Compact camera used for liquid light capture — good for tight mounting positions

Used for macro capture of liquid light — low aperture f2.8 or f3.5, good ISO settings

4K capture of liquid light — higher resolution feed into video mixer

Primary camera for capturing liquid light onto video signal — feeds into video mixer

Zoom lens for macro liquid light capture — versatile focal length adjustment

Alcohol-based ink — reacts differently with oils than water-based inks, creates distinct cell formations

Low viscosity oil used in liquid light — fast movement, cheap sourcing

Low viscosity mineral oil variant — fast movement, widely available

High viscosity oil used in liquid light for slower movement and thick formations

Magnetic liquid that responds to magnetic fields — used in macro art and liquid light for otherworldly formations

Additive used to slow movement and create viscous formations in liquid light

Brand of drawing ink used in liquid light for vivid color

Water-based ink used in liquid light for high contrast black formations

91% used in liquid light performance. 70% used for cleaning plates and removing oils

Safety gear for liquid light — it gets really messy

Primary oil used in liquid light — medium viscosity, clear, widely available

Oil-soluble dye for coloring mineral and castor oil in liquid light

Additive used in liquid light to reduce surface tension and create cell formations

Water-soluble dye used in liquid light water layers

DIY glitch controller — handmade circuit bent mixer for intentional signal corruption

Compact MIDI controller for live VJ performance — physical control of video parameters

Grid MIDI controller for launching clips and controlling video parameters in VJ performance

Hardware or software that converts audio signal to visual parameters — still exploring how this works

Theoretical device — bluetooth mini cameras linked to transponder plugged into video switcher, positioned at multiple focal points of stage or musicians

Study of visible sound and vibration — Chladni patterns, resonant frequencies made visible through sand or liquid on vibrating surface

Currently prototyping — captures cymatics patterns for live visual integration

Marangoni effect — surface tension differential causes burst patterns in liquid. Goal is to fully actualize this effect in live liquid light

Surface tension differential between two liquids causes burst and flow patterns — goal is to fully actualize in live performance

Prototype concept — automated spout pours liquid into dish on projector stage creating slow drip ripple effects without manual intervention

Essential practical tool for analog shows — used to see what you are grabbing in the dark during performance

Digital video cable — primary for modern digital projectors and video walls

Articulating arm for positioning camera over liquid light setup — essential for overhead capture

Professional camera arm for stable overhead capture of liquid light

Truss mounting system for hanging projectors above stage

Analog composite video cable — primary cable for vintage video mixer connections

Primary transport and storage solution for liquid light gear — protects equipment on tour

Shelving unit with platform boards used for analog shows — elevates overhead projectors above audience head height, minimum 7ft beam height required

Semi-transparent screen — allows both front and rear projection simultaneously

Voltage transformer for international touring — converts power between 110V and 220V for analog projectors

T-bar stand used to hang digital projectors and Optikinetics Solar 250 — analog projectors cannot be hung

Used to cover and conceal the liquid light setup from audience view — aesthetic and practical

Converts higher resolution digital signal to lower resolution analog — used for compatibility with vintage mixers

Splits single video signal to multiple outputs — essential for TV wall installations

Converts lower resolution analog video signals to higher resolution digital — essential for hybrid analog/digital signal chains

Essentially a Splodascope — air pressure drives liquid movement inside chamber

Aquarium grade air pump sends air into splodascopes or blows liquids automatically on blow plates

Surface for liquids that float on top — air blown across surface to manipulate movement

Custom designed drop tank — designed for personal use, not for sale. Liquid drips into chamber creating ripple effects

Handmade small tanks 4x6 inches or smaller, slim glass sleeve with small space between panes

Large diameter squish plate on big LED tracing tablet or overhead projector — stage scale rig

Variant of squish plate technique — inverted or negative pressure seal

Rotating wheel with oil and dye cells — modular liquid rig variant. Travel-safe versions wrapped in bubble wrap and foam

Science-grade petri dishes, decorative candy bowls, design clear plates, clock-face glass all used as liquid light squish plates

Large version used on overhead projectors or LED tablets. Mini version fits in Optikinetics Solar 250 gate and in front of slide projectors like Lietz Prado

Layered container system that creates a seal between liquids and glass — clock face glass most common

Rotating wheel with color gel segments — changes projected light color over time

Filter that splits light into spectrum — used in liquid light for prismatic color effects

Rotating wheel placed in front of projector — bends and distorts emitted light

Specific overhead projector model used in liquid light — notable for brightness and stage size

Kaleidoscope effect lens placed in front of projector — multiplies and mirrors the liquid light image

