Zachary Shore
I have always been fascinated by 3D fractals. They are what first inspired me to work in graphics and to create my path-tracer Cackle. I think of fractals as objects that are continually complex; I can keep zooming in deeper and deeper and there's always more detail. They let me describe objects in a way that would otherwise be impossible with just simple geometry. I can take a system that describes an endless mechanical puzzle and easily change it to mimic the branching structures of cells or plants. With the addition of lighting and texture, I can further enhance that detail to resemble the natural world, or a supernatural one.
'World Caliber' is a render of a 3D fractal called the Pseudo-Kleinian Menger. This multi-fractal is created by composing a Juliabox with a Menger sponge. On first glance, the scene resembles clockwork with sprawling gears and sprockets. Hence the title: 'caliber' being another term for a clock's movement. To enhance these structures, a Cook-Torrance shading model was used to create metallic finish. The color mapping used created an iridescent effect in the center of the piece, so lighting was added to highlight this and add contrast. The lighting colors used follow the Roscolux gels R17, R14, and R66.