Fractals as digital Art compliment

[marianopetit]

I´m new to the forum but I just want to know what other fractal artists think about using fractals as part of a digital art image composed by different elements created in other non fractal software. That´s what I´ve been doing with decent results. Please let me know what you think about this subject 
Here are a couple of samples:

[cKleinhuis]

beautiful compositions, the second you already showed here, which is giving incredible joy, amd the first one is a beautifulk altar!

[marianopetit]

Thank you! It´s not my intention to show off though, I´m just interested in knowing if fractal artists consider this fractal art too.

[eiffie]

Some purists may say it detracts from the beauty of a fractal pattern. I'm not pure so I LIKE!

[cKleinhuis]

in my eyes the fractals alone should be used for inspiration rather than art themselves ( the upcoming calendar will reflect that ) nearly every "real art" need the "human touch" the thing that made a human brain work to create a final piece, it is mostly interesting how different the artists react on the sometimes "rough" fractals very nice!

[Sockratease]

Thank you! It´s not my intention to show off though, I´m just interested in knowing if fractal artists consider this fractal art too.

I learned long ago that it is best to simply call it Art - calling it Fractal Art ruffles some feathers here.  But I do much the same thing as you  (though not always as nice!)

I like making 3D obj files and bringing them into Carrara for rendering with other elements.

Here's one I posted semi-recently...


http://www.fractalforums.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=9736

[marianopetit]

Very nice work! I too think combining software is interesting and fun. It´s true, fractals are a great source for inspiration, ideas and unbelievable atmospheres.

[cKleinhuis]

you are right sock, everything is art, but to make something exceptional that does not attract us computer nerds alone simple modifications of a pure digital image, using the right background, playing with lights, putting in something that gives the contrast is what makes something remarkable and extraordinary nice, but everything is art, it is the art of a photographer to choose the camera angle, it is the art of the painter to choose the colors, it is the art of a programmer to make complex algorithms accessible to others, it is the art of the sculptor to see more in a complex shape ...  haha, my 2 cents

[lenord]

A lot of Fractal Purists (actually any 3D program) do Dump on any type of Postwork or other 3d elements added to a Fractal composition as basicly Fractal Heresy, anything that enhances an image is fine by me, just wish I was better at it. I've always defended Fractals as Art whether Raw or Enhanced, I figure if Mathematics is the Universal Language then it stands to reason Fractals are the Universal Art.

[Nahee_Enterprises]

It´s not my intention to show off though, I´m just interested in knowing if fractal artists consider this fractal art too.

I would say that it is "art" using "fractals", and that it is NOT "fractal art".

If you include elements which are not fractals, then it becomes something akin to mixed media.

I do find your images very interesting though.   
 

[Sockratease]

A lot of Fractal Purists (actually any 3D program) do Dump on any type of Postwork or other 3d elements added to a Fractal composition as basicly Fractal Heresy, anything that enhances an image is fine by me, just wish I was better at it. I've always defended Fractals as Art whether Raw or Enhanced, I figure if Mathematics is the Universal Language then it stands to reason Fractals are the Universal Art.

Yeah, that always bothers me.  They invariably run into double standards with that approach when programs like UltraFractal roll in with their layers and blend modes and filters - ALL of which SHOULD count as postwork, but because it's done in the Sacred UltraFrctal - for some reason that's OK.

But if you make the same fractals in another program, mask and layer them identically as in UF, then apply the same filters - but use an image editor to do so - it's Blasphemy!

I have zero respect for those taking such a stance.

It's the same process, just UF has image editing tools built in.  If they maintain post working a fractal is not Fractal Art, then using those tools is still NOT Fractal Art, no matter what ANY Fractal Enthusiast may delude themselves into believing.

And I maintain that my 3D obj files are just as much Fractal Art as any "Pure" Fractal.

But there will always be such divides in any Art community.

I just accept that people are all weird - and some are even weirder than me!  So I simply state what I believe and ignore any dissent because if they don't agree that we all get to define these things for ourselves, I wont be able to change their minds.  Nor would I wish to!  They are just as entitled to their opinions as I am to mine.

I refuse to argue the point beyond stating my beliefs, listening to theirs, and moving on.

[JoeFRAQ]

In my opinion, post processing is not going to make a piece less "art" or even less "fractal art".  I have seen some really fabulous fractal art where filters or mixed media were used to complete the expression.  And if the work is primarily fractal, I would tend to still refer to it as fractal art. 

I personally steer away from any post processing that cannot be accomplished from within the fractal plotter, for the soul reason of "printability".  If someone wants a grand-scale version of one of my works, I can confidently say that I can reproduce the vast majority of my art at any size and with perfect resolution.  The same cannot be said for a piece that was digitally enhanced while using an image of a particular size.

I think that if someone chooses to include non-fractal elements within their fractal art work or utilize outside filters, I hope that they would do so with a very large version of the image, based on the largest size they ever plan to print that piece.  That way if a customer want's a large print of the piece, all the elements in the piece will produce good resolution. 

This view might help you understand better why post-processing effects that are completed from within the plotter and saved within the parameters is considered acceptable to the "fractal purists" whereas outside enhancements are not.

I would not label myself as a fractal purist, but I do lean towards keeping my work raw so that: parameter file = print at any size.

And for those who enjoy enhancing their fractal art with filters or digital additions, more power to you.  I like looking at this type of fractal art too.

[Sockratease]

Hi Joe,

I completely understand your points, and agree with much of it.  I think most "Artists" work in high resolution for the reasons you gave, and post much lower resolution stuffs online for obvious reasons.

While I'm here, here's a really old one  (but still one that I really enjoy)  that even I cannot bring myself to call Fractal Art - despite the fact that the backdrop, mushrooms, and textures on many of the 3D Models were all done in Chaoscope   

[Nahee_Enterprises]

Yeah, that always bothers me.  They invariably run into double standards with that approach when programs like UltraFractal roll in with their layers
and blend modes and filters - ALL of which SHOULD count as postwork, but because it's done in the Sacred UltraFrctal - for some reason that's OK.

But if you make the same fractals in another program, mask and layer them identically as in UF, then apply the same filters -
but use an image editor to do so - it's Blasphemy!

I have zero respect for those taking such a stance.

It's the same process, just UF has image editing tools built in.  If they maintain post working a fractal is not Fractal Art,
then using those tools is still NOT Fractal Art, no matter what ANY Fractal Enthusiast may delude themselves into believing.

I have been saying pretty much the same thing for many years, and there are hundreds of others that have this same belief !!!
 

[eiffie]

I can understand wanting the term Fractal Art to apply only to pure fractals. I would be upset if someone was selling nature photography as art and then found they were adding cg elements. I guess we need to watch our terminology. Luckily there is room enough for all types or art here... well at least room for links.