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Recent Evolution in Fractal Art |
| The
relatively new art genre of Fractal Art can be divided into two
major categories: Traditional Fractal images
and Representative Fractal images. For
examples, click here. Fractal
Art that is not digital in nature is not being discussed here. I consider the definition of Fractal Art to mean images that are originally produced with a computer program that is dedicated to fractal image generation. It is also assumed that minimal post processing is applied to the final, presented image. Layered fractal images are categorized as Fractal Art, but not images that are collage type images using other than fractal image elements (such as 'put a pretty girl in front of a fractal' ). Layered fractals are produced by many fractal generation programs and each layer is indeed a genuine fractal. Traditional Fractal images are images that focus on magnification 1, or other typical fractal forms found in most fractal imagery (Magnification 1 Mandelbrots and Julias, etc., minibrots, elephants, seahorses, spirals, etc). Generally, Traditional Fractal images consist of unique fractal forms. The degree of fractality is high in these images. Representative Fractal images are produced by focusing the main imaginative work on the overall compositional elements of the image. The fractal nature of the Representative Fractal image may not be immediately obvious. Compositional considerations are paramount in these fractal images. Representative Fractal images are often inspired by other art movements. Fractal elements may or may not be present in the final image. The degree of fractality can be small or non-apparent in these images. Digital Art in this essay is defined as art images produced with graphic manipulation computer programs. While this definition is not all inclusive; it is limited by the definition of a graphic manipulation computer program. A graphic manipulation computer program is defined as a computer program that receives outside imagery information (or internally stored forms: lines, shapes, effects, etc.) and applies manipulations to that imagery. A true fractal image generation program does not exactly fit the definition of a graphic manipulation program. There are no "outside" image data being entered into the original image. In fact, fractals begin as an original mathematical formula, a pure mathematical entity. This is Fractal Art's relationship to what is now called Algorithmic Art. Fractal Art may be
considered as a separate genre of Digital Art and embraced within the category
of Algorithmic Art. The fact
that a fractal generation program is the originator of the image sets
Fractal Art images apart from the other major categories of Digital Art. A
fractal image can only be produced by a particular mathematical formula,
and can be produced as a image only with a program designed to handle
this specific type of mathematics. Fractals can not be practically
explored or created without the assistance of high speed computers. Fractal Art can be categorized under the general definition of Digital Art and more specifically under the category of Algorithmic Art. Traditional and Representative Fractal Art can be considered as sub categories of Fractal Art. Fractal Art does not have to be generated by a computer, see Pollock, the modern fractalists painters, so the further division to Digital Fractal Art seems necessary. It is important to have these separate categories of Digital/Fractal Art well defined to help evaluate the relative merits of any fractal art image. |
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