This week I am experimenting with the patterns created in the previous week. I am attempting to use, edit and play with them to create something new.
A Kaleidoscope is an instrument that displays patterns. "Through a simple arrangement of mirrors the kaleidoscope could produce a nearly infinite array of shifting symmetrical visual patterns" (Gunning, 1997). It allowed people to investigate their inquiries into vision. It's creation of endless colourful patterns is visually appealing and creates a "perception of apparent motion." (Prince, 2010). I therefore feel it can be a way of implying motion even more and can create new and interesting patterns using my original patterns.
Experiment:
In an attempt to edit and play with the patterns created from the track last week I decided to create a kaleidoscope effect ('Mirror' effect in After Effects). I learnt how to create this effect through a couple of tutorials (Adobe Creative Cloud, 2018) (NBC motion, 2018).
This allowed me to create new/different patterns from the original pattern created based on the track of myself walking and typing.
Here are the original two patterns of the walking track and the typing track:
Test One:
Using the Mirror effect I tried a few different settings and layouts to create different patterns using the original walking pattern from my track.
The first version is simply a mirrored/flipped version of the original pattern.
The second version is a full 360 degree mirror effect which created a circular effect like a kaleidoscope.
After that I combined the two versions into one video for more depth and interest.
Once I had done that I duplicated it to create more repetition.
Reflection:
I think this effect creates an interesting pattern that is using the original tracked movement and creating something new. The overlay of the lines and the circle version shows the original pattern and the edited/new version that is constantly moving. I think having these videos conveys the movement in a more obvious way but also is moving away from showing the exact motion of habitual movement. I also found that with the smaller but multiple patterns I had to make the stroke bigger as it became harder to see it clearly at the smaller sizes. I also think as the nature of the original pattern is straight across it became hard to create more complex patterns from that.
Test Two:
As with the first test with the walking pattern, I used the Mirror effect to create different patterns using the original typing pattern from my track. I tried a few different settings and layouts also.
The first version is a full 360 degree mirror effect which created a circular effect like a kaleidoscope.
I then continued this idea but moving the pattern in different ways to create new and different patterns.
I then duplicated this pattern to add more repetition.
Reflection:
I think creating the kaleidoscope effect with the typing track was more effective than the walking track because of how much more detailed the patterns became. They both worked but this version had more depth and visual difference. I also think having the original pattern be closer to one edge helped when making the 360 degree version. If i do another track to create this effect I may try to put it off centre to hopefully get a more interesting pattern as I did with this test.
Conclusion:
Using this kaleidoscope effect made the original patterns more visually interesting and added more depth. I like that I could use the habitual movement to create something new. I think having these videos conveys the movement in a more obvious way (as in there is literal motion) but also is moving away from showing the exact motion of habitual movement. It is now not a direct visualisation of that movement but something new based on that movement.
I think I will definitely continue with this concept but experiment with other habitual movements as well. I am thinking about doing this process again by tracking movements such as sitting, writing and maybe brushing teeth. I may also explore this idea in print to get a series of visually complex patterns. I also think if I continue I will not add colour to these as while colour could make the patterns even more interesting and will add another element, I think in this case it will be too much. It is not necessary to portray my idea and may even distract the audience from the intent which is to focus on the motion/movement. I therefore think I will keep it in greyscale/black and white.
References:
Adobe Creative Cloud. (2018). How to Make a Kaleidoscope Effect in After Effects | Adobe Creative Cloud. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj75MQL65Xs
Gunning, T. (1997). From the Kaleidoscope to the X-Ray: Urban Spectatorship, Poe, Benjamin, and Traffic in Souls (1913). Wide Angle, 19(4), 6. https://doi.org/10.1353/wan.1997.0019
NBC motion. (2018). Create a Kaleidoscope in After Effects. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0eBmdDN9K0
Prince, S. (2010). Through the Looking Glass: Philosophical Toys and Digital Visual Effects. Projections, 4(2), 28–29. https://doi.org/10.3167/proj.2010.040203
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