#89: Frequently Asked Questions

10 min read

Deviation Actions

C-91's avatar
By
Published:
12.9K Views
Ok guys, I think it's time to do a little FAQ, because I read the same questions over and over. :rofl:
Let me see if it's useful for somebody. :D

:bulletgreen:OMG, what is this?
It's a fractal, baby! :flirty:

:bulletgreen:What is a fractal?
It's a really difficult question to answer, but I'll try to keep it as simple as I can. So, fellow fractalists, if you're reading, I won't be that precise in answering. :lmao:
Wikipedia says: "A fractal is a mathematical set that has a fractal dimension that usually exceeds its topological dimension and may fall between the integers."
Wait, what? :noes: I didn't even understand myself. :noes:
Ok, a fractal is basically the repetition of a same "image". This image can be repeated with its original dimension or fractal dimension (it can be resized).
For example, let's pick the Romanesco Broccoli (the image is from Wikipedia):



As you can see, it's a repetition of the same "peaks" over and over, each of them with different dimensions but indetical in shape and structure.
I don't know if I explained myself, but this is the simpliest way to say it I could come up with. If fellow fractalists want to help me, they're welcome to leave a comment with a better and simplier explanation! :la:
:new: dark-beam provided a page with a list and images of the various fractal functions. You can check it and have an idea of what I'm talking about!
List of fractals by Hausdorff dimension.
:new: beautifulchaos1 made a nice image with a brief explanation of what a fractal and fractal art is. Please, go check it! :love:
What's a fractal? by beautifulchaos1

:bulletgreen: So, do you use maths to make fractals?
This is not really a FAQ, but it's something related to what people say when they ask "Oh, how can you make art with fractals?".
No, I don't use maths, in the sense that I don't have to write strange formulas or esoteric codes or whatever. These things are made before and included in the program as plugins or formulas. :D

:bulletgreen:How do you make fractals?
There are loads of programs to make fractals! I like to use Apophysis 7x.15 (both versions B and C) by Xyrus-02, but you can find many other people using different programs. :D
However, there are some that are more famous:
:bulletred:Apophysis (versions 2, 3D and 7x)
:bulletred:Mandelbulb3D
:bulletred:UltraFractal
:bulletred:Incendia EX
:bulletred:Fractal Explorer
:bulletred:JWildfire
These are the ones I heard of the most, but there are many others out there!

:bulletgreen:Hey man, this is awesome, but what's with those strange characters in the description?
That so-called strange characters are parameters or params. :D
To keep it simple, I'll make the same example made by Xyrus-02:
"params are for fractals what PSD files are for Photoshop".
This is to say that if you open a set of params in the program the fractals was created with, you'll obtain the fractal itself, with all its set included.
A good habit of fractal artists is the tweak of params: we like to study other fellows' fractals to learn some new tricks, and sharing params is the best way to allow it. :D
So we copy and paste params into the specific program and we change all the values to see what we can create again. :D

I'll show some examples of params from some fractal programs (from The-Aposhack):

