the oil dye isn’t working, trying another brand. I have some really good ones for sale on my site www.Liquidlightshop.com

[@JohnsonsonJohnsonson]

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

[@matthew_thefallen]

does putting cold and warm water or liquids affect more the effect?

[@LiquidLightLab]

@@matthew_thefallen Not so much. Warmer liquids are a bit more fluid moving, but I don't notice the difference that much

[@scottstevenz8732]

+Liquid Light Lab thanks Steve for this great info! I have a question. I am trying to repair an old Lytequest Acidbeam oil wheel projector. For the liquids I am going to use glycerin and food coloring for the water based liquid. Needs to be thicker than water for it to work with the spinning wheel. I am using mineral oil with candle dye for the oil based liquid. My question is this.....would it benefit to add a small bit of iso alcohol to the mix? Or would the alcohol over time destroy the other liquids? Trying to get the bubbly looking blobs like you did . But I realse this will be a closed system and not sure of the effects over time. Thanks!

[@gilliandelear7160]

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

[@mushtombofficial]

I'm getting the stuff soon, and was wondering if there was a third liquid that can be colored and doesn't mix with the other two?

[@LiquidLightLab]

Not that will stay separate cleanly, but air bubbles are a third element that can be added.

[@Retro80sLove]

Thank you for this video! I've been recently getting into this liquid light show thing but I'm having trouble with my water color sticking to my plates I'm not sure if it's that or the oil dye, but even with alcohol I can't seem to get it right. Could you help me out please? Thank you!