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After Hours

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

By Bill Detwiler September 29, 2006, 5:00 AM PDT Bill Detwiler on Twitter billdetwiler

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Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Water Lilies

Water Lilies

ntWitness the beauty and elegance of mathematics with 50 breathtaking fractals.

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ntPhysicist, aerospace engineer, and artist Roger Johnston created these Fractal Flames with Apophysis–a freeware Windows application with which you can design and render fractal flames. According to http://apophysis.wikispaces.com/ and http://www.flam3.com/, Fractal Flames were created by Scott Draves in 1992 and are an “extension of the iterated function system class of fractals”.

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ntAccording to Johnston, the process is more complicated than you might think:

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nt”The process of creating these fractals often requires hours of manipulation of function coefficients and palettes followed by perhaps hours in final rendering to create a final image. I hope you find reward in viewing them as I am rewarded by creating them. In each of these fractals, the whole of science, math, and music precipitates onto the canvas, never seen, never envisioned before.”

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ntJohnston has partnered with visual artist Michael Luckman to make his fractal creations even more accessible. Through the site Fractal Art in Motion, the public can purchase Johnston’s fractals as full-size prints and giclees. The pair has kindly granted us permission to republish a collection of the images on TechRepublic.

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ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Vulture over Prometheus

Vulture over Prometheus

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Watercolor flame

Watercolor flame

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Passion Flame

Passion Flame

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Exotic flame

Exotic flame

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Martian Missile Defense

Martian Missile Defense

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

n

ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Cats in a Bag

Cats in a Bag

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Hovering

Hovering

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Coccoon

Coccoon

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Sillouette

Sillouette

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Flight Study

Flight Study

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Whimsey

Whimsey

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Dissolving Rose

Dissolving Rose

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

virtualbackground.jpg
virtualbackground.jpg
Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Confetti

Image: GettyImages/Anna Efetova

Confetti

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Image: GettyImages/Anna Efetova
Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Dandy Lionfur

Dandy Lionfur

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Explosion

Explosion

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Little Shop of Horrors

Little Shop of Horrors

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Jelly flame

Jelly flame

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

In-a-pod

In-a-pod

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Flourish

Flourish

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Knitted flame

Knitted flame

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Orchid Exotica

Orchid Exotica

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Poof

Poof

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Savannah Scene

Savannah Scene

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Savannah Scene with Water

Savannah Scene with Water

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Flame of Paradise

Flame of Paradise

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Lacewing Ballet

Lacewing Ballet

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Rough Road Ahead

Rough Road Ahead

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Tapestry

Tapestry

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Crumpled

Crumpled

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Self-iterated

Self-iterated

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Pluma Delicada

Pluma Delicada

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Claw Nebula

Claw Nebula

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Cord of Flame

Cord of Flame

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Articulated

Articulated

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Garland

Garland

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Light Comb

Light Comb

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Spaceflame

Spaceflame

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Monolith

Monolith

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Verdant Explosion

Verdant Explosion

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Centerpiece

Centerpiece

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Disk Flight

Disk Flight

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Ghostship

Ghostship

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Ghostship

Ghostship

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Neander Flamensis

Neander Flamensis

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Spectral Staircase

Spectral Staircase

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Ostentation

Ostentation

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Staircase

Staircase

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

Amazing flame fractals take your breath away

Rooster

Rooster

ntPhoto credit: Fractal Art in Motion

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ntFor more information on Roger Johnston’s fractal creations, please check out Fractal Art in Motion.

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By Bill Detwiler
Bill Detwiler is the Editor for Technical Content and Ecosystem at Celonis. He is the former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and previous host of TechRepublic's Dynamic Developer podcast and Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show.
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