After Hours

Flame Fractals continue to dazzle

By // January 4, 2007, 3:19 AM PST // billdetwiler

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  • Auroral Spiral

    Revisit the beauty of mathematics with this second flame fractal set. Click here to view our first, extremely popular flame fractal gallery.

    Webshots member rajah 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".

    Click on each image for a full-size version.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Flame Caricature

    This flame was a pleasant surprise to me. It reminds me of the kind of painting used for animated cartoons.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Agony

    Between angst and mere agony -like what I've been through recently with my computer.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Mardi Gras

    A festively dressed dancer coming down the street.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Metaspiral

    This flame is in honor of the fine images coming back from the Cassini-Huygens probe. The fine detail in this flame is not unlike the pencil thin structures in Saturns rings. Hope you enjoy.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Feather Tunnel

    I usually steer away from spirals but this one caught my eye, probably because of the natural, organic appearance.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Broken Feather

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Chance Meeting in Space

    An encounter between two ethereal creatures.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Sheets of Light

    Spectral Display

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Nebular Bubble

    Birthplace of flame galaxies

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Cirque du Apophysis

    Ever wonder what the stage would look like if all those Cirque acrobats came crashing down?

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Moment of Conception

    Creation and conception are intertwined.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Banded C'pillar

    Well-protected larval flame

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Feathers

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Elephractal

    My daughter loved collecting elephants as she grew up. Here's one hiding in an Apophysis 2.02 flame

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Eye Wonder

    An eye peering in from the darkness

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Flowing Jelly

    Imagine a waterfall of jelly... We've got Orange Marmalade, Grape, Strawberry, Blueberry... and what was that other one?

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Fur Snail

    I thought perhaps this could be a new type of snail bred for its fur...;o) Or maybe a tribble?.. any Trekkies out there?

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Golden Fob

    Does anyone remember what a fob is? Can anyone figure out why I associated a fob with this flame?

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Wavespiral

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Furball

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Witch's Brew

    A pot boiling with the poisonous fumes from unspeakable ingredients. Have a sip, my lovelies...

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Reflections in a pond

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Shaving Tree

    Intertwined sinews of shavings from a carver's knife..... or whatever you want it to be.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Stacked Cool Flames

    This is what happens when fractals tailgate.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Tapestry with Teeth

    Although not having the visual impact that I wanted, I really like the recursive interdigitating cuspids worked into the cloth.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • WindSwept

    A windswept, whirling, feathery whatchamacallit

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Trojan flame

    Reminded me of the Trojan Horse. Wonder what is hiding inside?

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Apparition

    A nebulous apparition floating by in the night.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Cloud Coils

    Ever wonder what holds clouds in those fluffy shapes? Here's an X-ray showing the internal scaffolding of one cloud. Cloud manufacturers have gotten really sophisticated, huh?

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Conspicuous Fog

    An old ghost of a flame perhaps

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Cyber Squid

    As beautiful as a squid... I'm always surprised at the infinitude of shapes we can generate with Apophysis. Keeps me looking for more.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Meditation

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Swarm Symmetric

    Just playing around with a simple APO flame using PSP. Unabashed manipulation; not for the purists.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Flame Parfait

    A delicious dessert of flame goodies.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Driven to Abstraction

    Another dark tunnel with shapes mildly reminiscent of Giger.

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Cellular Eruption

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Reverie Wrap

    American Indian motif

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Butte

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Crystal Cave

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Power Surge

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Nebular Wind

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Spinewood

    View of a spiny basket in a dark room

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Star Spiral

    Lots of rays

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Zazzle

    Electric eye

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Cotton Candy Flame

    NOT a low-carb flame

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Doppler Event

    We've got rotation!

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Downdraft

    Flame out of control

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Just Cuz I Like It

    Classic wispy flame fractal

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Laceflame

    Lacey crocheted thing

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Leaves Falling Leaves

    E.E. Cummings approved

    © Webshots - rajahh

  • Monterey flame tree

    Windswept shore tree aflame

    © Webshots - rajahh

Auroral Spiral

Revisit the beauty of mathematics with this second flame fractal set. Click here to view our first, extremely popular flame fractal gallery.

Webshots member rajah 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".

Click on each image for a full-size version.

© Webshots - rajahh

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By Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Managing Editor of TechRepublic and Tech Pro Research and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop supp...