:bulletblue:Typical params from Apophysis

Caramel by C-91 (oh, really? :noes:)
Caramel by C-91

<flame name="Caramel" version="Apophysis 7x Version 15B" size="1078 680" center="0.21 -0.711" scale="161.7" cam_pitch="0.785398163397448" cam_dof="0.1" oversample="1" filter="0.2" quality="1" background="0 0 0" brightness="7" gamma="2" gamma_threshold="0.0175" estimator_radius="9" estimator_minimum="0" estimator_curve="0.4" enable_de="0" plugins="" >
<xform weight="0.5" color="0.851" whorl="1" coefs="-0.518437 0.303366 -0.303366 -0.518437 0.317496 0.548403" whorl_inside="1" whorl_outside="1" opacity="1" />
<xform weight="0.5" color="0.516" whorl="1" coefs="-0.236601 1.337093 -1.337093 -0.236601 -1.342144 -0.360791" whorl_inside="1" whorl_outside="1" opacity="1" />
<xform weight="0.5" color="0.456" whorl="1" dc_ztransl="0.05" coefs="-0.121014 0.293228 -0.293228 -0.121014 1.39987 -0.375223" whorl_inside="1" whorl_outside="1" dc_ztransl_x0="0" dc_ztransl_x1="1" dc_ztransl_factor="10" dc_ztransl_overwrite="1" dc_ztransl_clamp="0" opacity="1" />
<xform weight="0.5" color="0.419" whorl="1" coefs="-0.518437 0.303366 -0.303366 -0.518437 3.391438 -3.203827" whorl_inside="1" whorl_outside="1" opacity="1" />
<xform weight="0.5" color="0.516" whorl="1" coefs="-0.518437 0.303366 -0.303366 -0.518437 -2.150316 -2.063726" whorl_inside="1" whorl_outside="1" opacity="1" />
<xform weight="0.1" color="0" coefs="1 0 0 1 0 0" post="1 0 0 1 0.386547 -1.427856" opacity="1" />
<xform weight="0.1" color="0" coefs="1 0 0 1 0 0" post="1 0 0 1 -1.427856 -0.757316" opacity="1" />
<palette count="256" format="RGB">
50231C5C271C61271C60272561271C502B25442B25542725
4C2B2F4830383C2B2F2C2C2F2420251F1C251B1C251C2025
281C25302025341F25381B1C44231C54231C601E1C682212
691E126122125822124C231C44271C402B123C3025343425
302C2520281C20201C1B201C1C1C1C1C1C121F1C121F1C12
231C12242012342312381F124C1F12601E12711E12851A12
911A129A1613A21612AE1900B21900B22E09BE5712D66912
DB6100C65712B24809A225009E16009E16099A1600921600
921A09891A09751E09691E125C171258171C5C271C58271C
50342F48383854444149494B403C3834383824342F202425
24201C281F1C341F1C301F123C1B124C1F12581F12641E09
712209791E09851E127D2712791F1C79261C6D23256D221C
691F1C65221C542325481F25441B25381B1C30171C28181C
241B1C231C1C231C1C242012301F12502B1265401C8D4C1C
B65F1CD67B25EAA338EAB054EAB04BDE9D2FDE832FD26E1C
DE4F25C22612CA0E09CE1A13BA1E09B61E09BA4809AE5309
A14F128D3B0981401C794C2F793F38852E257D2F1C812B1C
792F1C712F1C7D2F12792F1C6D2F12642B1C5C271C4C1F1C
381F1C301F25281B1C231C1C201C1C241F1C2C241C38231C
44231C4C2325502F1C58271C582B25652B1C69271C6D2B1C
6D3C2E61483869584B71685485645EA55B38A5572FA24725
A63B1CA23F12954012963B12923C098D2100813B00793B12
85401295401C9A5025AE5312B65B12C66012CA6E1CCA6A25
CA6A25C65F2FB2561C85441C713B1C5C2B124C231C3C231C
381F1C401F1C441B1C481F1C4C1F1C4C231C502712541F1C
552312511F12501F124C1B1C401B1C381B1C2C1B1C241C1C
1F1C1C1B181C17181C1B181C1F1C1C201C1C231C1C2C1F1C
441F1C582B1C6D3C1C85401CA65B1CD28C42D6D2BCE6B471
EEB05DDBAD55DEA442CA832FAE672F8D642F795842503C2F
3C2B25301B252C1B25241C1C201C1C1F1C1C1B1C1C1B1C1C
181C1C1B1C1C1B1C1C1F1C1C201C1C2024252C2825381F25
442338593C2F7540257938257D382F6D2F25692F255C1B25
</palette>
</flame>


