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Understanding Self-Similar Fractals: A Graphical Guide to the Curves of Nature
Understanding SelfSimilar Fractals A Graphical Guide to the Curves of Nature Author:Richard Stevens This book is a tutorial on self-similar fractals. It discusses several of the common fractal forms, and invites readers to create their own fractals using the L-systems language (disk included). The L-Systems Language, developed by the biologist Aristid Lindenmayer for describing plants, is especially useful for defining self-similar fractal cur... more »ves. Beginners get a hands-on lesson in fractal geometry. Experts get a simple, functional tool for fractal experiments. The author describes how to use fractals to depict naturalistic surfaces such as trees and bushes, and how to create whole scenes using collections of fractal images. Complete programming code in C is provided on the companion disk for generating and manipulating these graphic curves and scenes, and saving them in .PCX files for redisplay or printing. Key Topics: The L-Systems Language, Self-Similar Fractals, Koch Curves, Plane-Filling Curves, Node Rewriting, Sierpinski Islands, Tiling a Plane, Trees and Bushes, Leaves and Flowers, Random Fractal Curves, Context Sensitive Curves, Creating Scenes, Viewing and Printing .PCX image files. Audience: Anyone wanting a better understanding of self-similar geometries and algorithms, fractal theorists looking for a fast, simple tool for generating fractals, and graphics artists wanting to create naturalistic images by programming.« less