Welcome to Fractal Forums

Hey all,

Question here.  I've been having a wonderful time seeing what everyone is posting up in the image sharing section, but one thing I've noticed is that they mostly seem to be very focused on generating the image COMPLETELY with fractals.  I've recently started experimenting with taking some fractals flames and using them as an element of a piece, rather than the whole piece itself (no results yet, but I'll post things up when I get something!). 

The question is this: In the eyes of this community, does manipulating the image after it's generated using fractals harm its content as a fractal image?  Does it become something other?  And why do I not see it much here?

I've been trying to incorporate the use of fractals into my own artistic narrative, so any and all input would be very helpful!

you can do whatever you like ;) in fact collaging an image was especially allowed for the last annual fractal art competitions,
there might be people who do not agree with it, but in my eyes it can lead to wonderful things, and wonderful inspirational new stuff

In fact this year's winners in the film section as well as the still frame section mixed their fractals with various 3d content. I guess the community is quite open for such approaches.
and last years still frame winner didn't use a fractal software at all. But he kicked off some sort of controverse with that image - especially as he won the contest.

additionally, viewing hybrid fractals in a more generalized way ... combining fractal content with other content is some kind of hybrid as well ;)

Ha ha ha!  Well, I guess that answers that!  Thanks guys!  I feel sort of silly for asking now ;D

                  To me, it all depends on what do you think fractals are, or how deep you´re digging in the arts field, since fractalization is just a process that can be carried as well by hand.
                  If you´re curious I invite you to visit my site where you can explore this idea trough images.
                  www.sargodeatargatis.es

You can call it "art" after it has been manipulated, you can even call it "art using fractals", but I would not go so far as to say it was "fractal art".  It becomes something akin to "mixed media" once you start modifying the original rendered image, even when the software application has tools and abilities to do this as part of the process.
 

Of course fractal art can't really be confined to another genre of art, it is unique.  But of all other art forms, I'd say it most closely resembles photography; and just as a manipulated photograph is still considered part of photographic, I see no reason why a manipulated fractal can't still be fractal art.