Cellular automata may be used to generate patterns and textures. The "Pattern" transformation described here and used elsewhere on this site transforms a cellular automata rule to make it more suitable for pattern generation while retaining invariant system dynamics. It does this by using available state values to assign colors to some dead cells, based upon the number of generations since cell death during which at least one live neighbor was present and no birth occurred. The colored dead cells then form characteristic patterns and textures. Here's an example which compares a transformed rule to its original:

Brain 134
Brain 134 Patterns

The pattern generation rule tranformation seems to work best for cellular automata decay rules which continually rework their worlds. Three of the best are Strictly Modern 1 Patterns, Brain 134 Patterns and the amazing Fractal Triangles Pattern Rule, a cellular automata rule which produces both moving and stationary fractal patterns. Other examples of pattern transformed rules including Brian's Brain and Star Wars may be viewed in the August Addition Rules.

The pattern generation rule tranformation is applicable to canonical format Modern Cellular Automata rules with less than nine states. Canonical rule format is documented at Modern Cellular Automata Words. Here's the specification of the Brain 134 rule: 

   n00134.01340.13400.
   c2.n0.c4.n5.n2
Brain 134 uses only six of Modern Cellular Automata's nine available states, so three additional state values may be used for coloring dead cells. Here's the specification of the Brain 134 Patterns rule: 
   n06134.61346.13466.
   c2.n0.c4.n5.n2.
   n67134.71347.13477.
   n78134.81348.13488.
   n80134.01340.13400

Pattern Transformation Calculator

The following calculator may be used to transform a single canonical format step into its pattern equivalent.

Enter a canonical step to be transformed:

Transformed step: