Visual design, in general, is indebted to John Whitney Sr. for his work in digital harmony. The precepts of digital harmony are synomous with L-Systems, i.e. create a series of rules and change those rules over time to create visuals. Also like L-systems, John Whitney utilized mathematics to create pure aesthetics, in other worlds, by utilizing the fundamentals of mathematics, Whitney was able to anticipate and control every detail of his creation. By watching his film Arabesque we can begin to fathom why our brains find radial structures, such as snow flakes, so alluring. The radio waves effect in After Effects can be alluring as well, but our control is limited by the AE UI. Below is an except from my animation history paper, which explains the necessity to understand Whitney's Digital Harmony in order to control the aesthetics of moving imagery.
How then can a understanding of Digital Harmony improve the field of motion graphics today?
Whitney defines harmony as a temporal experience of tension and resolve. This can be expressed mathematically, with whole number ratios that reflect the scales in music: octave, fifth, fourth, major and minor thirds . At this point we are aware of the important correlation Whitney is making between music and graphic visuals. The correlation between sound and music is important for motion graphics artists to make as well. In essence, motion graphics artists can communicate with their audiences on a higher/emotional level by thinking in musical terms rather than being dictated by software pre-sets or filters. This connection, which exists between audio and visual patterns, can be demonstrated through an analysis of 1975 film Arabesque. Arabesque conveys the underlying theories of digital harmony through the transitional animation of circle to a curve. This abstract film’s focal point is an animated circle, composed of dots, which shifts polarities based a cycle of 360° on a black background. The curves formed from these dots are reminiscent of Islamic patterns, hence the name of the piece. Like an orchestral movement, the rhythmic patterns of the curves are carefully organized into sections, building up Whitney’s pattern of tension and resolve. This is also a process of building up expectations – creating a series of rules, that are followed in the beginning of the piece and broken towards the end. In Arabesque’s cyclical nature, the circle unfolds into a curve and back into the circle. In the sections that follow, the pattern is replicated across the screen and form a triptych of cycles (i.e. three rhythmic patterns). Rhythm is established with these three patterned cycles. But, due to the patterns complexity, we no longer comprehend a singular motif, and our expectations can no longer be fulfilled. When our expectations are not met we become emotionally connected to the film – we desire a resolution. The film ends by repeating the sequence that it began. Viewers then will become emotionally satisfied, with what Whitney would described as having the feeling of returning home after a long journey . Furthermore, through the cycle of Arabesque will become familiar with the fundamentals of digital harmony: force, tension, tonic, tone, motion and emotion . These are essential elements which would help promote motion graphics beyond its current derivative state that seems focused on silhouettes (as in the Apple Ipod commercials) and generic “flowing vine” imagery (popularized in music videos).
While Arabesque may seem to be a study in mathematics and formal rules, Whitney also describes his work as magic, since the flow of movement in Arabesque goes beyond expectations. Even through Arabesque is programmed in Pascal (an outdated programming language), Whitney finds the means to usurp creative control over the computer’s rigid rules. This should provide inspiration to the motion graphic artist who wishes to go beyond the rules established by the software applications. Whitney’s use of word magic may also be describing the connection he is making to his audience. Magic in motion graphics can be achieved when the audience is no longer focused on the methods of used to create the animation (whether it was done in Flash or After Effects, for example) and they become consumed with work itself.
