Mandelbrot the fractal teddy-bear

Jake von Slatt sez, "This is a fractal Teddy Bear named Mandelbrot, he was brought into this world a few weeks ago by my friend Captain Mouse as a gift for her brother."

Mandelbrot the Fractal Bear (Thanks, Jake!)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: Happy Mutants • Kids • maker

More at Boing Boing

The technology that links taxonomy and Star Trek

Hackers prepare for first "national holiday" in their honor

Hentosz

Yeah, I don’t get the “creepy” reaction at all, either. Very cute, Mouse. Next time sprout out the feet, too!
Jake von Slatt

Wow! I’m really surprised out how many people find Mandelbrot creepy! How could you not love something that can hug you on the molecular level?
Anonymous

I am reminded of the perfect expression of infinity:

A tattoo on a butt, OF a butt, with a butt tattoed on the tattoo butt.

I am totally going to get it one day
Agent 86

Delightful, and not even creepy! Cpt Mouse (if you happen to be a BB reader) how long did this take to make? Seems like a fun gift for a nerdy Valentines.
LSK

Creepy.
eclectro

I have to agree with #8 Maturin, that it is related to the “thing.” It is all nice and cuddly until it gets close enough to paw you with it’s eight heads so it can drink your brains with a straw.

Kind of like a friendly Cthulhu.
General Specific

Want.
fogonthetoon

Possibly the most disturbing thing I have ever seen.
GammaBlog

Yes, very creepy, should have been tagged Unhappy Mutants.
Patrick Dodds

Not creepy. Happy.
Anonymous

I think it is clever and cool.
Rezpect

I really love this.
maturin

looks live John Carpenter’s THE THING got a hold of a polar bear
Tenn

This is incredible I want one. Great job, Mouse!
gothicgeek

sweet and funny!

not creepy at all…..
Factran

Look ! Here is an animated gif fractal bear.
http://www.cyriak.co.uk/gifs022.html

The idea of a fractal bear was also (but less) experimented in this Philip Starck Bear :
http://www.trendsnow.net/trends_now_/2007/04/teddybearband.html

I find this Creepy and happy at the same time !!
kiltreiser

Eww, not too keen on that. Now I have images of a creepy teddy spawning infinite numbers of tiny creepy teddies. So much for sleeping tonight…
Robbo

Want want want want want.
deon

good night my friend, save your self for a good people, please, help me for backlink
John Markos O’Neill

It reminds me of Matt Groening’s “The 24 Warning Signs of Stress.” The panel is “Weird Dreams,” a rabbit with rabbits growing out of its ears. “Very Weird Dreams” are the same, except with more rabbits growing out of the ear rabbits.
Noelegy

Chernobyl bear!
eustace

As they get smaller (and more numerous) they get happier! Check out the smiles (those available without microscopy, that is).
Cloudform

Very cool—this is very similar, but I think it gets the fractal aspect down better, given what the object itself (nesting doll) is recursive:

http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2008/08/manifesta-the-chernobyld-matri.php
bolamig

By far the coolest sewing project I’ve seen. Much cooler than the felt owl pillows that seem all the rage these days. I like that the fur even has a fractally quality to it. I like the unintentional cancer creepiness too. Nice job!
Gexydaf

Certainly a conversation piece :D
Ian70

Isn’t it enough to know that I ruined a teddy,
making a gift for you?
palindromic

Not sure if want..
iveexa

#26: “fractally oversexed”? Now that’s a phrase that scares me to death …
arkizzle

“fractally oversexed”

Yeah, that Julia Set. She just goes on and on and on..
arkizzle

That’s just her porn name though, she’s listed in the phone book, recursively..
Shelby Davis

Love the idea of a fractal plushie–but can’t help thinking of choriocarcinoma from “When You Care, You Love” by Sturgeon.
TharkLord

Yes. Thats what I want.

When I first heard about those “Build-A-Bear” stores I thought they actually let kids add the arms, legs and head. What a great opportunity for childish creativity and adult irreverance! Sadly, they just get to dress the damn thing. More programming for the consumer society.

What a great store it would be if they had bins of arms, legs, eyes, tentacles, horns, tails, etc. All in fuzzy, plushy forms!

sigh…
mightymouse1584

wow. i hope he makes more of these. i would definitely want one!
Haesae

love love love.
want want want.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cha0tic

Probably the greatest soft toy in the universe.
urshrew

Appreciate the idea, but:

Nightmare Fuel.
Takuan

gives me an idea; a crib with mirror sides.
dbarak

The copy editor in me comes out: The L is missing in Mandelbrot in the article title and the HTML page title. Just FYI.
planettom

The problem with making one of these is that you can never finish…you have to keep adding on smaller and smaller Teddy Bear growths…
Brad S.

It’s cute and all, but did it instantly remind anyone else of the two-headed calf???
Takuan

two headed calf? as a stuffed toy? Brilliant!
Takuan

how about a stuffed plushie Beast of Revelation? Leviathan? Behemoth? Pazuzu from the Exorcist?
holtt

I’m waiting for Mandelbrats (fractal sausages) or MandelBratz (fractally oversexed dolls).

Of course there are Mandelbrains (the closer you look at someone, the smarter you realize they are), Mandelbras (cups within cups) and the Mandelbro of course.
LB

As someone who remember what it was like to anthropomorphize stuffed animals as a kid:

CREEPY.
Takuan

http://lifeloom.com/BehemothBlake.jpg
Takuan

Barsoom plushies? Or how about all the beasts from the Heinlein juveniles (star beast, martian bouncer…)
hereaftermouse

AGENT 86: It took about a day of sewing – maybe 11 hours. That doesn’t include trying to find the parts though.

I had no idea people would find it creepy when I made it… Maybe that says something about me?
Takuan

I think it’s sweet.
GammaBlog

The teddy is sprouting cancerous tumors with eyes and mouths, or it has hand puppets that have hand puppets.