The music you are hearing is generative MIDI music composed by Yo Kubota. Visit the website at http://www.fin.ne.jp/~yokubota/ to listen to more of this extraordinary music, based upon the Mandelbrot Set.

The work below has been created for two reasons:
The first is my insatiable curiosıty when it comes to computer generated and/or mathematical image creation and the utilisation of the random element in art and design. I feel that as an educator I have to take into account the fact that creativity has gotten to be not so much about "making from scratch" but more about utilising resources and knowing when and where to use the generated or "found" image and how to combine it with elements of our choice. The plugins we use in software such as photoshop or illustrator are generative by their very definition. We use stock photography and clip art, instead of painstakingly shooting photographs or spending hours drawing. All this is par for the course. But, what to me is really fascinating is the generative image and sound creation software that abounds on the internet. Mostly this software is used in amateurish and romantisiced attempts to create pretty, mandala-like images or background patterns, or ambient background noise. But is there a place for it in the repertoire of the serious creator? Can we, in fact use this software to express concepts and moods? And if so, should we not be making serious attempts at incorporating it into our teaching curricula?

Which brings me to my second reason for maybe not creating, but publishing my "generative" work. I want to encourage my students to think "generative", i.e. to experiment, to investigate. Working with generative software is not as easy as is generally made out. The process can often be frustrating. But what is probably hardest is the decision making process involved: What to keep and what to discard? How to not be seduced by the "pretty" or intersting images and sounds that we come up with, but keep on plugging away until we get what we need for the particular task in hand...

The work below was created using generative software. The typography, as well as the assemblage of the generative material was made using traditional design methods. The software used is as follows:

Attractors:
Chaoscpoe v.0.1
http://www.chaoscope.org/

Fractals:
Fractal Explorer v.2.0
http://www.eclectasy.com/Fractal-Explorer/

Ultra Fractal v.3.0
http://www.ultrafractal.com/

Vectors:
Auto Illustrator v.1.2
http://www.signwave.co.uk/

Adobe Illustrator (various plugins)
http://www.adobe.com

Macromedia Freehand MX (extrude tool)
http://www.macromedia.com

Bitmap:
Autoshop v.0.1
http://www.signwave.co.uk/

Adobe Photoshop v.7.0 (Generative Brushes)
http://www.adobe.com

Assembly and Typography:
Adobe Photoshop v.7.0
http://www.adobe.com