:bulletblue:Typical params from Mandelbulb3D

MJB Glass 00 by LeonieZurakowsky
MJB Glass 00 by LeonieZurakowsky

Mandelbulb3Dv17{
a.....S....w....w....2E...kGXbUo.L8kzuaXyUrcat0EGUIMEnhWMzX83WrmNml4.dvHRCd7Qxuj
................................GIkJRMk.8/2........Y./.................EE/2...wD
...Uz.....kL/....6.0/....6kB2...Q1....E5.....cLMLv9JcNlD/.......atUM4dkpXm1.BnAH
z.EnAnYD/2../..........wz.................................U0.....02...sD...../..
.wHnAnoDMgpqrTjaFw1vu.06zYv0zaPXY.j9b4YjVzHfhHDPMvPPqNeXFDlryO0GNu3L3NlDKNVgHBVX
9wPllZOYoxL2zGYH2AQU1Dij......2U1............./E/2....sD..E.....................
................uF2...6E....zUz805.ag6Q.soWk/UR905.Si6Q.MwWk/Uv905......v....k1.
.....6OFaz1.....5.kz.EfYgkUR.E5.Y....g6...UG....C0...U8....F....8/....IB...UT45M
T/1U.a8g0rrL/7XYT1fOC/6U.0.6o2oyCxgp..EVjiO8eGyj3s6QZJdbqz9.aVeMPLyfz00/8.ErHP0.
.wXl59h0xz9.R8Zc4xRkz8..........d.U1.wcQE/..2RiGMQZhzsFbG7eFT5uj/wBZC0sAnz97oQVy
NKaF..Ux7RgmygxDVi43/JdIP.2.C9s/mdyezKVAQdzdbV1..M0hIVYBFz1.e5imFas4./.jDEWhNbuD
/6U0.wzzz1...................................ICmM..TDW7aC3GrLP/.t5BWt5lEogwm.Mtf
fjC9Tlhnk.kaqaPiOtLqSO/.XNMglmcTWHsA.AaVl4voy/ys8/kM44PgYwbnKv0.XNMglGrT9zAR.AaV
l4vkz7gVv/kM44Pg...y3q/.zz/k.1A.yz1yAT2.xzpaqa9..2qNgJ46iJaMplKMUAqPgJLPi/G9UkKM
E../.E....E.....I....k....kIdJaQkVIOg7KNmF5...............................U/4MU/
4M........UaNaNaNaN..BnAnAnAnAxDOaNaNaNarzXaNaNaNatyz...........................
.............................................k.EBnAnAnAnwz1.....................
.....................2.....3....A....AJOZ75Q6Z4PWJaQo/..........................
.....MU/4MU/4........cNaNaNaNKzD........kz1........wz........A.E................
..........................................................2........wz...........
................................/....E/...E.....T7LNXZ4QmxqMVl4Kn...............
..........U3............................Uz1.....................................
................................................................................
....MarkJayBee............................E.....I....c....EHZtqNZ7rA.Y4BZV5.....
..........................U/4MU/4M.................0./........zD........kz1.....
...wz...........................................................................
........Uz1........sz.........yD........Uz1.....JMJANZEN}


:bulletblue:Typical params from Ultra Fractal

Innertwizzle III by EvilBricks
Innertwizzle III by EvilBricks

beauty3 {
::b/hpVjn2tb1SPutNQ47Lg/PIo7Rmk6dD4hmGEgUk0LbuvgWiSirFFZJp7uu/67QSJbvpo9yu
tHKqhPMzH58gc+mhaww6cs5fY3dJJOhbmTTPwZncnzTTeS07moVFokJuYcyRLaQJzszcjlW4
Nozw7FOLN9TCD36YGH38+y9E4PCje/9PxGHBE8eceAJd3dBzDRrjpdC1CN9LeoEIeKNrT4OT
xIUikbG5SVPnq+NuBsCQcTqeq80sToZW7u7kMtWsMG9GfBCOFtHMlNuQx7ubQZgNzCLLZPL8
rTS0cT3Ev7IVNMkMIm5LMJcofUndaQmmAuxcmmqFPznfUDJsYxK65x7HDbxOAeZRtw3dn6k7
Pv0sYhzM344DPyzO1NfxzfkrdTWwxjGWvAAjpvSKBZ4q8ehUPzTgVPb7YRpw+ySTsSlCqIn5
2ExSP/ZaOKa8syQzbwFkS06K4W0KeLphQwFr4k28VcSZLGVVDnj41eIPWjwiad7oLFFSZ5fT
1j8f0qnlJfR17+P9hv+5Pn6NS/wiSY50fynPczBFz0vBqpZk9Zlg6Ame/Ezo9iaMFDnQQiEB
juZQTWxD3Y/CcwZzg2BujRRZ1goW9k/6JD3000upTAgqyyyqob0a67Agm9osmiqqqgda3ZNk
i+OTrgtEgi7rYPODVnD/imbF/OnSywgoR5okqQ6LtO4wABuuuuxnrSJQ0yaq8BAiUb0Yhv8p
pfRNyMC3kU0Bgddgh+jV3hZKOK5mvg5PPoo5dOzKMXb9SoqXb/BcGYBCa7KTu9anyWPCB1ui
grgzHBX+20Mg/XpZw76/i2Bnk9i+hv6nef+HdK5PfaWwWpvWOvHusbbrrI7BKRdVbTTun4xE
zQ7BwGQ5l1Y/a5FlkiVeWgLizKbKINeOApAG9kM8wwCmycAJzLSodqN5cKI5N2rUQhuuF3rv
1sX+4LaNB939ROQU0pbJqJUVIlVei2bx8WS5VWEuoCVjhui1BuQDXchCCC1WeZC92c4y6yiA
xOZbpiL0vGEpMH/aZffg1dc0oOt0/9Ew/nu9PCd7bG2GZDMUbnYww2UDcz6fQMCGrw9C4zjW
64rghpydzKL8VTXtXZ6hIXEGE61HM8fddwZwTXLURgejYw51v1FHEu1tIhxNeMPFS/Azq5du
N3NBfv2ka2XQica9D9C4cGq0htwWGhPGEdVe9lAvu9I/pbE3W5aaMcapb7KEKhQw8tWreWrs
ub19GwOYh08mrS/HTuGCv+GFEdFyeUslPjsTW71MIoO+irrAk52tbvV56ejewPCgNHmZfESU
Rvy2p0+qnVNL6j1Uf++G9IVd+1xCN5f/zU15vmnp+DwZPDNr
}


