Algorithmic worlds

Frequently asked questions

Are your images inspired by mathematics?

This is probably a matter of point of view, but I would say, not really. An understanding of elementary mathematics (mainly planar geometry) is useful to implement pictorial algorithms. Some apects of the images displayed here do have a rather direct mathematical interpretation (see the parameter called B here). Piling patterns can also produce simple and well-known fractals (like Koch snowflakes here).
However their aim is to please the eye and the brain of the spectator, not to illustrate any mathematical concept. So I would say that elementary mathematics are a necessary ingredient to create these works, rather than a source of inspiration.

Are you selling prints of the works displayed on this website?

Yes, all the information about them can be found here.

How can I zoom deeper?

Unfortunately, this is not possible. These images have been computed by the algorithm at a fixed resolution, and then converted into zoomable images. To zoom deeper, one would have to recompute the whole image at a higher resolution. The current resolution of the largest ("gigapixel") images on this website (65536 x 65536 pixels) is already at the border of what is reasonable in term of size and computing time. Each of these images weights about 1.8 GB and took about 700 hours (one full month, day and night) of computing on my laptop.

Where can I try/purchase Ultra Fractal?

Here.

Are the algorithms described here in the public Ultra Fractal formula library?

No, but see the next question...

How can I create the same type of images?

You can try the coloring algorithm for Ultra Fractal called SFBM II, located in the file sam.ucl. It is the first algorithm based on the ideas exposed on this website that I wrote. It is very primitive compared to its more recent and private cousins, but allows already to draw a large variety of patterns.
A much better and more demanding idea is to create your own algorithm.

Will you release these private algorithms?

No, I do not plan to release them. I usually release algorithms which implement a clear mathematical or geometrical idea, and which could in principle have been written by anybody with basic mathematics and programming skills. You can see a lot of them in the ufm, ucl, uxf and ulb files called sam.* in the public Ultra Fractal formula library.
However, the algorithms presented here are based on some very personal ideas, and they even define my style. A good part (if not most) of the "artistic work" is actually done when writing the algorithm. As I could not claim any legal or moral right on the images that would be created by other people using these algorithms, it is better to keep them private.
The second reason is that it would very good for the algorithmic art community if there were more people producing art with their own algorithms. I do hope that these detailed explanations will inspire some people and give them enough motivation to try their hand at writing pictorial algorithms.