14.3. Fractal Explorer
| 14. Rendering Filters |

### 14.3. Fractal Explorer

#### 14.3.1. Overview

Figure 17.315. Example for the Fractal Explorer filter

Filter “Fractal Explorer” applied

With this filter, you can create fractals and multicolored pictures verging to chaos. Unlike the IFS Fractal filter, with which you can fix the fractal structure precisely, this filter lets you perform fractals simply.

#### 14.3.2. Starting filter

You can find this filter through Filters → Render → Fractal Explorer….

#### 14.3.3. Options

Figure 17.316. “Fractal Explorer” filter options

The Fractal Explorer window contains two panes: on the left there is the Preview pane with a Zoom feature, on the right you find the main options organized in tabs: Parameters, Colors, and Fractals.

##### 14.3.3.1. Preview

Realtime preview

  Uncheck the Realtime preview only if your computer is slow. In this case, you can update preview by clicking on the Redraw preview button.

  By clicking-dragging mouse pointer on preview, you can draw a rectangle delimiting an area which will be zoomed.

Zoom

  You have there some options to zoom in or zoom out. The Undo allows you to return to previous state, before zooming. The Redo allows you to reestablish the zoom you had undone, without having to re-create it with the Zoom In or Zoom Out buttons.

##### 14.3.3.2. Parameters

Figure 17.317. “Fractal Explorer” filter options (Parameters)

This tab contains some options to set fractal calculation and select fractal type.

Fractal Parameters

  Here, you have sliders and input boxes to set fractal spreading, repetition and aspect.

  Left, Right, Top, Bottom

    You can set fractal spreading between a minimum and a maximum, in the horizontal and/or vertical directions. Values are from -3.0 to 3.0.

  Iterations

    With this parameter, you can set fractal iteration, repetition and so detail. Values are from 0.0 to 1000.0

  CX, CY

    With these parameters, you can change fractal aspect, in the horizontal (X) and/or vertical (Y) directions, except for Mandelbrot and Sierpinski types.

  Open, Reset, Save

    With these three buttons, you can save your work with all its parameters, open a previously saved fractal, or return to the initial state before all modifications.

Fractal Type

  You can choose what fractal type will be, for instance Mandelbrot, Julia, Barnsley or Sierpinski.

##### 14.3.3.3. Colors

Figure 17.318. “Fractal Explorer” filter options (Colors)

This tab contains options for fractal color setting.

Number of Colors

Number of colors

  This slider and its input boxes allow you to set the number of colors for the fractal, between 2 and 8192. A palette of these colors is displayed at the bottom of the tab. Actually, that's a gradient between colors in fractal: you can change colors with “Color Density” and “Color Function” options. Fractal colors don't depend on colors of the original image (you can use a white image for fractals as well).

Use loglog smoothing

  If this option is checked, the band effect is smoothed.

  Figure 17.319. Loglog smoothing example

Color density

Red, Green, Blue

  These three sliders and their text-boxes let you set the color intensity in the three color channels. Values vary from 0.0 to 1.0.

Color Function

For the Red, Green and Blue color channels, you can select how color will be treated:

Sine

  Color variations will be modulated according to the sine function.

Cosine

  Color densities will vary according to cosine function.

None

  Color densities will vary linearly.

Inversion

  If you check this option, function values will be inverted.

Color Mode

These options allow you to set where color values must be taken from.

As specified above

  Color values will be taken from the Color Density options.

Apply active gradient to final image

  Used colors will be that of active gradient. You should be able to select another gradient by clicking on the gradient source button.

##### 14.3.3.4. Fractals

Figure 17.320. “Fractal Explorer” filter options (Fractals)

This tab contains a big list of fractals with their parameters, that you can use as a model: only click on the wanted one.

The Refresh allows you to update the list if you have saved your work, without needing to re-start GIMP. You can delete the selected fractal from the list by clicking on the Delete.

14.2. Flame |  | 14.4. IFS Fractal

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