Apophysis: The On-Fire Intermarriage of Math and Art

There are a few freeware programs on the Internet that might actually make you feel like you are getting something for the download time. Apophysis is one of these programs.

Apophysis is a fractal flame editor that uses a "flame algorithm" that a bunch of really, really smart, Math-inclined people have been working on for a long time. Apophysis employs this algorithm to produce eye-popping graphical outputs based on user manipulation of the its interfaces and toolsets. This program kicks ass because, while using it, I've changed my mind about Math.

I dropped out of Geometry in the eleventh grade when I found out that I didn't need any more Math credits to graduate. This opened up hours to invest more time in Art. I hate Math like I hate lima beans. But I love Art like a cop loves donuts.

I know that, structurally speaking, good Art has an element of simple Mathematics related mostly to proportional impact and unity. Elements need to line up or have a space ratio along specific axes, there should be some sort of ratio between negative and positive space usage, and yadda, yadda, blah. Thank God, I used to think, that we had Jackson Pollock or the guy who used to throw paint through a fired-up jet engine splattering canvasses with no thought except channeling their creativity boldly and randomly. To me, these guys pushed a middle finger into the air at the parallels between Math and Art (barring all of the physics of gravity and velocity involved). Great abstraction defied the bounds of even the loftiest academic chalkboard. Art, it seemed to me, could exist in some form totally void of any mathematic parameters. Apophysis changed my mind.

When I first downloaded Apophysis, I spent a few hours just having the program generate random batches of images and viewing them one-at-a-time. It was like watching a fireworks show. Some of the random outputs were mediocre, others made me go, "Ooooo!" Like I'd just watched a car explode.

Digging into the software and a couple of tutorials, I found out how to edit the documents by manipulating the size and layout of triangles: cue Geometry. Based on the size, ratio, distance between all of these triangles (and all sorts of other really complicated stuff that I don't understand), Apophysis outputs a fractal image by applying the flame algorithm to the ratios and effect filters inherent in the program. The random output of Apophysis has a beautifully abstract look to it, but (gasp!) it's based on succinct, complex Math.

As such, I must apologize to Math for deserting it so long ago. Your horn-rimmed glasses and massive pocket protector seem oddly attractive to me now, Math. I hope we can be friends.

Where to get it:

http://www.apophysis.org/downloads.html

How to use it:

When you open Apophysis, it will automatically generate five random images by default. In the "Title" window, each graphic can be viewed. It'll take a few seconds to render each image, depending on its complexity.

To generate a new batch of random images, choose File > Random Batch (Ctrl + B).

To increase the number of images that a Random Batch generates, choose Options > Options (Ctrl +P) and under the "General" tab set "Batch size" to however many images you want to gawk at later. In the same panel, I also recommend setting "JPEG Quality" to 100 in case you want to export the images and use them as design assets.

To edit the random images or make up your own, choose Flame > Editor. Most random images like the ones I've posted in this blog come out looking nebulous. I like nebulous and tweaked these a bit using the software. But, if you want a more geometric look you can move, resize, rotate, delete, or add the triangles that generate all of the funky output. Each triangle's editable attributes are made available when it is selected. Play around with all of the tabs to see how all of the variations work. During editing, the window in the upper right corner of the Editor window will automatically generate a preview, and Apophysis will begin to render the image to the main window.

To export an image, choose Flame > Render to Disk (Ctrl + R). Here you can export the image as a JPEG file with important options for quality and size.

There are a number of tutorials about how to use Apophysis on the Internet. There's also a 3D "hack" that digital artist are using with the program and other graphics packages like Adobe Photoshop CS3 to output some amazing stuff.

See the Apophysis channel on deviantART at http://apophysis.deviantart.com/ for oodles of eye candy.