Creating Fractal Images w/ Ultra Fractal - Part 2

Hi!

More about plugins …

I’ve been doing some readings about plugins and this is my interpretation of what I’ve read.

In the computer world, a plugin is a program that adds functionality to a larger program. In the context of UF, plugins add functionality to UF but are customized for particular formulas, algorithms, or transformations.

Thus, it follows that one starts by selecting a plugin FIRST and, then, selecting an applicable formula, algorithm, or transformation.

And, in doing so, the selected formula, algorithm, or transformation displays additional features (features not found in the original formula, algorithm, or transformation). And, then one goes on and tweaks the plugins parameters.

Am I right?

If so, I’ll go ahead and explore using plugins. As suggested by Chris Martin (aka Velvet-Glove), I found how to use UF plugins by viewing Damian Jones tutorial:
http://www.hiddendimension.com/Challenges/UF5Challenges.html

Thank you!

Dr. T

Correction to that: the tutorials are written by Ron Barnett.

A further plugin resource to read is by Damian Jones here, an article written at the time UF5 was released in 2008:
http://formulas.ultrafractal.com/reference/additional/tutorials/Users.html

Do not confuse the term "plugin" with "trap shape". A formula or colouring concoction can include any or all of the following very different plugin objects:

• a trap shape e.g. heart, star, flower, ball, diamond
• a simple transformation e.g. twist, fBm distortion
• a trap color mode e.g. distance, angle to trap
• a texture object e.g. Perlin, Gnarl, Worley textures
• a positional plugin e.g. move trap shape around

But UF is far more sophisticated than that and I'm not sure that the plugin style of designing your own formulas/colourings can really be defined in simple terms because some of these objects can be used in more than one place and thus in unexpected and more unusual ways e.g. using a trap shape plugin as a transformation to manipulate another trap shape. Or your base trap shape could be a complex blend of many trap shapes, individually manipulated/transformed to get crazy results. It's all rather fluid and I rather like that myself because it allows for real creativity.

Have a look at this:
https://www.deviantart.com/velvet--glove/art/Trapunto-124561457
This is a single layer image. There are many trap shapes in here that have been twisted, textured, manipulated and individually moved around. This is an example of the extremes to which you can push a plugin style of colouring.

Dear Chris,

Thank you for your reply.

The truth is that the more I read, the less I understand.

I am going to work thru the tutorials by Ron Barnett to see if I can import a JPG image of the Golden Spiral and render it as a "fractalized" image, which is my goal.

Dr. T

Working through the tutorials, in order, is a good plan, Dr. T.

I think you have a reasonable grasp of the basic ideas now and will probably begin to understand a lot more by putting the theory into practice. Do plenty of experimenting and observe the results of your actions. Save any layers or effects that you find interesting. Above all, have fun!