Elemental Counterpoint with Digital Imagery

Abstract

In musical counterpoint, separate melodic lines move simultaneously while making structural sense with their temporal neighbors and the overall musical form. The levels of control of abstract visual material now available through computer-generated raster graphics make it possible to establish a similar contrapuntal rigor with visual elements and to explore a structured method of temporal visual design. Building on earlier work in time-based color and some fundamental observations of visual balance, the author proposes and illustrates a formal approach to abstract animation that parallels contrapuntal music technique.