35mm slide projector — used in liquid light shows for film and slide projection alongside analog light

Primary modern light source for liquid light — replaces overhead projector lamp. Used as backlighting under squish plates and large format liquid tables

575W Xenon slide projector — high intensity light source for liquid light

Optikinetics projector with gate for inserting mini splodascopes and oil wheels — standard in liquid light and theatre

Original liquid light light source — internal lamp projects through glass stage onto screen. Dukane Quantum 680, Navitar Xenon 575W are notable models

Custom enlarged mirror head for overhead projector — increases projected image size. Maresia Lightshow has engineered a custom lead mirror and lens for his overhead projector

Polarizing filter wheel — creates birefringence effects with certain liquids and materials

Motorized wheel that creates ripple effect in projected light

Motorized wheel with cutouts placed in front of projector to strobe the image — Etherwave Lightshow uses these

Color filter sheets placed in front of light sources — used in liquid light and theatre lighting for color effects

Document camera used as overhead capture device for liquid light in hybrid shows — alternative to camera on magic arm

Motorized wheel that warps and bends projected light

Vintage film projector — used in historic liquid light shows and contemporary experimental performance

Professional grade projector — best digital projectors for live shows, longer lasting than lamp projectors

High lumen overhead projector used for liquid light — over 4000 lumens

Laser light source projector — longer lasting than lamp, better brightness consistency

High lumen overhead projector — one of the best for liquid light, emits over 4000 lumens

German-made slide projector — best slide projectors made, used in liquid light shows

Medium brand overhead projector — high lumen output for liquid light performance

Brightest Optikinetics model — K4 series, best for stage use

LED video wall — preferred over projector when available. No setup of projection gear needed, handles ambient light better than projectors

Professional VJ software for clip launching and video mapping

Node-based real-time visual programming environment — used by Moth Powder, Mad Alchemy TJ and others

Mac-based VJ software — used by Illuminate Telethon, SD Liquid Light Society

Green screen / chroma key compositing — used to layer video elements in live VJ performance

Always keystone correct digital projections to match framing to surface — critical for clean projection environments

Modern HDMI switcher — clean digital switching for hybrid shows

Classic 4-channel video mixer — workhorse of VJ and liquid light signal chain

Video mixer used to combine liquid light camera feed with other video sources

Panasonic video mixer used in liquid light signal chain

Panasonic video mixer — mid-range model

Panasonic video mixer — top of Panasonic MX line

Compact HD video mixer — portable option for smaller shows

High-end Roland HD video mixer

4-channel video mixer with effects — upgrade from Edirol V4

8-channel Roland video mixer — larger shows and installations

Sony video mixer with effects — used in liquid light hybrid signal chains

Classic Videonics video mixer — vintage VJ hardware

Higher-end Videonics mixer — more channels and effects than MX1

Hardware video corrupter — intentional glitch and color corruption device

Recursion and feedback video synthesis device

Modular video synthesis system — LZX modules used as patch bay for video signal routing

Video synthesis tool used in hybrid liquid light signal chains

AI image generation used in VJ and video synthesis workflows

Hardware video feedback and synthesis device — second generation

VHS tape playback used in digital show signal chain — vintage video texture source

Hardware video synthesizer used in liquid light hybrid signal chains

Overhead projector, clock glass, oils, dyes, alcohol

Cardboard or paper mask cut to circle and taped to overhead projector stage to eliminate unwanted negative space around liquid light image

Motorized oil wheels, splodascopes — keep the show moving without constant manual intervention

TV wall installation

Optikinetics

Resolume

Splodascope, Kodak projectors, warp wheel, ripple wheel, motorized wheels, theatre gels

Panasonic MX-50, Dukane Quantum 680, Navitar Xenon Slide Projector 575W, motor scooter

lightshow gear operator

Overhead Projector, Squish Plate

TouchDesigner + analog liquid light

Oil Wheel, Optikinetics, Drop Tank Technique, Splodascope, Marangoni Burst

Melted Electronics, TouchDesigner

Solar 250, Solar Wheel Rotator, BOGO lighting, Cassette motors

VDMX

Squish Plate, Negative Plate

Optikinetics, Levitator

Flat Glass Plate, Blowplate, Heatslide, Petridish, Surface Tension technique

Blowplate, Petri Dish Plate, Explosion Plate, Glycerin, alcohol ink, ferro fluid

Sandin Image Processor

custom glitch gear builder

Beck Direct Video Synthesizer

circuit bent video hardware

ferro fluid, crystals, lasers, light diffraction

zoom lens, macro photography, ferro fluid, crystals, lasers

After Effects, TouchDesigner

VDMX

After Effects, TouchDesigner