Mar / Apr 2016 Lite Challenge: Compass

[Robbie]

That second one with the longer north point is definitely my favorite! Wow!

[Lingon]

Somewhat.
But you don't write functions - you select them in a table that is in the software. Some of them are usual functions like logarithm or cosinus and some of them are specifically created like Bwraps or Lazysusan (yes that's a name of a function).
So you pick 2, 3 or whatever number of functions you want. Then if the function depends on some parameters (like Cos(a.x) depends on parameter a) you put in some numbers for the parameters. There are a few more transformation that you can add on top like : scale, translate, rotate.
Then you are done so you launch the iteration and obtain either a black screen (there was no fractal where you tried), or a pixel mess (there is a fractal but it looks like Nothing) or the grail - a sharp nicely colored fractal.
In this latter case you can try all kinds of transformations on it. Slightly change the parameters to see how it deforms, zoom on a part, change colors, add another function to see what it does etc.
If the former, you must remember that it can't be excluded that you obtained a black screen or a pixel mess with a parameter at 1.3456 but there can be a beautiful fractal hiding just around the corner if you only change the parameter to 1.35.
You can never know and it is here that experience and skills play a role.
And of course you can then export the result as jpg or png to Gimp and do some maginal editing (mostly the background only).
Generally you can't edit much because a fractal is a structure of a multitude of ultrafine details and color gradients so that using Gimp on it is like trying to improve a cobweb with a sledge Hammer.

Cool, cheers for the info! It's fascinating stuff, hope I'll get around to exploring it sometime. The rose on white background looks amazing, absolutely captures the essence of compassness for me.

[ChickPea]

Agree with the others about the one with the white background. It's gorgeous!

[Bogie]

No disagreement here, the one with the white background is really cool!

The weird alien building is very interesting looking.

[Deadshade]

Thanks for the comments. OK sofar the white one is clearly ahead. But I won't stop at that yet.
Here I found one that I really like. The color and the very fine intricate details look like etched mithrill. However it is still in the raw state as you can see - while the central part is more oir less finished, it needs much more work on the symmetrical/asymmetrical points.
Do you think that it could be a worthy competitor for the white one (of course provided that I find correct points) ?

compass-bleu.png

The weird alien building is very interesting looking.

This one was a special example of pseudo 3D. While people generally do 2 D (because it is easier), it is possible to add a 3D dimension which would appear if one looks at the fractal obliquely (e.g not squarely top down) .
I wanted to see how would look a pseudo 3D compass and it gave this structure. I am pretty sure that I could do a 3 D fractal compass seen f.ex at an isometric perspective but it'd be quite difficult to get the same sharpness and contrast in every direction so that I won't go there.
Some could see a faerie tower, some could see an alien flower but I see a not quite finished pseudo 3 D compass

[Deadshade]

I didn't feel like continuing another 2D fractal so I'll talk about another method to those wishing to discover new art forms .
There are not only 2 D fractals but also 3 D.
The principle is the same that I described at the start of this thread (e.g iterated functions) but they are much more difficult than 2D fractals because with an aditionnal dimension come diffuse and direct light, shadows and reflections, volumes and curved surfaces.
Also they are generally extremely sensible to the smallest parameter variations.
However the reward is fantastic - landscapes and buildings that nobody has ever seen, strange shapes and mythical labyrinths.

The first 3D fractal is just to show what can be done - I was going for a gate leading to mysterious caverns.

Gate.png

In the second I reminded myself that this thread was about compasses.
Although there is arguably some compassness, it still stays very far from usual compas roses on maps

MB2.png

[lostatsea]

The first one looks like a futuristic protozoa ! Or a space vessel and an ancient temple. Very Nice. The one everyone like on the white background does at present most look like the "Stereotypical" Compass Rose But some of the other ones would be more appropriate depending on the "Genre" of the map it was used on . Regardless very nice work !

[Deadshade]

The one everyone like on the white background does at present most look like the "Stereotypical" Compass Rose But some of the other ones would be more appropriate depending on the "Genre" of the map it was used on . Regardless very nice work !

Thanks for the comment. This is precisely my biggest dilemma.
As there can be only 1 compass, I have to decide whether I go the "stereotypical" road (which the majority seems to like better) or a "symbolical" road where the compassness is more implicit than explicit.
I think that I understand why people like better "stereotypical". A rose is just an element of a map so that it must respect the style of the whole creation. As it has been explicitely stated in the challenge target that the creation has for purpose to be integrated in a map, it is clear that "stereotypical" can be integrated in many various styles. If the compass is very original and symbolical, then to be used it needs a very original and symbolical map style too what would occur only rarely.
So for practical purposes stereotypical is more useful than symbolical.
I think.

[Ilanthar]

The beauty of fractals... Excellent work Deadshade, I really love some of those.

[Deadshade]

So I finished the mithrill blue compass now.
As I am undecided, I would really need your suggestions which one of the white and mithrill looks better to make it my final proposal. Here a repetition of both :

compass-bleu.png Compaswhite1.png

During this work I have also found an interesting fractal of cosmic worms that I called "I am become death, devourer of worlds."

Cosmic worms.png

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