MWSF: ‘Fractals on steroids’ spotted

U & I Software’s new ArtMatic Pro 2.0 is described as “Fractals on steroids” by Edward Spiegel, product manager.

If that description doesn’t float your boat, think of the application, being unveiled at this week’s Macworld Expo in San Francisco, as an art and animation synthesizer that lets you create images, animation, and sounds with a few quick clicks of the mouse. ArtMatic Pro provides an easy-to-use interface to create images, animation and sound by combining fractal and unique fractal-like functions, random textures, gradients, displacement maps and fantastic new shading functions, according to Spiegel.

Anyone can use ArtMatic, he said. While it makes use of sophisticated mathematical components, you don’t need to know anything about mathematics or computer graphics to create images for your web site, greeting cards, music video or fine art prints, Spiegel added.

ArtMatic goes beyond fractals. Each function of the tree can be chosen randomly or use-selected. All tiles have their own settings that can change across keyframes to create animation. The tree itself can define a multi-dimensional parameter space that you can explore with the Random Walk and Mutation features.

ArtMatic Pro provides new keyframe-based animation, new graphics and sound synthesis functions, structure editing, a movie/pict component for manipulating existing movies and pictures with an ArtMatic system, new shading/lighting components, 16 keyframes/parameter sets per file, expanded documentation and many new features that make it both more powerful and easier to use than ArtMatic 1.2, its predecessor, according to Spiegel. However, ArtMatic isn’t biting the dust. It will continue as U & I’s entry-level art synthesizer.

“ArtMatic Pro is the perfect tool for artists and non-artists alike,” Spiegel said. “Behind the scenes, it uses systems of complex equations, but its user interface is simple and makes it possible for anyone to create stunning movies and images. Simply choose a tree structure, roll the dice then zoom and pan the camera to explore the image space you have created. For users who want more control, the tree structure can be edited and finely tuned with the parameter sliders. The new camera path and parameter envelopes provide fine control of ArtMatic Pro animation. The new background and batch rendering features make the creation of extended projects more convenient than ever.”

ArtMatic Pro also features random path animation and a mutations explorer that let users explore the parameter space of each newly created system. Spiegel said that the application could be used to create animation; digital art; special effects and transitions for video projects; graphics for CD covers; labels; business and greeting cards. You can also use it to export texture and terrain maps to Bryce; render animation for video clips, techno parties and concerts; and render sound material for MetaSynth manipulation.

You can buy ArtMatic Pro for US $179 now from U & I Software. In March, it will be available through retail channels on CD-ROM with hundreds of megabytes of samples and animations at a list price of $199, according to Spiegel.