May 2017 Four Squares Challenge

Greetings UF artists! Are you ready for this month's new challenge?...

This is just an idea I had that I thought would give you all a chance to test your UF knowledge and skills. The challenge this month is simple:  you need to produce an image design that includes four or more DISTINCT square shapes.

Now, I don't want to see rectangles or ovals or ghostly shapes that might be called square if you look at them sideways through a net curtain - make no mistake, I WILL decline submissions like these so don't try to bend the rules!  

So: your squares must be clearly visible and definite and you must have at least four in your image.
The edges should ideally be quite sharp and well defined but I will accept SLIGHT distortions or wobbly edges as long as the basic shapes are obviously pretty square, with equal length sides. If you do try distortion techniques please don't be too extreme. The final decision on whether an entry follows these basic challenge requirements lies with me - I need to be fair to everyone and apply the rules equally to all.

OK then... what sort of things can you do, you may be asking yourself. Well have a look at the images featured below for a wide range of acceptable examples:



A few artists have done quite a lot of work with squares. For more inspiration I can recommend you have a look through the galleries of:

.   .   .


If you're still struggling for somewhere to start here are a few ideas:
Formulas to explore:

• Trapinski (sam)
• Martsam (sam) with SFBM II as Inside colouring

Colourings best used with pixel formula:

• Aleph-One (UF3) - dmj3.ucl
• Hevigon and Hevia colourings in akl.ucl
• KPK Squeezed Banana in kpk.ucl - Banana order of 1 produces lots of squares. Lots more params to play with too.
• SFBM II (squares) - various combinations of Noise function and Flavours 1 and 2 will create different shapes.

Mappings - just a few possibilities, look around for others!:

• Aperiodic tiling II - mosaic mode
• Checkerboard Clipping - try layering up squares of different sizes
• <<Family>> Mapping (sam.uxf) - some fun options to produce regular squares all over your canvas
• Frames (raf.uxf) will enable you to easily divide your canvas into squares that you can individually fill, if you like this idea.

General design ideas:

• Divide a square image into four, fill each square with a different design e.g. four seasons
• Design a fractal quilt - the top two templates in this pack would be suitable to work with:
  
  

I hope you will enjoy the Four Squares challenge. This might be difficult for some but that's the idea - to stretch you creatively! The idea is quite simple, let's see what you all can do! And if you can share your parameters, or even a single interesting layer, that would be great!

Be sure to come back to this journal in a few days in case further ideas or resources have been put forward in the comments.

Full rules below - you must read them!
Please don't make me have to explain because you haven't checked what's needed!