Tutorial #1 Starting an Image |
I am writing a series of tutorials for UF that will be a step by step process for
starting a fractal. There are actually many ways of going about creating a fractal,
but this is a pretty standard method that can be used with just about any
formula. I highly recommend using version 4.03 for the explore feature, which
gives you much more control over many aspects of your fractal image. Before you
begin, go up to Options on the top tool bar and click on Update Public Formulas.
Select Full formula collection and click OK. After that, you will only need
to update weekly or whenever there is an announcement of a new formula on the UF
mailing list, if you have joined. You can also check for new formulas by this
website: http://formulas.ultrafractal.com and click on View List of Changes. I check this frequently since I love to play
with new formulas. |
3. Push F7 to explore in the Julia mode for a nice spiral. If you will notice in
the picture below, I have my Fractal Mode window undocked and enlarged. (this is
the window where you preview image appears) To do this, simply hold the left
click of the mouse down on the title bar of that window and move it. When you have
it placed where it is most comfortable for you, run the mouse over the edge
until you get the arrows and pull it to the size that you want. Now, slowly run
the mouse curser along the shoreline all around Elephant valley and watch the
spirals come and go. When you find a spiral you like, left click the mouse and
a new window will open with your selected Julia. |
4. Below, is the Julia that I selected. If you want to duplicate what I did, you
can copy and paste the exact Julia seed I used: |
5. Square up the window by going to the Image Tab on the Fractal Properties window.
Make sure you uncheck "Maintain aspect ratio" before you do this, and then recheck
it after you change the height and width. (I like to make mine 550x550) Zoom in on a spiral that you like by using the mouse to pull a small box over the spiral you want and then right click and select Zoom In. You can move the box around or rotate it by using the little handle at the top. . |
6. Here is the location I chose. If you want to have the same location, use the UPR
below the picture. (copy everything between the { } and paste into an open fractal
window) Go to the Location Tab on the Layer Properties window and click
on the little icon that says Copy Location. Switch to the window of your fractal
and click on the the little icon that says Paste Location. |
Tutorial_1a { ; Public Domain fractal: title="Tutorial_1a" width=550 height=550 layers=1 credits="Mary C. Thornton;1/17/2007" layer: method=multipass caption="Background" opacity=100 mapping: center=0.36363636366/0.298181818185 magn=6.1111111 angle=10.3655 formula: maxiter=250 percheck=off filename="Standard.ufm" entry="Julia" p_seed=0.3009708738/0.0145631068 p_power=2/0 p_bailout=1e20 inside: transfer=none solid=4278231040 outside: transfer=linear solid=4280703603 filename="Standard.ucl" entry="Smooth" p_power=2/0 p_bailout=128.0 gradient: comments="Default Ultra Fractal gradient." smooth=yes index=0 color=8716288 index=100 color=16121855 index=200 color=46591 index=300 color=156 opacity: smooth=no index=0 opacity=255 } |
The next page will go through the process of selecting and applying a Coloring Formula
(ucl). Page 2 |
1. Start with the Default Mandelbrot. I have colored my inside area green instead
of black. You can color this area by clicking on the Inside Tab and then clicking
on the Solid Color band and selecting any color that works best for you. I
don't like having black as my inside color and green shows up well against the
other colors in the Default Gradient. 2. To find a nice spiral, I am going to explore in what is known as the "Elephant Valley", which I have marked with a red dot. |