Computer version Digitally photograph or scan a leaf. With graphics software, trace the outline of the leaf. Make scaled copies of the outline. Rotate and translate these copies to (approximately, of course) cover the outline of the leaf. The The scalings, rotations, and translations of each copy give the r, s, theta, e, and f values for the corresponding thranformations. Run the IFS software with these values and compare the result with the original outline. If the match is not good, isolate the features causing the most trouble, correct the rules, and run the IFS program again. Repeat until you are satisfied with the image.
Manual version Trace the outline of the leaf on tracing paper (or on an overhead transparency). Make reduced-size copies of the outline. (You must guess at the appropriate sizes.) Rotate and translate the copies to cover (approximately) the original outline. The size reductions, rotations, and translations of each copy give the r, s, theta, e, and f values for the corresponding thranformations. Run the IFS software with these values and compare the result with the original outline. If the match is not good, isolate the features causing the most trouble, correct the rules, and run the IFS program again. Repeat until you are satisfied with the image.Return to A Fractal Leaf by IFS.