:bulletblue:Typical params from Fractal Explorer

FEW05 - Coloring Joy by mario837
FEW05 - Coloring Joy by mario837

[DrawSize]
X_Size=1600
Y_Size=1600
[Main]
Renderer=Fractal Explorer 2.02 04/01/2011
Comment=no comments
SignText=
FontName=Comic Sans MS
FontSize=12
FontBold=0
FontUnderl=0
FontItalic=1
FontColor=65535
BrushStyle=0
BrushColor=16777215
Position=3
[Fractal]
LayerRed=33023
LayerGreen=33023
LayerBlue=33023
X_Coord=-2.86736096440401292
Y_Coord=2.95536096631136156
W_Coord=5.87400012731552124
X0_Coord=-2.20000004768371582
Y0_Coord=2.20000004768371582
W0_Coord=4.40000009536743164
Precision=0
P1real=0.5
P1imag=0.5
P2real=0.5
P2imag=0.5
P3real=0
P3imag=0
P4real=0
P4imag=0
PJreal=0.5
PJimag=0.5
Function1=33
Function2=0
Rotation=10
Rotation_free=0
BailOut=9
F-Set=0
JulieSet=1
Inverted=0
Transformer=0
Filter=111
Strange=0.00999999977648258209
KeepBlk=0
NoOutside=0
Filter only=0
ST_Number=1
ConstructorA1=1
ConstructorB1=0
ConstructorC1=1
ConstructorD1=0
ConstructorE1=0
ConstructorF1=0
ConstructorG1=0
ConstructorH1=0
ConstructorI1=0
ConstructorJ1=0
ConstructorK1=0
ConstructorL1=0
ConstructorM1=0
Number=31
MaxIter=150
Smoothing=0
[Colors]
Palette type=99
ColorOrder=6
Brightness=39
Contrast=128
Saturation=100
Grayed=0
NewUFpalette=1
IterChanging=3
IterChanging1=3
UFDensity=8.10000038146972656
UFmappingMode=3
InfinityRed=0
InfinityGreen=0
InfinityBlue=0
[Standart palette]
RedStep=7
RedShift=65
GreenStep=6
GreenShift=-65
BlueStep=6
BlueShift=225
[Linear palette]
Red1=0
Red2=255
Green1=0
Green2=255
Blue1=128
Blue2=0
[Parabola palette]
Red1=0
Red2=255
Green1=0
Green2=255
Blue1=255
Blue2=0
[Square palette]
Red1=0
Red2=0
Green1=0
Green2=0
Blue1=0
Blue2=218
[UF palette]
Count=5
Node0x=64
Node0r=0
Node0g=119
Node0b=255
Node1x=192
Node1r=184
Node1g=255
Node1b=255
Node2x=284
Node2r=136
Node2g=0
Node2b=0
Node3x=285
Node3r=136
Node3g=255
Node3b=92
Node4x=333
Node4r=255
Node4g=255
Node4b=255


