Fractal Fashion
Rendering Julia sets in C and SDL
This C/SDL based Julia set renderer procedurally generates complex fractals by iteratively evaluating
z(n+1) = z(n)^2 + c over a discretized complex plane, where each pixel maps to a unique complex coordinate. The escape-time algorithm
determines divergence (|z| > 2) to produce self-similar, topologically rich structures, while iteration counts are converted via a custom
HSL→RGB pipeline in C to yield smooth, vivid gradients enhancing perceptual detail.
Direct pixel buffer manipulation
with SDL_UpdateTexture ensures efficient GPU rasterization, and optimizations such as cache-coherent memory layout,
branch-prediction-aware loops, and double-precision arithmetic preserve accuracy during deep zooms, enabling
real-time exploration of intricate fractal patterns.
click to see enlarged photos
Zoomed in views of statically generated Julias
Mouse interaction for dynamic Julia sets