About Fractals

I have always been interested in the psychology of perception. The human brain has evolved to interact with our natural surroundings and is hardwired to respond to visual patterns which occur naturally. We experience an intuitive affinity and resonance with fractals because these natural patterns underlie the structures of most of our environment and are traceable ultimately to universal structures embedded deep in the human mind. Fractals abound in both nature and science: for example, they can be found in pineapples, sunflowers, seashells, turtle shells, clouds, rivers, mountains, coastlines, galaxies, snowflakes, geometry, magnetic fields, crystal growth, and even within the human mind and body.

Fractals are not imitating nature, they show the innermost essence of reality. Fractals do not occur just because they are visually attractive, but because they enable the growth and evolution of structural systems in both natural and scientific forms. The history of life is the history of self-organising patterns. Now it is possible to find a common element in the worlds of art and science, and show the inner beauty and harmony of these forms which previously could only be observed and appreciated by mathematicians.

Fractal art is not new. Celtic and Islamic art have traditionally used fractal art forms in interacting patterns, often to represent infinity.

WORKING WITH FRACTALS

When working with fractals, I may begin by selecting a small portion of the algorithmic image, such as the famous Mandelbrot, and explore it by zooming in and magnifying it again and again to find new detail. I can continue to explore and, such are the endless possibilities, I may be looking a form which nobody else has seen before. This is not a haphazard process: additionally the formula parameters can be changed and manipulated, transformations can be effected, layers can be merged, and the transparency and colouring algorithms can be adjusted. Every process will be tweaked and adjusted many times.

Without computers most fractals cannot be manifested, and as they require technology that was not available until the second half of the 20th century, it can be claimed that fractals are the first truly new art form to emerge since the development of photography and motion pictures.