An in-depth guide to everything Progression.

Structure

The starting variable for each Progression is the number of segments. The possible values for segments are:

[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 12]

The array is weighted to make certain values more likely than others. Two, three, and four segments appear multiple times to increase their probability, while eight and twelve segments are less common. This creates a natural distribution favoring simpler compositions while still allowing for more complex arrangements.

Once the number of segments is determined, their widths are calculated. For standard progressions, the segments are distributed across the composition with slight random variations from equal spacing. The minimum segment size is set at 5% of the total width to prevent any segment from becoming too thin. This creates subtle variations in rhythm while maintaining visual balance.

Each Progression can be oriented either vertically or horizontally, with an equal probability of each occurring. There is also a 50% chance that the progression will be reversed, which flips the entire composition 180 degrees.

Color Generation

Each Progression begins with the generation of base colors for each segment transition. For a progression with N segments, N+1 colors are created to allow for a complete transition from the first segment through the last. These colors are carefully checked to ensure they create enough visual interest through either hue difference or value difference.

When generating a base color, the algorithm has a tendency toward warmer hues. If working in the cooler spectrum, the hues are weighted toward the greener and bluer portions rather than cyan. Colors with lower saturation are paired with maximum brightness, while fully saturated colors are allowed to vary in brightness. This helps create balanced relationships between colors regardless of their saturation levels.

The algorithm performs rigorous checks on the relationships between all color pairs in the progression. It looks for either a minimum hue difference of 100 degrees or a minimum value difference (combining saturation and brightness) of 40 percent. If these minimums are not met, new colors are generated until sufficient contrast is achieved. This ensures that each progression creates clear visual relationships between its colors.

Color Modifications

Two color modifications can be applied to the base colors in a progression. The most common modification is Tinted, which adds white to all colors in the progression by setting their saturation to 37% while maintaining maximum brightness. This creates a softer, more pastel appearance while preserving the core relationships between the colors.

The other possible modification is Saturated, which pushes each color to its maximum saturation while preserving its original hue. This creates more vibrant progressions with intense color relationships. The Tinted and Saturated modifications are mutually exclusive - a progression can have one or the other, but never both.

Injections

A progression can receive a beam injection, where either a white or black segment is inserted into the composition. When this feature is active, one of the internal segments (never the first or last) is replaced with either pure white or pure black. If the progression has already been modified with the Tinted feature, the beam will always be white to maintain harmony with the pastel color palette.

Color Overrides

Two different override features can affect how colors are distributed through the progression. The first is Complementary, where after the initial color is selected, the opposing color is set to the complementary hue (180 degrees around the color wheel). This creates strong color contrast while maintaining careful control over the relationship between colors.

The second override feature is called 3-cycle. When active in progressions with more than four segments, it causes colors to repeat every third segment. This creates a cyclic pattern that maintains color harmony through repetition. The Complementary and 3-cycle features are mutually exclusive.

Special Styles

There are two rare special styles that can completely change how a progression is generated. The first is the Rothko style, which creates soft, atmospheric transitions between colors. When this style is active, each segment is divided into three parts: a transition from the background to the segment color, a solid area of the segment color, and a transition back to the background. The proportions of these three areas are randomly determined within careful constraints to maintain the characteristic soft edges associated with Rothko's work.

The second special style is the Davis variant, which generates stripes of varying widths. This style uses a different approach to segment creation, where widths are determined through an accumulating random process that creates more dramatic variations in size. Colors are selected randomly from the available palette and checked against their neighbors to ensure sufficient contrast, creating a dynamic rhythm across the composition.

These special styles override many of the standard progression rules. When either style is active, certain features like 3-cycle, beams, and color modifications become unavailable to maintain the integrity of the tribute. The Rothko style also enforces a vertical orientation, while the Davis style can be either vertical or horizontal.