:new: :bulletblue: Typical params from JWildfire

Turbulence - HDR render by thargor6
Turbulence - HDR render by thargor6

<flame name="JWildfire" version="0.48 ALPHA (03.06.2012)" size="960 540" center="0.0 0.049" scale="357.186463948858" rotate="-5.0" oversample="1" color_oversample="1" filter="0.0" quality="1000.0" background="0.0 0.0 0.0" brightness="2.35" gamma="3.63" gamma_threshold="0.04" estimator_radius="9" estimator_minimum="0" estimator_curve="0.4" temporal_samples="1.0" cam_zoom="1.0" cam_pitch="0.7330382858376184" cam_yaw="0.767944870877505" cam_persp="0.32" cam_zpos="-0.16" cam_dof="1.25" preserve_z="1" resolution_profile="null" quality_profile="null" shading_shading="FLAT" >
<xform weight="1.53" color="0.44" symmetry="-1.0" curl3D="2.0122910991414646" curl3D_cx="-1.0" curl3D_cy="0.0060" curl3D_cz="-0.09" coefs="-1.0 -1.2246467991473532E-16 1.2246467991473532E-16 -1.0 0.0 0.0" post="1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 0.0" chaos="0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0" />
<xform weight="0.39036" color="0.58" symmetry="0.55" julia3Dz="1.0" julia3Dz_power="3" ztranslate="0.042" coefs="1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0" chaos="1.0 0.0 1.0 1.0" />
<xform weight="0.44226" color="0.2142579422303717" symmetry="0.0" blur3D="0.044" zscale="10.46" eclipse="0.013534625838988897" eclipse_shift="0.0" coefs="1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0" post="1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 -1.0 0.0" chaos="1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0" />
<xform weight="0.53305" color="0.15" symmetry="0.0" curl3D="0.02872283647838779" curl3D_cx="0.0" curl3D_cy="0.0" curl3D_cz="-0.01" coefs="1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0" post="1.1959704086164928 -1.517738350078691 1.517738350078691 1.1959704086164928 0.0 0.0" chaos="1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0" />
<palette count="256" format="RGB" >
859882849F8E84A1928FAD9A94B79F95B7A196BBA394B8A393BBAC98C1A799C0A5A1BDA6
A3BAA5A6BD9CACBF9AADBE9FA9C3ABA6BFA7A2BDA7A1BCA9A6BEABA1BBA8A1B9A59EB8A3
9BB49F96B3A194B6A194B7A394B7A399B8A598BCA492BEA496C2A79BC3AD9EC5A9A6C4AD
A5C9B7A0CEBCA2C7B89AC2A59ABDA49BB8A49EBAAC9ABEA69AC1A19CC0A1A1C39C9EBE9A
9EB99A9FB6979DB598A1AF909CA685969B7A9090738287646A70515B665056634F576550
606B5574826F7A907C789780769780769786769887759C8B789A87789784809A87869E90
8DA99692B99C96BF9E9BBC9BA1B99FA1B79CA0B299A1B198A1B18DA1AE819CAB81A1A57C
98A2749297708C98708A93708B8E6F8E9473909975929F8197A88A9BAB92A0B199A0B09A
9FB29B9CB3989BAC9799A29193988385877776776061664F57614E56604D56614A54604C
565F4E555D4D4E5D4D4E5B4C515E4D4D5F4C515E4E555F50516154556856557B68719078
7A907C80917C82937E7B9583879E858EA28896AA929AB49B9AB49F9AB29C97A9998CA28F
86957F7F8971747C605F6651575F4E515D4A4F5B4A4B5E4A485C464857484B55444D5443
4E5B46535E4E5564535A7D6A72947F81A2907EA59784A5948FA8919AAF929DB494A0B28D
9DAA8798A68195A07C8E9C7D929B7E929B7B96977B9298799195778A957785897577806A
60675858614F55604F54604F4E60504E5F4D4F614C57644E626D56768C757B958185A28E
98B19A99B49F94B2A18EAA9482A68983A289899D858C9C84929982929D8893A28A98A58A
9BA0869A9E8499A5819AA582A2A27DA69E7EA9A97FAFA87EA9AF87B2A981B3AA8DB6BA8D
ACB191A7B892A6BA9CA4B5979FB3999EB49D9EB79C9CB39A9BB59A9CB4999EB4979DB494
A0AF8B9EAA8698A37F92A179869E758599768492788692778799798AA1868CA99291B29B
93B89F97BAA099B99FA1B8A1A2B89CA5B596A6AD90A7AC89A5B088A3B0889FAA8D9CA485
9AA0779C9D77A595769497758690707A8672646B565B654F56605056634D5A645162705F
7C8F748A9C8294AF949CB899</palette>
</flame>



If you have any other question, please ask! :la:
I'll keep this journal up to date, thank you for your attention!

:wave:
© 2012 - 2024 C-91
Comments52
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
RJohnstone's avatar
Thanks for sharing your knowledge of the different tools. I find it very helpful.