FOTD -- June 15, 2002 (Rating 7) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: I'm trying to remember the point at which fractals became art. When I discovered them almost 20 years ago, fractals were mathematical abstractions made visible, if not tangible, through the miracle of the modern computer. They were not considered art. But by 1996 they had become art. Now, we're involved in futile debates about whether fractals based on spirals make good or bad fractal art. I am still undecided whether fractals should be considered art at all. I am also undecided whether the present-day images should be considered fractals or computer art. Whatever they are, the images certainly are great things to chat about. But a work of art is a recording of human emotion, rendered in such a way that those of similar psychological make-up, by experiencing the work of art, can feel some measure of the emotions the artist felt while creating the art. When I sit at my machine to create (or find) fractals, it is a means of relaxing after days too often filled with frustration. I sometimes put little if any emotion into the images, preferring instead to sit and watch half interested as the numbers do what they will. (I expend a bit more creative energy when something unexpected appears.) But if a work has so little emotion put into it at the time of its creation, how can it be considered art? In contrast, I find the greatest emotional satisfaction while experiencing the supposedly insentient things of nature, such as the universe, with its stars and galaxies, and the atmosphere with its alternating sun and storms. These things are not created to be art; they simply just happen. Where then does the emotion and artistic satisfaction that I feel when experiencing nature, originate? It originates within myself. Art exists in the eye of the beholder. And perhaps the images that I put so little into can create something in others just as nature creates enjoyment in me. I have many more thoughts tumbling around, but after rambling for nearly 1/2 hour, I see that we have a fractal image to discuss. I named today's picture "Fractal in Holland" when I noticed the windmill-blade shape of the elements around the ubiquitous midget (not a spiral) at the center. I rated it at a 7 because it's kind of a nice picture. The formula behind the image is Z^(-0.75)+4Z^(-7.5)+(1/C). The (1/C) turns the originally inside-out parent fractal inside out again, making it into a normal fractal with a bay at its center. Such doubly inside-out fractals are very rich hunting grounds. The 15-minute render time of the parameter file makes a download of the completed GIF image the best choice. The download may be found at Paul's web site at: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> and at Scott's site at: <http://sdboyd.dyndns.org/~sdboyd/fotd/index.html> The fractal weather here at Fractal Central was rainy both Thursday and Friday, with a cool temperature in the 60's. After being stuck indoors for two days, the fractal cats became restless and testy, but this morning is dry if not sunny, and the cats should soon be venturing into the yard for fun and games. As for me, I'm going to venture into the continuing preparation of the FOTD-CD, which will include pictures of the fractal cats. Until next time, which will arrive on June 18, take care, and be artistic. Jim Muth jamth@mindspring.com jimmuth@aol.com START 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE================================ Fractal_in_Holland { ; time=0:15:24.06--SF5 on a P200 reset=2002 type=formula formulafile=allinone.frm formulaname=MandelbrotMix4 function=recip passes=1 center-mag=+1.39512827318548100/-0.082052873710134\ 88/1825094/1/87.4999997863123724/2.302319189462220\ 81e-007 params=1/-0.75/4/-7.5/0/525 float=y maxiter=3600 inside=0 logmap=142 periodicity=10 colors=000tI8tJ9oJ9lK9gKAdLAaMAbN9cO9eP9fR9hS9iT9k\ V9lW9nX9oZ9q_9r`9tb9uc9vd9se8pf8nf7kg7ih6fh6di5aj5\ _j5`i9ahCbhFcgIdfLdfOeeRfdUgdXhc_ibbibegZceWacT_aQ\ ZSScJThAUm1Vr5Uo8TmCSkFRhJQfMPdQPaTO_XNY_MVcLTfKRi\ KPfMNdOLbPJ`RHZSFXUEVWCTXARZ8P_6Na4Lb3Md4Me5Mg5Mh6\ Ni6Nk7Nl7Nn8Oo8Op9Or9OsAOtAPpCPlEQhGQdIRaJRYLSUNSQ\ PTMRTJSUFUUBWV7YV3_V0`R8cOFfKMiHTlD_oAfr7mtCioGekK\ agOYbTUZXQV`MQdIMhFIdIJ`LJXOKUQKQTLMWLIZMF`MBcN7fN\ 3iO0kO1iQ2gR3fT4dU5bW5aX6_Z7Z_8X`9Vb9UcASeBQfCPhDN\ iDMjHPeKSaNVYQYUT`PWcLZfHahDajIakMalQamUanYaoaaqea\ riasmatqauuavybuubtrbsnbrkbrhbqdbpaboYboVbnSbmOblL\ blIedQgcYjeelgmnitjkpgnldqhateYwaVzYSzVPzRMzNIzJFz\ GCzC9z86z5Dz9KzCRzGYzJUzMRzOOzRLzTNzUOzVPzVRzWSzXT\ zXVzYWzYXzZZz__z_`z`az`_zXYzUWzQUzNSzKQzGOzDNzAPzG\ RzLTzQVzVWz`Yze_zjazobzt_ztYztWztUztSztPztNztLztJz\ tHztEztCztAzt8zt6zt4zt7zo } frm:MandelbrotMix4 {; Jim Muth a=real(p1), b=imag(p1), d=real(p2), f=imag(p2), g=1/f, h=1/d, j=1/(f-b), z=(-a*b*g*h)^j, k=real(p3)+1, l=imag(p3)+100, c=fn1(pixel): z=k*((a*(z^b))+(d*(z^f)))+c, |z| < l } END 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE==================================