when i'm voting and a fractals picture comes along i am in a state of panic as to what to do. i do not know the first thing about how you make them, whether or not they are difficult to make, or what makes one better than another. any suggestions? jen

Look at it from an artisitic point of view if you are blind to its technicalities and vote on its merits approptiately on that basis just as CG artists should do with photography if they are unfamiliar with the logistics of the process in that field.

I'd suggest you don't worry about how they're made, just rate them on whether you like them or not. Mark the Artistic Impression, if you like, rather than the Technical Merit. I also rate them on suitability for desktop wallpaper - any garishly intricate pattern that acts like dazzle-paint and would stop me finding my icons is going to be docked a mark or two for unsuitability, however much effort went into it... ;-)

I would look for quality, is it grainy (same thing w/photography)...do you like it? you know...you can always throw in some personal feelings on the image, everyone has different taste...just don't give it a 0 b/c you don't know anything about it :D

What I would do was go for your personal taste..
divide it up into:- you dont like it, you like it a little, not too bad, good and it looks fantastic.. You dont need to really know how the images are made, you know what you like and dont like..
Another thing to look at is the grain, too much grain is not good, a good fractal should have none or a tiny bit, the image should be clear..
Ask yourself do you like the design and colour...
If you go with these basic lines you'll be fine.. it all comes down to what you like or dont like, everyone has different tastes..

Yeah...go w/what Jacqueline said :D

Use the "caveman system" ...

if the image causes you to grunt uproarously and smack it with your club .. that means you like it .... if you just sit there and scratch yourself and then wander off in search of meat ... that means you don't like it

If you find yourself scribbling on walls .. that means it inspired you


see? .. simple

LOL @ Keith! Yeah, I would have to pretty much agee what everyone else has said. It's all a matter of taste, about what you like and don't like. If it looks sloppy or garrish, then it's probably not a very good fractal. If there's too much graininess as Jacqueline pointed out, then that's not desirable either. You know what you like and don't like. Let your conscience be your guide..=)

Or, if you see something that makes you look at it & say to yourself " Gee, that's a Laurengary, I just KNOW it is ! " well then, it you think it might be something of mine of course you must vote your conscience & give it a 10

;o)

Or if it looks like a Razorjack51, of course..=D

Well yeah......but I get the 10's first....it's a girl thing .... :D

Uh huh, just keep telling yourself that..=PPP

See Jen ? Larry agrees with me, so there's no problem .....

What a guy ;o)

LOL!

Jiminey Crickets!!!! whats with all this "Let your conscience be your guide thing"? hehehehe sorry couldnt resist that... and the 10 should go to me cos i already told Jen that before both of you.. the bill is in the mail.. to be paid by cash only.. small notes thanks..

as a 'visitor' to fractals and computer art .. I wouldn't worry about grain .. that's a technical issue among the denizens of the dirty deed

judge it from a pure gut level .. does it have appeal? .. you can use some of the same principles of photography .. color, composition, clarity .. etc

but the bottom line is appeal ... and let's be honest, you won't find it in all

Well, perhaps I'm the oddball, but, if you really feel panic when confronted with voting on fractals, I wish you had the option of not voting on them. This has come up before. Many here who specialize/favor photography have expressed either outright distaste for fractals and/or computer generated art or have expressed a sense of real confusion as to how to rate them. I don't think those of use who are more into computer generated images and fractals have quite the same dilemma with photographs, but, anyone who does, should not feel compelled to rate them either, IMHO. It's been suggested a number of times that Caedes members be given the option of picking image CATEGORIES (i.e. photography, abstract, computer, etc.) to vote on. I, for one, strongly support such an option. Wen

LOL @ me.......I sounded alot like a politician there, didn't I ?

Keifer's right Jen, just judge the fractals & other abstracts on the basis of their appeal to you ...Face it, just like photos, some you'll like & some you won't, all we ask is a fair judging.

Actually, I think Wendy makes a good point about allowing us to choose the kind of artwork we want to vote on. I've also heard many photographers say that they just don't like fractal or computer generated art. Many times the only images I get to vote on in in the voting booth are photos. I sometimes feel I don't know enough about what it takes to make a great photograph either. Having the choice as to what we feel we're best qualified to judge seems fairer to everyone.

The idea has merit, but you should consider it might make it more difficult (or even impossible) to get an even distribution of votes across the board.

yes .. valid point .. but, from *caedes point of view it moves us back to the "friends+family" vote ramping and away from the "man on the street" unbiased opinion

Reporter .. Please, sir .. do you have a few moments to tell us what you think of this piece?
Citizen .. Cor, Blimey!! .. me thinks it's utter rubbish .. (*hurries off*)
Reporter .. There you have it, ladies and gentlemen .. it's utter rubbish ... clive, back to you in the studio

Why must all images be placed in the same distribution? For one thing, there are more photographers here than anything else and they will logically tend to be more attracted to photographs and rate them somewhat higher. Those who specialize in computer generated images will tend to to the same with CG images, but the number of such artists here are fewer. Rather than have one big distribution across which the scores for all images must be averaged, why not have distinct distributions across which like images (those from the same category) are compared? Wen

I'm talking about the number of votes, not the scores.

I gathered that, Sam, but if images were treated separately from a statistical standpoint, averages may be more reliable based on fewer votes. Wen

Every time I think about posting on this site again.. All I have have to do is read these forums.. I personally would like to see the voting done away with completely.. I just don't see the point to it.. If ever it is, you will see my art again.. Meantime come look at my devinatART gallery.. Link is on my userpage..

i happen to be someone who for some strange reason don't like so many people doing something (well) that i don't know how to do. i want to try but don't know how to start. i'd like to know if some of the very detailed ones are much harder than the simple ones. i guess i'd prefer to be an informed voter.
thanks to all of you who took time to discuss this. each of you has said something important. i'd like to be able to sit down with you and watch you create! jen

But I am an Artiste .. I tolerate no such interferance from mere mortals

(*barks orders to his entourage .. who then carry you bodily out of the studio and deposit you with a thud on the pavement outside*)

*smacks head repeatedly against desk*

~rushing in...places pillow down for Andrew. Don't want him scrambling his brain more than it already is...~

~runs over to Keifer with some tea & crumpet's...that'll calm his nerves~

My work is never done...

8~)

Hey Jen! Here's an idea. You say you'd like to be able to know how to create fractals so you'll know what goes into them. Why not download a program such as Apophysis, or Tierazon, and try it for yourself? Who knows, you may even find it enjoyable..=)