Photography | PORTLAND Artist’s Statement
Liquid Sculpture images are fluids in motion, frozen in time by a flash of light. They are droplets witnessed in mid-splash. I orchestrate these sculptures by accurately aiming the drops and releasing them with precise timing. As nature takes its course, I photograph the unfolding forms using a digital camera and electronic flash.
I instigate the myriad of shapes by varying the drops’ trajectories and manipulating their physical properties. Color, viscosity and surface tension are controlled with dye, glycerin and soap.
Fluids in motion fascinate my senses. I feel their smooth and effortless curves: Structures reflecting a perfect balance of dynamic forces. They tickle some faint physical memory, like a scent evoking a forgotten mix of feelings.
“There weren’t any “real people” out there doing this kind of art - I was following my own sense of style.” – Martin Waugh
I am currently working on several custom assignments, as well as preparing to take stereographic photos of the sculptures. This will allow the viewer to better understand the shapes and see additional detail. About the Process Martin Waugh is often asked about the technical process of creating this Liquid Sculpture images. In his words: What
you see on my site,
www.martin-waugh.com, are high- resolution photographs of liquids in motion, captured with high-speed flash photography. I use Photoshop to clean up the background, balance the color and tidy up a bit. I don’t alter the shapes or composition. What you see is what nature provided. (One exception: the lips in “Big Wet One Red” were crying for red lipstick, which Photoshop provided.)
History as an Influence in Waugh’s Work
The first high-speed photograph was taken around 1851, by William Talbot. He used an electric spark to stop motion, as did A. M. Worthington when he created the images for his 1908 book, A Study of Splashes. However, the discipline didn’t truly expand until the 1930s when Dr. Harold Edgerton of M.I.T. invented the xenon flash tube and amazed the world with previously unseen sights. His work remains the basis of all modern photographic flashes.
The photographic challenges in my work were mostly solved by these pioneers and by the advent of the computer. Now my main effort is orchestrating the lights and liquids to create the colors and shapes. The same characteristics of liquids that make them so visually engaging also make them difficult to control. Therein lays the irresistible puzzle and satisfying rewards.
More detailed information can be found on my personal blog,
www.martin-waugh.com.
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