Fractal Cosmos: The Art of Mathematical Design

by Jeff Berkowitz, Lifesmith Fractals

Simple mathematical formulas are transformed into strikingly beautiful computer generated designs. The dynamic interplay between order and chaos is explored in 350 color images in this unique coffee table book that explains the mechanics of mathematical art. Berkowitz is perhaps the world's most widely recognized fractal artist. Fractal Cosmos is the first art book to feature fractal imagery and the largest collection of fractal art published anywhere.

212 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Lora Shouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really different book. It would be great for people who don’t like reading, but who like math. Or who like to look at pictures, since it is almost all pictures. The pictures are nice looking for the most part.

It consists primarily of pictures generated by computer as a result of mapping the results of particular equations that produce fractal designs. In appendixes, the author gives all the functions used for the images, an explanation of how the mapping works (including how the colors used for the images were selected), and the software used, including some software that gives the designs 3-dimensional effects, or other effects that produce shapes that look a little like trees or bushes.

One interesting feature of all these fractal functions is that they all use imaginary numbers (numbers that involve the square roots of negative numbers).

[Carter Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always been a fan of math art & design and have recently been into crochet / textiles, and I just received this book as gift from my lab PI so I thought I would read it. Pretty cool! Would try playing with fractals sometime tbh