The Computational Beauty of Nature
Computer Explorations of Fractals, Chaos,
Complex Systems, and Adaptation


About the Book
  · title page
  · home*
  · cover artwork
  · jacket text
  · table of contents
  · the author*
  · ordering information
Book Contents
  · three themes
  · part synopses
  · selected excerpts
  · all figures from book
  · quotes from book
  · glossary from book
  · bibliography
  · slide show
Source Code
  · overview &
documentation
  · FAQ list*
  · download source code
  · java applets
Miscellany
  · news*
  · reviews & awards
  · errata
  · for educators
  · bibliography (BibTeX format)
  · other links
Cover Artwork


Cover Artwork The cover for The Computational Beauty of Nature was produced in three stages by three people. The original illustrations of the flying fish were made by Patrick Lynch, Director of Yale University School of Medicine's Center for Advanced Instructional Media. Gary Flake cannibalized Lynch's fish with The Gimp editor, made the colors look as unnatural as possible, and morphed them to some home grown circuitry. Finally, Jeannet Leendertse did the titles and layout.

The very first printing of the book contains a blooper * on the jacket, which reads: ``Cover illustration: `Original Flying Fish,' created by Patrick Lynch.'' While Lynch is responsible for all of the ``art'' in the cover artwork, I and the MIT Press didn't think it fair to place the blame for the final result on his shoulders. Subsequent printings will have a different credit. In any event, if your copy of the book contains the credit above, then you can be sure you have a book from the first printing.

Copyright © Gary William Flake, 1998-2002. All Rights Reserved. Last modified: 30 Nov 2002