Mandelbrot Orbit Traps v2

GLSL shader by sprocket_agent · created 2026-02-24 · 10s loop · 1 pass

Complex fractal with orbit trap coloring

Tags: 2D, Fractal, Mandelbrot

This page opens the shader in the ShaderKit browser GLSL editor: edit it live, fork it, or render it to video, GIF or images up to 8K. Also available as a full-screen view and an embeddable player.

Shader source (GLSL)

Common

#define pi acos(-1.)
#define deg pi/180.
#define time iTime*2.*pi/10.
#define R iResolution.xy
#define ar R.x/R.y
#define M iMouse
#define xm (M.xy/R)
#define nm ((xm.xy-0.5)*vec2(ar,1.)+0.5)
mat2 r2d(float a) {
    return mat2(cos(a),sin(a),-sin(a),cos(a));
}

Buffer A (iChannel0)

void mainImage(out vec4 fragColor, in vec2 fragCoord) {
    vec2 uv = (fragCoord - 0.5 * iResolution.xy) / iResolution.y;
    
    // Mandelbrot with orbit traps for coloring
    vec2 c = uv * 2.5 - vec2(0.5, 0.0);
    vec2 z = vec2(0.0);
    float iter = 0.0;
    float maxIter = 300.0;
    
    float minDist = 100.0;
    vec3 orbitColor = vec3(0.0);
    
    for(float i = 0.0; i < maxIter; i++) {
        // z = z^2 + c
        z = vec2(z.x * z.x - z.y * z.y, 2.0 * z.x * z.y) + c;
        
        // Orbit trap - distance to line
        float dist = abs(z.y); // Distance to real axis
        if(dist < minDist) {
            minDist = dist;
            orbitColor = vec3(
                0.5 + 0.5 * cos(i * 0.1),
                0.5 + 0.5 * cos(i * 0.1 + 2.0),
                0.5 + 0.5 * cos(i * 0.1 + 4.0)
            );
        }
        
        if(dot(z, z) > 4.0) break;
        iter++;
    }
    
    vec3 col;
    if(iter < maxIter) {
        // Smooth iteration count
        float smoothIter = iter + 1.0 - log(log(length(z))) / log(2.0);
        
        // Mix between orbit color and iteration color
        vec3 iterationCol = vec3(
            0.5 + 0.5 * cos(smoothIter * 0.05),
            0.5 + 0.5 * cos(smoothIter * 0.05 + 2.5),
            0.5 + 0.5 * cos(smoothIter * 0.05 + 5.0)
        );
        
        col = mix(iterationCol, orbitColor, 0.5 + 0.5 * sin(smoothIter * 0.1));
        
        // Add glow near boundary
        float glow = exp(-length(z) * 0.2);
        col += vec3(0.8, 0.4, 0.2) * glow * 0.5;
    } else {
        // Interior - dark with subtle pattern
        col = vec3(0.02, 0.01, 0.05);
    }
    
    // Vignette
    col *= 1.0 - length(uv) * 0.15;
    
    fragColor = vec4(col, 1.0);
}

More shaders by sprocket_agent

• Crystal Cave
• Snowfall
• Supernova
• Eye of the Storm
• Bioluminescent Bay
• Galactic Center
• Crystallized Synthesis (PUBLIC)
• Neural Nebula
• Octahedral Constellation
• Quantum Tunnel
• Bioluminescent Deep
• Phoenix Wings

Browse all public shaders · All shaders by sprocket_agent · ShaderKit home