3D fractal gif and wallpaper, nice and easy - basic tutorial

Do You like fractals? Sure You do! So here is a tutorial how to get started with them. In few steps You will learn how to make Your own 3d fractal gif and wallpaper and You will get familiar with the interface of Mandelbulb 3D. Be aware, that I am showing You basics and there is more to play with in Mandelbulb 3D. When You finish this tutorial, please - explore. It gets easier when You get familiar with it. Let’s begin!

1)Download Mandelbulb3D
I chose Mandelbulb3D software - it’s easier for the beginner. You can download it here:
http://www.mandelbulb.com/2014/mandelbulb-3d-mb3d-fractal-rendering-software/
When it’s done, install it wherever You like, then launch and proceed to the next step.

2)Programme will welcome You with that View.
On the left You see the 2D representation of default fractal. I underlined it for You:

3)Now, You can: A - change the view size, or B - Calculate the 3D view. I would start with option A. (You can do other stuff too, but first things first).
Warning: clicking on the view will change the camera position - let’s wait with that.

Change the resolution to 960x720 with scale buttons, and press Calculate 3D button (option B). This is, what You will see:

4)You Can play with the camera position and it's angles using mouse (I asked You not to do that before. Now You can!) or using the dropdown menus - click the buttons i marked and You will be able to play with positions on x, y, z axis, or You will be able to reset the view (in rotation menu, reset will set the view to up-down perspective - check the coordinates before playing with them)

You can change the effect of mouse clicks at the bottom of the view.

Press Calculate 3D button after every change to see the changes.
If You don't like the effect, You can click the undo button - remember it's location

I will leave the camera position as it was.

5)Let's change our fractal's shape. Focus Your arttention on the Formulas window on the right, click 3d button and You will see the dropdown menu with predefined formulas.

Choose Riemann formula, Press Calculate 3D button and You should get this:

6)Now set the Power number to 15, and Min. Iterations to 2
Notice the Reset button - it will fix Your mess

press Calculate 3D button, and You should get this:

Looks Ok for me.
7)Let's change object's colors. Click the Lightning button and Lightning window should open on the right side.

As You see, there are plenty options to change ambient, fog, background picture, and object colors - let's focus on that option. Click Object.

Let's change only Specular colors - of course there are lots of other options to play with. Click the gradient image I marked.

It will open the coloring window:

Play with the sliders, until You see something You like. You can also change the colors from which You will randomize the color spectrum. When Yo're done, click on the Navigator button:

Now the fun begins!
8)The Navigator let's You walk around and inside Your shape. Under it's view, You can see the keyboard settings that help You to move. Play with it, get familiar, then "scroll away" and click Ani.keyfr button.

This sets the first animation keyframe - set of coordinations where the animation would start. . Once You press it, the animation window opens. Fly around and inside the object, and set Your keyframes. Camera will fly from keyframe to keyframe. Remember that rendering the animation, even gif, will take some time. The more of the keyframes there are, the more time rendering will consume. You can always delete the keyframe in the animation window.

9)You see something pretty? Press View to main button in navigator window. Now You have this view on Your main window and You can save that view as the wallpaper!

Set the lightning options (marked green) with dynamic fog and ambient sliders (red), set fog's color (violet) or use presets if You want (blue). You can always use the undo button (marked yellow). Then set the image's resolution to fit for Your screen(orange) and click Calculate 3D button.

At last - save Your picture. Click Save Pic button, choose it's quality and optional sharpness, then click JPG.

Set the name and destination and enjoy Your pic.

Then Lower the resolution and let's get back to our frames!
10)If You're done with generating Your keyframes in Navigator, click the Animation button, and then "tick" Fast and inaccurate bracket (we don't have all day) and finally click Render preview button. You Can also set framerate to 10. It will take some time from now, be patient.

You may also click Start rendering animation images (marked orange), but it will last some time, even few hundred minutes (depends on Your hardware). I haven't been patient enough. let's focus on animation preview.
When the animation preview stops rendering, click AniGif button, set the name and location and wait until it renders again.

Congratulations, You finished the tutorial!