Welcome to another edition of The F Word. On this edition, i have an interview with the initiator of Apophysis Challenge, the one and only `f--l--A--r--k. Please enjoy my interview with him.


can you please introduce yourself?

I've been around on deviantArt for about 7 years now. My name is Stan and I'm an avid learner and artist. I freelance as a graphic designer and artist and have had the privilege of working on some very cool projects that use my fractal artwork.

What is the first thing that makes you attracted to Fractal Art?

I love the depth of fractals. The unlimited potential really appeals to me. You could take one formula, study it, explore it for years, and still not see absolutely everything there is to see. With all the variables available fractals are a constant discovery.



What kind of fractal that you like the most,and Why?

This is such an incredibly hard question to answer! I tend to lean towards very “full” looking geometric fractals. I like seeing the shapes and symmetry in an image. I also like very detailed and textured artwork. This is not to say I don't appreciate simple, minimalistic fractals, but if I had to choose the one style I like the most, it would be very detailed geometric pieces.

Who is your biggest influence in creating fractal and art in general?

My biggest influence in creating fractal art would have to be the Faber brothers. Joel for the inspiring images. His were the first fractals I ever came into contact with, and I was (and still am) completely enthralled with his skills and mastery. Michael was also very influential as he has great fractals as well, but moreso for his taking the time on several occasions to help me out, whether it was hacking Apophysis so I could have more transforms, producing some incredible plugins, or just giving me assistance and his time when I got stuck on a particular image.

Art in general is a much broader topic. To put it all in a nutshell, my wife is my biggest influence. She's been extremely supportive in all facets, and that's absolutely amazing to have.

what does your art means to you?

My art is very important to me. It's incredibly emotional. When I first started creating fractals it was a form of stress relief for me as I lived in a very unstable and hostile environment. My diving into art let me escape from that atmosphere and really focus my attention somewhere else. It helped me avoid doing some really stupid and foolish things.

Now several years later, my art has gone from a hobby to my career. I support my family with it. The emotion is still there, in fact it's intensified. I find a great deal of satisfaction in “figuring things out”. That is, to discover new pathways in my art and to understand how others have created their work. I like to discern how others created their art, particularly fractals, but I'm not much into replicating their results.

To sum everything up, my art is a very emotional, intellectual, and relaxing pursuit.



Can you please tell us about your creative process?

Simply put, my creative process is all over the place! Inspiration strikes me at the oddest times. I had a brilliant idea (that's actually bringing in a steady amount of income into my household now) one time while looking at juice in a warehouse store. Another time I walked into a building and was instantly inspired by the architecture.

Sometimes I take those crazy ideas and inspirations and I instantly see the image I want to create. The challenge then becomes creating that image via a fractal. This can be very daunting at times, but also quite a fun experience.

Othertimes I set out to explore. I'll pick a formula or algorithm and just try everything possible with it and see where it leads me. This can be a very time consuming process so I don't get to do it as often as I would like. I'd highly recommend for everyone to give this a go however, because it's an incredible learning experience. You get to know and understand the inner workings of fractals and see firsthand how such small changes can open up large worlds!

I also will at times build off the work of others. When I see a fractal that someone's created and I wonder “How did they do that?” then I'll try to figure it out. Once I've got the basic idea, I'll spend some time exploring new avenues with the original structure. This can be quite revealing as each artist thinks differently, and forcing myself outside of my comfort zone allows me to grow as an artist.

how did you see the future of fractal art?

I've been asked this question so many times! Fractal art's future is limitless. 2D Fractals are timeless. 3D fractals are just beginning to be explored. Fractal applications are everywhere, from movies to physics and beyond. Fractals have been used in music for a while for some incredible visual effects and with the increase of processing power in computers, I'm sure we'll see more and more of fractals everywhere.

Do you enjoy creating any other types of art?

Yes, definitely! I work as a graphic designer, and I see that as a form of art. I also draw/sketch for relaxation and in truly enjoy that. If I had more time, I would explore 3d art in more detail. Finally, I'm also a musician and play the guitar.



If there were a single person you would give credit to for getting you started on your current path of Fractal, who would it be?

My wife, plain and simple. When I met her, I had been messing around with fractals for a few years. I had shown her my work, and asked her thoughts, and she said “this is more than a hobby!” At the time, I dismissed that, thinking that my artwork would never be anything more than a means of escape from a very bad situation. But as time progressed, my relationship with her changed and grew, and she continued to encourage me to pursue fractals and my artwork in general. She's the one who's got me to where I am now.

Anything else you'd like to say?

If you're new to fractals and fractal art, be patient. It takes time. Enjoy the process.

If you want to know more about his other artwork, you can visit his personal website: StanRagets.com