Variant Creator is accessible from almost all fractal thumbnails in the Fractal Architect
The thumbnail’s context menu have a View Selected Frame Variants… menu item. (Open the context menu by right mouse clicking on the thumbnail.)
Select it to open the Variants Creation page.
(Or you can use the Command-Option-V key combination to open the Variants page for the selected fractal.)
Fractal Preview window.
Gallery fractal thumbnails.
Recently opened fractal thumbnails.
Make New random fractal thumbnails.
Variant thumbnails.
Fractal Variants Creator Page
The Variants Creator shows a group of fractals that are random variants of the base fractal.
It provides an easy way to create randomized variants of a main fractal them. You can control what types of variants are created and the big the random variant changes are.
The Original FractalSome VariantsDifferent Variants
Variant Change Types
Variants Modes Selector
These are the basic change classes you can apply to a base fractal to make a Variants batch:
Note: You can apply more than one type of change type at a time by clicking on multiple change types with the mouse.
Here the Colors, Matrix, and Mix-In change types have been selected.
Variant Change Type Parameters Pane
This pane holds the parameters for the different Variant change types. Open it by pressing this button.
Set Variant Options Button
Color Gradient Variants
Color gradient variants are changed from the original fractal by creating a new color gradient with a random number of colors.
The number of colors is a random value that ranges between the specified minimum and maximum values.
Minimum
Minimum number of colors in the color map.
Maximum
Maximum number of colors in the color map.
Color Variants
Background Color Variants
Background color variants are changed from the original fractal by randomizing the background colors’ hue, saturation, and/or brightness.
Fixed Hue
If selected, sets the background color’s hue.
Fixed Saturation
If selected, sets the background color’s saturation.
Fixed Brightness
If selected, sets the background color’s brightness.
Background Variants
Color Shift Variants
Color shift variants are changed from the original fractal by randomizing the original colors’ hue, saturation, and/or brightness.
Randomize Hue
Randomize colors’ hues.
Randomize Saturation
Randomize the colors’ saturation.
Randomize Brightness
Randomize the colors’ brightness.
Color Variants
Transform Color Variants
Transform variants are changed from the original fractal by modifying selected transform’s weight, symmetry, color index, and/or variation weight values.
Color Speed
Sets the magnitude of the random transform color speed adjustment.
Transform Color Index
Sets the magnitude of the random transform color index adjustment.
Transform Color Variants
Transform Weight Variants
Transform variants are changed from the original fractal by modifying selected transform’s weight, symmetry, color index, and/or variation weight values.
Transform weights
Sets the magnitude of the random transform weight adjustment.
Transform Weight Variants
Variation Weight Variants
Transform variants are changed from the original fractal by modifying selected transform’s weight, symmetry, color index, and/or variation weight values.
Variation Weights
Sets the magnitude of the random variation weight adjustment.
Variation Weight Variants
Matrix Variants
Matrix variants are changed from the original fractal by modifying the scale, rotation, and/or translation of each transform by a random amount.
Operation Order
sets the order the applied order of the scale, rotation, and translation operations.
Rotate Origin
sets whether the transform is rotated about the triangle or the world.
Scale Origin
sets whether the transform is scaled about the triangle or the world.
Rotate
Maximum random adjustment for the rotate operation.
Scale
Maximum random adjustment for the scale operation.
X
Maximum random adjustment for the x-translation operation.
Y
Maximum random adjustment for the y-translation operation.
Rotation strength
Magnitude of the random adjustment for the rotation operation.
Scale strength
Magnitude of the random adjustment for the scale operation.
Rotation strength
Magnitude of the random adjustment for the translation operations.
Matrices Affected
Determines whether pre, and/or post matrices are affected.
Transforms Affected
Determines which of the fractal transforms are modified by this variant class.
Matrix Variants
Crazy Matrix Variants
Crazy matrix variants are changed from the original fractal by modifying selected transform’s pre and post matrix coefficients by a random amount.
Pre Rotate/Scale
Magnitude of the random adjustment for the pre matrix’s a,b, d, and e coefficients.
Pre Translate
Magnitude of the random adjustment for the pre matrix’s c and f coefficients.
Post Rotate/Scale
Magnitude of the random adjustment for the post matrix’s a,b, d, and e coefficients.
Post Translate
Magnitude of the random adjustment for the post matrix’s c and f coefficients.
Transforms Affected
Determines which of the fractal transforms are modified by this variant class.
Matrix Variants
Mix-In Other Variation Types Variants
Mix-in variants are changed from the original fractal by adding random mix-in transform variations to the selected transforms.
Variation Name & Weights
Sets the magnitude of the mix-in variations’ weight adjustments.
Variation Use
Unless checked, that particular mix-in variation will not be added to the fractal.
Master Mixin Amplitude
Sets the overall magnitude multiplier that is applied to all mix-in variation weights.
Transforms Affected
Determines which of the fractal transforms can be modified by mix-in variations.
Mixins Variants
Variation Parameter Value Variants
Variation parameter value variants are changed from the original fractal by modifying selected transform’s variation parameter values.
Variation Parameter Min/Max
Sets the minimum and maximum parameter values for the specific named variation.
Variation Parameter Change Weight
Sets the magnitude of the random variation parameter value adjustment.
Variation Weight Variants
Add a Final Transform with a set of Variants
A final transform is added to the original fractal having random variation weights selected from the variations you choose. Each variation has a slider that represents the maximum possible variation weight. The range of each slider is 0 to 1, with 1 being on the far right end.
Variation Name & Weights
Sets the magnitude of the final transform’s variations’ random weights.
Variation Use
Unless checked, that particular variation will not be added to the final transform.
Final Xform Variants
Xaos Variants
Xaos variants are changed from the original fractal by modifying selected transform’s xaos values.
Decay Rate
Sets the maximum possible magnitude of the Xaos value changes.
Variation Weight Variants
Symmetry Variants
Symmetry variants are changed from the original fractal by adding reflective and/or rotational symmetry to the original fractal.
Symmetry Range
Set the range of symmetries that can be randomly chosen. Negative values have both reflective and rotation symmetry, while positive values are only rotational symmetry.
Mastering Variants
Xaos variants are changed from the original fractal by modifying selected transform’s xaos values.
Gamma
Sets the magnitude of the gamma value changes.
Gamma Threshold
Sets the magnitude of the gamma threshold value changes.
Vibrancy
Sets the magnitude of the vibrancy value changes.
Brightness
Sets the magnitude of the brightness value changes.
Variation Weight Variants
3D Camera Variants
3D Camera variants are changed from the original fractal by modifying selected 3D Camera view parameters.
Fixed Pitch
If selected, sets the camera pitch.
Fixed Yaw
If selected, sets the camera yaw.
Fixed Roll
If selected, sets the camera yaw.
Fixed Perspective
If selected, sets the camera perspective.
Fixed DOF
If selected, sets the camera depth-of-field.
Fixed Height
If selected, sets the camera Z-position or height.
