The Way of Apophysis

velvet · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 1655 Location: Hunter Valley

Welcome. In this thread I will attempt to explain what I know of the workings of the fractal flame program Apophysis ... and link to further information when I can't.

Installation

1. Download the stable version, Apophysis 2.02, from http://www.apophysis.org/downloads.html and install.

2. Go to http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=127736
and download the Apophysis207beta.exe file, it's a quick download, only 1.2 Mb. Save it to the Apophysis folder created when you installed Apophysis 2.02.

3. Make a shortcut to the 2.07beta on the desktop.

Now you're ready to roll. Double-click the 2.07 desktop shortcut to begin.

Well almost. Make two folders wherever you like to store your work. Make one for Apophysis Flames, i.e. the parameter files, and one for Apophysis Images, the images rendered from those parameters.

Start-up - a modification

When you start Apophysis it generates 100 random flames. Some of these can be interesting, a lot are dross, some can be improved with work. Myself I prefer Apo to start without them, and here's how ...

Hit F4 to open the Editor Window. First icon on the toolbar is New Blank Flame. Click it. Not much of anything results, just some dots. Good. Hit File > Save Parameters. In the Save Parameters dialogue click the folder icon to browse to your Apophysis Flames folder, type in a name and save. Back in the Save Parameters dialogue, type a name in the Title field and save.

Now click the Options icon on the main window toolbar, it's the blue and white one with three little ticks. Select the Paths tab and in the first field, Default Parameter File, navigate to the flame you just created and double-click it. Click OK in the Options dialogue and you're done.

Next time you start Apophysis it will open with that one simple file instead of a random batch. Then you can get to work - start a new flame or open one you've been working on. Of course you can set any flame file at all as default. Or if you prefer starting with a random batch but maybe just not so many, you can go to Options, click the Random tab and change the Batch Size.

Help

The Help files in Apo, alas, haven't been updated to reflect changes in later versions. For more detail go online to http://cmptrwhz.com/ and click on Apophysis User's Manual in the left sidebar.

Next I'll write some basic flame-making instructions and dig out links to some tutorials. Back soon. Oh wait ... any questions?

Omphaloskeptic · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 855 Location: Merimbula

Wow Velvet!!! Thanks very much for that, I really appreciate your time and effort. Everything's downloaded and installed; ready for the next installment when you get a chance. Meanwhile I'll familiarize myself with the program and may even take a look at the manual... Laughing

Thanks again,

db

velvet · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 1655 Location: Hunter Valley

No worries Om, my pleasure. You know how it is - when you set out to teach something you learn more yourself along the way.

There are some tutorials in the Apophysis Extras section in the left sidebar at http://apophysis.cmptrwhz.com
Particularly recommended are Claire Jones' Tutorials and Post Transforms.

Many more tutorials are listed at http://apophysis.deviantart.com/journal/2038750/

Not all are great, but most contain something of interest. Some were written for earlier versions, but should work fine in later ones. A few may require plug-in variations or hacked versions of Apo. Being able to plug in extra variations is a recent development - still has a few bugs but should be fixed in the next beta, due in September I believe. Prior to plug-in capability people who created new variations would add them to Apo and release a hack of the whole program.

Will fill you in more on plug-ins in the next instalment.

Now here a few tips from me ...

Main window

Rendering quality can be altered in the little value field on the toolbar at the top. Set it lowish - e.g. 25 so main window updates quickly. Change to 100 whenever you want to see at higher quality. (Render time is of course also influenced by your computer's CPU speed and RAM.)

Clicking the icon on the right of render quality will take you to a full-screen view. Render progress shows in a bar at the bottom of the screen. Right-click gives a short context menu to re-render at higher quality or close full-screen view. Or you can close with the Escape key.

Transform Editor

Changes will show in the little preview window in real time.

Right-click in this preview window, tick High Quality and untick Auto Reset Location, which can be a nuisance if it's left ticked.

