by Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy
Member since:
November 1, 2006

A Pair of Eights

January 03, 2013 07:14 PM UTC
views: 0 | 14 people recommend this | comments: 44

A "pair of eights" or "double infinity?" Or, as always, something else altogether? Only the beholder can say for sure.

The two images below are the first fractal creations I've done in 2013, though the base rendering was done very late last year.

In any case, this fractal form illustrated for me just how important the right background can be. I usually default to using a simple black background, tweaking the brightness, gamma, contrast, and color combinations of the fractal object itself to make it stand out on the black background. From time to time, I get more sophisticated with backgrounds, but I got lazy with the two fractal creations below. Plus, I didn't want to distract the eye from the fractal form/object itself, which is supposed to be the star of the show, so to speak.

The first version, below, was tweaked quite a bit to make it stand out on the black background.

http://media-files.gather.com/images/d552/d555/d747/d224/d96/f3/full.jpg

I would have quit then, and moved on to other things, but I figured I'd try the rare white background just for hoots. And I found that there was significantly less tweaking needed. Well, at least to MY eye. :-)

http://media-files.gather.com/images/d553/d555/d747/d224/d96/f3/full.jpg

Happy 2013 everyone!

May your year be filled with fractal magic!

Comments: 44

Audrey Howitt Jan 3, 2013, 7:15pm UTC
Hi Gary! Happy New Year to you!
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 3, 2013, 7:23pm UTC
Hi Audrey! So nice to see you!!! :-)
William M. Jan 3, 2013, 7:19pm UTC
Happy New Year, Gary.
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 3, 2013, 7:24pm UTC
Thank you, William! :-)
Angie W Jan 3, 2013, 7:37pm UTC
Very cool. Happy New Year!
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 3, 2013, 9:16pm UTC
Thank you, Angie! :-)
Karen E. Jan 3, 2013, 7:55pm UTC
I like them both, but the black background is my favorite!
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 3, 2013, 9:17pm UTC
Thanks so much Karen! :-)
Heidi S. Jan 3, 2013, 8:01pm UTC
Happy New Year, Gary! Such a cool first fractal of the year - setting the bar pretty high for yourself, LOL. I'm picking trip 8's, it's a pretty good hand ;)
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 3, 2013, 9:15pm UTC
I thought about including some Aces in my post, but ultimately decided against it, what with Aces n Eights being a deadman's hand and all. ;-)
Sonia M. Jan 3, 2013, 9:20pm UTC
Love the colors on both!

I like both but the one with the white background pleases me more...but the one with the black background is very dramatic...

Happy New Year, Gary!
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 4, 2013, 9:02pm UTC
Thank you, Sonia! The white background version gives it more "natural" feeling, while the one on black satisfies the "colorholic" in me. ;-)
Sonia M. Jan 4, 2013, 9:25pm UTC
Shows you how vanilla my taste is (although I REALLY prefer chocolate!)
LOL
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 5, 2013, 8:48pm UTC
Well, trust me, I'm a whole lot more vanilla now than I was in highschool. At least with the way I dress. Don't tell anyone, but they used to call me the human rainbow in school. :-)
Sonia M. Jan 5, 2013, 10:10pm UTC
Ha! Love it!!!

Would love to see some 'early Gary' photos!
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 5, 2013, 10:29pm UTC
Ha! Yes, Well, fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) that was back in the days of black and white TV and photos - only the well-to-do had had color cameras or color TV's. Even the school yearbooks were still in black and white. :-(
Sonia M. Jan 6, 2013, 1:47am UTC
LOL
Janet "Jax" B. Jan 3, 2013, 11:04pm UTC
very cool.....
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 4, 2013, 9:01pm UTC
Thank you, Janet! :-)
Sassy *bacon makes me happy* Cat Jan 4, 2013, 2:36am UTC
Those are awesome! Happy New Year to you!
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 4, 2013, 9:00pm UTC
Thanks so much, Sassy! :-)
Dennis Gilman Jan 4, 2013, 6:09am UTC
Love them both.
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 4, 2013, 9:00pm UTC
Thank you, Dennis! :-)
Bernard C. Jan 4, 2013, 7:37am UTC
Happy New Year Gary! I like both of these for different reasons..the black background brings out the coloring more in the tones and twists, the white seems more natural and is much lighter in form and details therefore toned down and makes one think of a manderin duck feathers..LOL

Thank you for sharing and submitting to
The Surreal Circus.
ʚϊɞ Carol ʚϊɞ Jan 4, 2013, 9:12am UTC
Featured
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 4, 2013, 9:00pm UTC
Thank you, Bernard and Carol!! Bernard, you are of course quite correct and very perceptive!! :-)
ʚϊɞ Carol ʚϊɞ Jan 4, 2013, 9:13am UTC
Gary, So nice to see you back and spreading the magic with your incredible creations.
Amazing how the background completely changes the design.
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 4, 2013, 8:58pm UTC
Thank you, Carol!! I have a New Year's resolution to do some more fractals with a more creative twist. Including some different backgrounds. :-)
ʚϊɞ Carol ʚϊɞ Jan 7, 2013, 11:49am UTC
Looking forward to seeing your creations.
Ann Marcaida Jan 4, 2013, 1:28pm UTC
I think your fractals look best against a black background. This one looks like an intricate sculpture of scarlet macaw feathers.

Thanks for sharing with Gather's Luminous Writers and Artists. Featured and tweeted.
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 4, 2013, 8:54pm UTC
Thanks so much Ann!!! Funny you should mention feathers cuz that's what I thought. But I really should have included a zoomed closeup so you could see what the real structure is - I think you'd be surprised. :-)
Ann Marcaida Jan 5, 2013, 10:55am UTC
No doubt!
Laura P. Jan 4, 2013, 10:04pm UTC
They're both awesome, love them! Happy New Year, Gary! :)
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 5, 2013, 8:39pm UTC
Thank you, Laura! Hoping you're already having a great year! :-)
RedBird. B. Jan 5, 2013, 8:29pm UTC
This is some very Beautiful Fractal Art! Love the Design and Colors.
I clearly see the Two Bells! A Great Way to 'Ring' in the New Year!~
Happy New Year!~
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 5, 2013, 8:40pm UTC
Thank you so much, RedBird! I'll be "ringing' in some more fractals soon. :-)
RedBird. B. Jan 5, 2013, 8:43pm UTC
This is Great, Gary!
You did mean to add the two Bells, that I see, then!~ ?
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 5, 2013, 9:46pm UTC
I didn't really add bells, they were there from the start, as were several other things that aren't terribly obvious. But I tend to shy away from defining and explaining my fractal creations too much, because I love to see just what people see on their own. And they often pick things out that even I didn't realize. :-)
Truth Always Jan 7, 2013, 11:51am UTC
I like the colors on this...
Gary (The Eclectic) Timothy Jan 7, 2013, 1:32pm UTC
Thank you so much! :-)
Ms Lee P. Jan 13, 2013, 6:16pm UTC
It's great as usual. I like the black background. I wonder if this is what happens to the eights at the balckjack table when you split them? They just go crazy and frazzle into a beautiful picture when discarded. LOL!
Marilyn (PaintsOnSlate) S. Jan 16, 2013, 11:29am UTC
Very creative
Char H. Jan 16, 2013, 4:36pm UTC
Gary, I think this would lend itself to a very pretty Red, white and Blue in proud patriotic style. Very nice images!
Angela H. Jan 17, 2013, 6:17pm UTC
Beautiful creations! Bet it's fun. Lots of work too!

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