Automotive paint as you’ve never seen it before

Car paint is usually only ever seen as a hardened coating on a vehicle. When photographer Ralf Richter set out to shoot the images for the 2014 Standox Calendar entitled Pure Colour, he wanted to explore the dynamic, fluid properties of paint and to create a new way to look at the coating.

Working with a computer animation team, Richter first developed a series of highly complex animations from which he eventually picked the visuals for the calendar. His focus on detail and unashamedly playful approach have resulted in fascinating images, which will draw the viewer in.

The 12 images show cars being hit by large waves of liquid paint. Richter experiments with unexpected perspectives and dimensions, using surreal lighting and many different colours, making the images unusual and appealing. Captured in mid-motion, the images are designed to make the viewer want to hit an imaginary “play” button to see how the scene unfolds.

One image shows a wall of multi-coloured paint hitting a Range Rover at high speed, almost like a force of nature. Another shows a soft and tactile side of paint as it is captured wrapping itself around a Porsche 911, accentuating the car’s unmistakeable silhouette.

In addition to their impressive visual effects, the images encourage the viewer to see paint in a different way. The pigments and particles that create the now-familiar metallic effects are for instance shown magnified several million times. In some of the images the vehicles are hardly recognisable with only small details visible – the paint takes centre-stage.

The images were created with advanced computer technology, which has been used in the making of such movies such as The Avengers and Ice Age 4. The full-motion visuals can be viewed at http://www.standox.com/cal14pr.

For more than 30 years Standox has commissioned internationally renowned photographers to produce the images for its limited-edition calendars. System Tools Plus members will automatically receive their copy soon, but the desktop version of the calendar is available to download free of charge from www.standox.co.uk – Standox Downloads.