Tutorial

This tutorial is available within the app or on the app's web page.

Page contents:

Overview

MandelBrowser is a simple Android app that lets you explore fractals including the most famous Mandelbrot Set. Fractals are mathematical objects that can be infinitely zoomed into showing more and more fascinating details with miniatures of the original shape among them.

The app renders images of escape-time fractals which are generated by repeatedly computing a given formula until a certain escape condition holds or an iteration count limit is reached. More details can be found in the Computing fractal images section.

NOTE: you are free to use the images and videos generated with the app for any purpose, this includes the app's built-in examples.


An example zoom-in of the double spiral valley of the Mandelbrot Set.

The main screen displays a fractal image that can be navigated using pinch-to-zoom, double-tap, and pan gestures. The image is rendered on the fly while navigating therefore the quality may be decreased depending on the image complexity. When you stop navigating the app starts rendering a full quality image indicating the progress by a progress bar on the top of the screen.

Use the scrollbar to interactively change the image parameters. When no parameters are available the scrollbar is hidden and you can see only its menu button .

Use the following buttons to access the app's features:

choose a built-in color palette or one of your custom palettes
choose a built-in paint mode or one of your custom paint modes
choose a built-in photo or one of your custom photos to be used in a photo paint mode
apply an image filter
choose a built-in fractal type or one of your custom fractal types, the icon represents the currently selected fractal type
start a real-time zoom in video
start a real-time zoom out video
open the gallery containing built-in examples and your saved spots
show the app's action menu (including saving, sharing, and settings)
hide the scrollbar and the buttons (distraction-free mode)
select a pinch mode (image zooming, rotation or stretching)
randomly change the image

All the features are described in detail in this tutorial.

Please send your questions by email mandelbrowser.app@gmail.com or by Instagram DM @mandelbrowser. Your comments and suggestions would be also greatly appreciated.

back to top

Table of contents

back to top

Credits

I would like to thank the authors of the following Android fractal generators which I have found a great source of inspiration. You did a great job.

Thank you Jussi Härkönen for your Master's Thesis 'On Smooth Fractal Coloring Techniques'.

Special thanks to @john_bonobo for helping me better understand the orbit trap method, and to Rob 'Avernite' Hewitt for sending innumerable ideas for improving the app.

I appreciate the feedback I got from the users of the earlier versions of the app. I hope you will enjoy the implementation of your ideas.

Thank you very much for all the alpha-testers and early prototype users for your comments and suggestions.

Finally, I would like to thank my wife and daughters for all your patience during the app's development.

Tomasz Śmigielski

back to top