How you can turn boring math into something strange, beautiful, and fascinating.
Join in and discover the world of the complex, learn how you can turn numbers into art using your computer, a bit of programming and a lot of curiosity for experimentation! In this workshop, you will get a quick, straightforward, and interactive introduction to the basics of complex dynamics and the infamous Mandelbrot set, so we can get creative afterward and, together, hack the complex plane!
If you don't have NumPy, MATLAB, Julia or a similar numerical framework installed, we are happy to help you with the first steps. This is meant to be as inclusive as possible, so you're experience is not nearly as important as your motivation.
Introduction to Complex Numbers • How did that go again? Real? Imaginary? • Together, we’ll take our first baby steps on the complex plane.
The Mandelbrot Set • How do dynamic structures emerge from a simple equation? • And how can we use them to make pretty pictures?
Creating, Experimenting, Trying Things Out • Now it’s your turn! • How can we make the equation even stranger, and what will happen next? • What assumptions can we throw out the window to create even wilder images?
Animation • Static images are not thrilling enough? • We’ll find ways to add a time component to the calculations and make animations.
Wrap-Up • Let's share our craziest experiments. • What else would you want to try out?