How a Fractal Is Made

A fractal is a pattern that repeats itself at every scale, endless detail grown from one simple rule. These fractals live on the complex plane, where a loop like z → z² + c — the rule behind the Mandelbrot set — runs on each point: some stay small and settled, others race off to infinity, and how fast they go decides the color.

A finished piece is rarely a single equation. Like a digital painting, each one is composed of many layers, every layer running its own formula and coloring, blended and tuned by hand until the math and color settle into something worth keeping.