Interview with
CabinTomFriday, August 24, 2007
Good evening!
It is with great pleasure that we (
JennDixonPhotography and
bcre80v) bring you CabinTom. We don't believe there is a fractal artist on DA that doesn't know CabinTom by now, however, if you are not acquainted with him, his fractals and scripts, we hope this interview will tempt you to get to know him and his work.
Without further ado, here's
CabinTomWhich is your favorite script (your own or others)?That's a tough question... well I don't use other people's scripts (I've got to many of my own to deal with
)... I'd say that my favorite script changes almost daily. Yesterday, I was really into 'Windows', a couple of days before that was 'Blade Forms', and now I'm back to playing with 'Globules'.
How did you get started with fractaling and implicitly with scripting in Apophysis?I've always loved digital art, and the idea of using a program to mathematically generate art really excited me (I'm a little bit of a computer nerd... not too much though, just a little bit), so I downloaded the program and went from there.
As for scripting. In my first semester of University I took a class on the basics of C++. I liked the idea that I could write short programs to calculate stuff for me, so I looked into a bit more indepth than required. Around the same time I downloaded Apophysis (which uses a similar scripting language) and quickly realized I could transfer my newfound knowledge and fledgling skills into an artistic medium.
Your gallery is full of diverse styles of Apophysis fractals. Which is your favorite and why?Much like which script is my favorite; my favorite style of fractal changes all of the time... though I must say I really like the stuff the Faber brothers do because I haven't a clue how to do it myself. It gives me a goal to shoot for.
Are you a programmer by trade?Not at all! It's a bit of an interest, but not much more than that.
Have you ever considered making your own version of Apophysis since the code is Open Source?I've thought about looking into quite a few times, but then I realize that I don't have the time for such an endeavor.
What is your favorite past-time?I've got a very tight-nit group of friends (we're closer than family), so my favorite thing to do is hang around with them. Unfortunately, we're also growing up (4 of them just got married... that is 2 couples) and I don't get the opportunity as often as I used to.
Why do you think Apophysis is such a popular program?The community is a big part of it. Everyone wants to help everyone else. Another big part of it, in my opinion, is the sheer variety of (good) results possible; with practice and help, great and awesome art pieces can be made.
Who/what is your inspiration?I can't say I have received any inspiration from anywhere, but instead I'd say what drives me to continue scripting and creating are the other Apo users here on dA. I love that I am able to share and help you all out. Truly, it's an awesome feeling to see someone get excited about a fractal they've made with the help of one of your scripts, gradients, or tutorials.
I see you've been listening to Blindside. What's your favorite song?It's a toss up between '
ainting' and 'Silence'. Painting is a song that talks about hope, how things will get better.
"It's ok if you break, You'll see colors again. This is more than you can take, You'll see colors again. It's you life that's at stake, You'll see colors again."
It's a song that helped me get through some really dark times in my life.
Silence, is a song about contemplating and praying (things I love doing) and how you get great revelations about life and God when you're in that silent state.
Hmmm... now I want to go listen to that CD!
What new features/capabilities would you add to Apophysis if you had a choice?The ability to undo more than one step at a time. There are a few other things, but they aren't realistic hopes.
Ultra Fractal has a large community of formula, coloring, and transform writers. Have you ever considered expanding your fractal parameter/script/gradient writing talents?Apophysis is complicated enough for me! I though about it maybe once, but I know I should just focus on one thing 'cause it's the only way to get really good at anything.
Even though you don't know who the next featured artist is, what question would you pose them for the interview?I'll have to think about this some.... ... .. .. ... ... ... ... hmm... ... ...
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Our picks from CabinTom's gallery************************************************
CabinTom's Scripts & Gradients
