ArtMatic uses such radical concepts that to consider it as a mere graphics application would not be doing it justice. In fact, it started life as a way to create images that could be used as filters or displacement maps in UI Software's MetaSynth application and grew from there into a great eye-candy factory equally at home in video production and graphics design.
Many users are aware that fractals were used as early demos to show how fast a PowerPC machine could process numeric data, but since the results were so visually pleasing some developers started to extend it into more esthetic regions. ArtMatic uses an advanced-looking interface akin to those used by many of MetaCreations' products to control its state-of-the-art math engine. It uses flowchart-style diagrams to program exactly how the images get created and modified, not unlike the way some of the early software audio synthesis programs did.
Audio and visuals
Four tabbed panels at the top of the screen control image generation. The tiling tab allows for easy texture generation; since fractals can be used to modulate other fractals there are limitless possibilities that range from geo-vortex-like swirls to recursive colorful paisley wormholes. The screenshots in this review offer just a glimpse of what ArtMatic can do with still images.
Perhaps the most revealing tab is the rightmost Sound entry that takes ArtMatic back to its original intention. With this tab one can select from several sound sources that ArtMatic can modify with its animated images. This is a really fascinating feature that I expect will be added to the next major revision of UI's incredible MetaSynth audio generation fountain.
What is not visible from screen shots alone (but can be seen at the ArtMatic website) are the fluid animations that can be created from images. Using selections from two sets of parameters, ArtMatic will interpolate them to create the animation.
The ArtMatic CD ships with Eric Wegner's simply amazing Pattern Dance II production, which was created with ArtMatic, MetaSynth, MetaTrack and an uncredited video editor. Plenty of samples and presets are also included on the CD, which carries a $20 premium over the downloaded version.
The bottom line
ArtMatic may currently be the best example of the fusion between art and mathetmatics. ArtMatic is a small focused application that plays an integral part in UI Software's master plan of giving the average graphics and audio artist some of the tools available to the ILM's and MTV's of the world at a cost that's less than a pair of custom cowboy boots.