You don't have to wait for the main window to finish rendering before undoing/making changes - but do let it begin rendering (see time remaining at bottom of main window) or Apo may lock up. If you do get hasty and it does, just wait for a bit and it will resume.

Right-click & drag to move around in the main editor window.

Zoom in or out with scroll wheel.

Triangles

Can be moved, scaled, rotated and distorted either by hand with the mouse or by changing values in the Triangles tab.

Right-clicking on a triangle will give you a context menu for various common tasks.

Variations

Clicking & dragging on a variation name will increase or decrease values, negative or positive. Or you can type values in the value field.

Double-clicking on a variation or its value will toggle a value of 1 or 0. (This can be changed in Options > Editor tab if you want, but why anyone would I can't imagine)

Some variations, the ones in blue, can be further tweaked in the Variables tab.

Gradients

Gradients can radically affect a flame's appearance. I find it useful to work in a brightish gradient that has no black so I can see more detail until I'm reasonably satisfied with the form, then I try out different gradients on it.

Questions? Fire away. Back with more soon.

Omphaloskeptic · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 855 Location: Merimbula

Thank you once again Velvet for the very useful information. I've spent a little time familiarizing myself with the basic functionality and have set things up as you've suggested.

I've looked at some of the tutorials and what I've seen describe the program functionality (although not necessarily of the current version!) and the authors preferences and approach. Although I will continue to look at those resources, my preference is to concentrate on what you're sharing right now as I find the aesthetic of your fine artwork very compelling and am interested in and would like to understand more about your process.

One thing I'd really like to get clear the relationship of the triangles in the transform editor to the formulas described in The Fractal Flame Algorithm paper in help and to the Transforms themselves. I find that having a basic grasp of the concepts and their implementation in the tool helps me form a rough mental model of what I'm doing.

One tutorial I looked at did cover the latter but it's still a bit vague for me.
( https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/troys2/www/tutorials/tutoriallist.xhtml )

If you know off-hand of any resources that cover these areas I'd be interested in looking at them.

I'll continue to familiarize myself with Apophysis and will look forward to your next installment.

Thank you again for your very generous guidance.

db

velvet · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 1655 Location: Hunter Valley

velvet · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 1655 Location: Hunter Valley

Those remarks coming soon but first here is a recent work, as yet untitled ...

and another, working title Broken Bauble

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 3211

I think the Broken Bauble is absolutley beautiful
I hope you don't mind me posting these small images from the mc esher website on your topic http://www.mcescher.com/ but they just seem to be linked to fractal images and the representation of the infinite through spirals and mandalas.

velvet · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 1655 Location: Hunter Valley

Thank you devilbliss.

I was making baubles for a challenge on another forum last year, someone posted a painting of a xmas tree and called for decorations to add to it. I made a lot of pretty ones and then I got jack of prettiness.

Nice avatar you got there.

No problem with you posting the Eschers, most appropriate, and gorgeous with it.

velvet · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 1655 Location: Hunter Valley

Just remembered I was reading something about Escher the other day, not about really, more irreverently referencing ...

http://orbittrap.blogspot.com/2008/03/better-than-escher.html

Omphaloskeptic · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 855 Location: Merimbula

Those are gorgeous images Velvet, thanks for sharing them. I'd be very interested in knowing how you achieved those striking effects. One thing I haven't found yet for Apo is a place where parameter files are shared. I've learned a tremendous amount about UF by studying and drawing upon the parameter files of experienced artists.

I don't copy the visual results but draw heavily upon the techniques and combinations of various formulas and parameters that provide useful results. As I mentioned in another thread, there are an infinite number of combinations but a relatively few produce worthwhile results.

velvet · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 1655 Location: Hunter Valley

Apologies for hiatus. Events in RealLife™ makin' my head spin.

Instructional mode will resume shortly.

Meanwhile, here is a found object :

velvet · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 1655 Location: Hunter Valley

My how time flies.

Reviving an old thread to pass on a link to any Apophysis enthusiasts out there. It's a useful selection of tutorials at http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/tutorials/33-outstanding-apophysis-tutorials-part-2/.