Glas-'glow' Based Artist Creates Amazing Paintings With Light

INTRICATE shapes and spheres of neon light contrast against these natural landscapes

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The artist began creating light paintings in 2009

Known as ‘light painting’, the electric patterns are created with LED lights and a long exposure on a camera.

Glasgow-based artist, David Gilliver created the imagery over the past year across the Isle of Lewis, Milarrochy Bay and Falkirk.

He wears dark clothing to ensure he isn't visible in the photographs

He said: "Each light painting is created at night time during a single long exposure. The camera is placed on a tripod to keep it steady which allows me the freedom to walk into the scene during the exposure and move my lights around.

"I wear dark clothing and, so long as I keep moving around and avoid illuminating myself, I remain completely invisible in the final shot.”

Gilliver uses two methods to create his light paintings; for the ‘orbs’ he spins small LEDs using a drill, and for the ‘ribbons’ he uses a colour changing lightsaber called an LED Lenser V24.

Gilliver teaches classes on light painting

The artist is very particular about the conditions of the landscape in his photographs, ensuring the weather forecast and moon cycles are suitable.

He uses a colour changing lightsaber to create the ribbons

He said: "It needs to be dark to make the long exposure possible and so I create my light painting work at night time long after the sun has set.

On first glance the images could be just photoshop

My favourite conditions are normally anywhere between a half moon and a full moon – this normally helps ensure that there is a sufficient level of ambient light available to help expose the surrounding landscape in each photograph.”

The light can be seen on the surrounding rocks

David Gilliver has been creating light paintings since 2009, and has written a step-by-step guide in addition to teaching regular light painting workshops in Scotland.

He said: "My workshops are normally a real eye-opener for the people who attend them.

"After we have created the first light paintings, and everyone has grasped the general concept, it is amazing to watch just how much fun people have. The creative possibilities are pretty much endless.