This question is very controversial, and contradictory opinions have often been exposed. It is not a surprise, owing to the name of this FAQ, that our response is: yes, it is art.

What is fractal art?
   The term fractal art applies mainly to a form of digital abstract art that seeks to reflect and emphasize the eternal expressions of order and chaos that permeates Nature’s structures and behaviors as well as the intricacies of humanity through the use of self-similar patterns and shapes. Although artists have been using self-repeating designs since time immemorial, this new form of algorithmic art chooses fractal geometry functions and the computational capabilities of the computer as its tools for the creation of infinitely detailed or stunningly simple forms that reveal and enhance the fantastic visions that comes from the realm of numbers.
   Emerging from the studies of fractal geometry in the last third of the twentieth century and the popularity of the microcomputer in the 1980’s, it rapidly evolved throughout that decade, and especially in the 1990’s, thanks to the development of faster processors and the advent of the Internet as a medium of mass communication. Later on, the same recursive principles of fractal imaging have been applied to music to create what has been termed fractal music.
   It is worth reading some good contributions to this question:

• Kerry Mitchell, The Fractal Art Manifesto
  http://www.fractalus.com/info/manifesto.htm
• Charles Vassallo, Art and Fractals
  http://perso.wanadoo.fr/charles.vassallo/en/art/sommaire.html
• Juan Luis Martínez, On the Debate of Fractals as Art
  http://www.fractovia.org/Opinion/art.html
• Mark Christenson, About Fractal Art
  http://veenet.value.net/~mchris/aboutfa.htm
• Janet Parke Preslar, Fractal Art – A Deliberate Approach
  http://www.parkenet.org/jp/temp/ylem.html

   After a first phase, when the goal was to produce pure self-similar images of mathematical objects using the best possible colors and some other visual effects, now the tendency is to use fractal programs to create abstract images whether they clearly show fractal structures or not. In particular, the current interest in mixing several layers of individual fractals (often unrelated) to create a single complex image is a manifestation of this tendency. Also, many artists use some post-processing transformations on the fractal images, and now several fractal programs come with their own post-processing options. Other artists combine fractal motifs with photographic pictures or with other images created with advanced graphics’ programs. But consider that keeping evident the fractal structures in the image and limiting the graphic effects may be an interesting challenge too.
   True color programs that have superseded programs limited to 256 colors should be recommended, but beautiful images can always be obtained with the “old” programs. Great artists can do great artworks with limited tools.

   Note: The terms used below are defined in other parts of the FAQ and this answer is only a list of topics which will be developed later.
   There is no doubt: most of the productions in fractal art are images obtained by iteration of complex polynomials, so the following questions will concern mainly this type of fractal art. But other domains are not neglected in this FAQ.
   Quaternions produce very beautiful 3D images, but tend to be closely related, almost look-alike, maybe because only a few artists have worked in this field. There are some very good programs to create such images, and vocations may be encouraged.
   L-system can produce very realistic plant images, or very imaginary and strange creatures, when they are ray-traced. There are some very good free tools.
   IFS (iterated function systems) have been less explored until recently to produce artistic images but there are two ways of interest:

• Flame fractals are a variety of strange attractors drawn as IFS. They have been used by some artists to create original images;
• 3D IFS have been used recently in a very powerful and sophisticated program.

   Fractal landscapes (or terrains) were one of the first artistic use of fractal. They have been used, for example, in movies.
   Fractal music is the only non-visual form of fractal art. It is a strange and very productive domain. In spite of the fact that this FAQ is mainly devoted to visual fractal art, some information is given (questions 3l, 4Cj, 6f) for those who are interested to explore this domain.

• FRACTAL-ART, The Fractal Art Discussion List
  This mailing list is centered in the discussion of all aspects of fractals as art, including artists, software, galleries, museum curators, art marketers and brokers, printers, art collectors, etc.
  Administrator: Damien M. Jones
  To subscribe to FRACTAL-ART, send a email to fractal-art-subscribe@lists.fractalus.com. The content of the message does not matter. Postings must be send to fractal-art@lists.fractalus.com.
• FRACTINT, The Fractals and Fractint Discussion List
  This mailing list is for the discussion of fractals, fractal art, fractal algorithms, fractal software, and fractal programming, specifically related to the Stone Soup Group’s Fractint generator.
  Administrator: Tim Wegner twegner@fractint.org
  To subscribe to the FRACTINT mailing list send a message to majordomo@xmission.com. Leave the subject line blank and put subscribe fractint in the body of the message. Postings must be send to Fractint@xmission.com.
• ULTRA FRACTAL, The Ultra Fractal Discussion List
  This mailing list is open to all interested in F. J. Slijkerman’s “Ultra Fractal” program (Win95/98/NT).
  Administrator: Damien Jones
  To subscribe to the ULTRA FRACTAL mailing list send a message to ultrafractal-subscribe@lists.fractalus.com. The content of the message does not matter. Postings must be send to ultrafractal@lists.fractalus.com.
• MIND-BOGGLING FRACTALS, The MBF Discussion List
  This mailing list is open to MBF users.
  Administrator: Paul Carlson carlsonpw@earthlink.net
  To subscribe you must be a user and have a password.
• QUAT Mailing List
  For everything that has to do with the free software “Quat”, which generates 3d quaternion fractals. Discussions about how to use it, sharing of images generated with it and about further development of Quat.
  Post message: quat@yahoogroups.com
  Subscribe: quat-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
  List owner: quat-owner@yahoogroups.com
  URL to read the messages (even if you are not a member of the list): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/quat
• PHILOFRACTAL, The Fractal Philosophy Discussion List
  This mailing list is for the discussion of fractal philosophy, including science and religion, and the way they relate to fractals.
  Administrator: Mary Tupper (Xylen) philofractal-owner@lists.fractalus.com
  To subscribe to the PHILOFRACTAL mailing list send a message to philofractal-subscribe@lists.fractalus.com. Leave the subject line blank and put subscribe philofractal in the body of the message. Postings must be send to philofractal@lists.fractalus.com
• CNFractal Music
  This mailing list addresses issues concerning fractal music and advices on using the software tools to produce it. Also discusses other forms of Algorithmic Music and issues related to the production of Computer Music .
  Administrator: pjfjacks@swbell.net Phil Jackson
  To subscribe to the CNFractal_Music mailing list send a message to cnfractal_music-subscribe@egroups.com. The content of the message does not matter.
  Postings must be send to cnfractal_music@egroups.com.
  More information can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cnfractal_music

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