Fractal Artist

Official Website of the Fractal A rtist: analog fractal painter

Fractalage is the art of painting analog fractals.

A fractal is a repeating shape or pattern that is self similar along multiple scales. The term Fractalage is to distinguish between digital fractal art and analog fractal art. The two are quite different. Naturally created fractals in the real world or analog, are not infinitely self similar such as digital fractals, or fractals made by a computer, but are self similar across multiple scales. The following link shows the famous fractal, the Mandelbrot Set and how intricate it is magnified to over 100,000,000 times, which would be smaller than the atom.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/scale.html

Analog fractals are self similar but not nearly to that scale.
Here is an example of the self similarity of Fractalage. This is a painting by Fractalage's founder Derek K. Nielsen. It is called Bridge Of Chaos.

Its actual size is 24" x 38.83". Notice the light brown spot.

Here it is magnified to about actual size. Notice how the branches split down to smaller scale. You may see similarities to tree branches or capillaries.

Now here is the very center of that spot magnified 10x. When compared to the main painting it is evident that there are larger shapes that are similar to the shapes in this magnification. These shapes are found throughout the painting.

Why paint in fractals?
To the artist fractals are the most beautiful things found. They exist throughout all of nature. Clouds are fractal. Mountains are fractal. All of the human body is fractal. Coral is fractal. Coastlines are fractal. They are very pleasing to the eye. Most likely because the eye is fractal and so is the neurological system that interprets the light refracted by the eye.

Immense detail is found in Fractalage. This is what its founder Derek K. Nielsen enjoys about this style of painting.
"There is so much to see in my paintings that I constantly surround myself with my paintings. Just have a look at my house! I love to gaze at them and pick out new details that I missed before. In looking at them I learn more about myself." - Derek K. Nielsen

Please watch the PBS program Nova on fractals to learn more about the history of fractals and how they are being applied to solve many of today's problems.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/program.html

To learn more about Fractalage visit: www.fractalage.com

Fractalage Artists

Derek K. Nielsen :: www.dereknielsen.com

Brett D. Harris :: www.brettdharris.com

© Derek K. Nielsen 2013