Firstly you will need some sort of art editing software, Gimp, Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop or other program that allows layering.

You will also need Liz Tomchek’s wonderful 'erfect Spiral' script: [link]

Liz is not a member of dA, however I am sure she does not mind her script being used by anyone. This script is 3D compatible.

I find it is best to make my image from scratch in this case. You will need 2 transforms (triangles) to start with.. If you are not sure how to do that. Click on the small white icon on the far left of the transforms window. This will give you your first transform. Do not do anything to it, it's default setting is Linear, if you are using the 3D hack then it will default to Linear 3D. Next make your second triangle, by clicking on the next icon which is green with a + sign. They will be lying on top of each other. You need to set Linear to '0' and you can experiment with any other setting to get something you think may make a good spiral... Then use the 'erfect Spiral script. The spiral you will have could be huge and you will have to reduce the size to enable any further work. OK now it fits the screen. It may look dreadful, so do a bit of tweaking and change the transform setting until you get something that looks half way decent.

Adjust the gradient, for fine gradient adjustment click on ‘Colour’ on the transforms window, make sure the red triangle is showing (Number 1) in the little box. set the colour symmetry to .9 and adjust the slider. Sometimes you will have to change the gradient many times to get something you like at all...

Next step, click on FX set Linear 3D to '0' scroll down to the butterfly plugin and set it to '1'. You should now have something that looks a bit like half a butterfly. Now adjust the FX triangle until you get the best you can as a half butterfly...

Render in the usual way.

Final step is to open your image in your image editing program tidy up as usual. You may have to remove a few straggly bits in the middle as they will overlap the other half. Then using the magic wand copy the half butterfly.

Now add a new Raster Layer to your image and paste in the new half butterfly. You will then have to 'mirror' image it and adjust it to fit right up against the half you already have.

Your butterfly will still need a lot of tidying up and it will have a few stragglers to brush out, however I hope you now have the idea as to how to make an Apophysis Butterfly.

I hope this article is of use to you. It has a lot of tips you can apply to other images.

Have fun Roz