Fractalections
Fractalections is a genre of art that I stumbled upon through creative play and experimentation with digital photo editing programs. Fractalections is a hybrid word I coined to fuse “Fractal” and “Reflection” into one meaning. “Fractal,” (from fractus, meaning “fractured”) describes the dimensions of geometric patterns in nature. Nature and natural subjects are especially important in my photographic art. “Reflections” refers both to the technical process of mirroring images and to the experience of contemplating the images that emerge from it.
The Fractelection effects are achieved by editing photography of drawings, paintings, sculpture, photos of clouds in the sky, a forest floor, food on a plate, even the ripples within the core of a tree trunk. The images are digitally edited with the mirroring filter, along with making other technical adjustments in contrast, saturation, and color hues, and using filters of all kinds. The mirroring effect, created by duplicating the image, is what truly creates the magic and essence of a Fractalection. New realms, fantastic creatures, and energy flow from these images manifest surprising effects that were not there in the original image.
This image of a feather on the ground was edited and mirrored four ways to create this Fractalection.
A photo of the forest floor on the left has been edited and mirrored two ways of create the Fractalection on the right.
A photo of painting on the left has been edited and mirrored two ways of create the Fractalection on the right.
Psychedelic abstraction with loads of pareidolia is perhaps the best way to describe the avant garde genre of Fractalections. The images often conjure a Rorschach-like experience, where perceptions blur and change as you study the ambiguous details in the colorful array of shape-shifting forms.
There are endless fun and exciting ways to create your Fractalection artwork. The beauty is that you don’t need any traditional art skills to get amazing results! There are hundreds of digital photo editing programs to choose from these days. The illustrations I selected from this book were created by using “Photodirector '' and “Comica” which are free apps on the android smartphone. Next I will walk you through some basic techniques to help you to get started making your very own Fractalections.
Remember to approach this new experience with the spirit of adventure and discovery. Even the photos you take of normal everyday things can be morphed into fantasies of wonder!
Check out my book detailing how to make your own Fractalections now available on Amazon.
(Note: I don’t encourage turning other people’s artwork into Fractalections without their permission because it’s a form of taking credit for their creative work.)
More before and after examples
This photo of the forest floor on the left was edited and mirrored two ways to create the Fractalection on the right.
This photo of a painting on the left was edited and mirrored two ways to create the Fractalection on the right.
This photo of a painting on the left was edited and mirrored two ways to create the Fractalection on the right.
This photo of a pool under a waterfall on the left was edited and mirrored two ways to create the Fractalection on the right.
