Tessellation

This Exploration of Tessellations will

guide you through the following:

Definition of
Tessellation

Line
Method

Gap
Method

Tessellations
Around Us

Slice
Method

View artistic
tessellations
by
M.C. Escher

Create your
own
Tessellation

What is a Tessellation?
A Tessellation is a collection of shapes
that fit together to cover a surface
without overlapping or leaving gaps.

Tessellations in the World Around Us:

Brick Walls

Honeycombs

Floor Tiles

Checkerboards

Textile Patterns

Art

Can you think of some more?

Tesselation

The Beginnings

The original word tessellation comes

from Ancient Greek word a Tessera
or Tessella is the small dice sized
piece of stone used in mosaics.

Therefore, as the
dictionary suggests,
the original
tessellations were
mosaics (right).

Tessellations were first used in

the form of mosaics in about
3000 BC in Ancient
Mesopotamia.

The tilings in the Alhambra in

Spain were laid out by the
Moors in the 14th century.

They are made of

coloured tiles forming
patterns, many truly
symmetrical, geometrical
and beautiful.

Some were not tessellations

because they didn't cover a
surface with a repetitive design
without gaps or overlaps.
However, many of the Alhambra's
patterns were true tessellations

The word 'tessera' in latin

means a small stone cube.

They were used to make up

'tessellata' - the mosaic
pictures forming floors and
tilings in Roman buildings

A Roman floor
mozaic:
Big picture,
small square
tiles.

Nowadays, the term

"tessellation" has become
more specialized. Its
meaning has changed

Now it means pictures or

tiles that aren't just square
shaped.

Usually, particularly in Eschstyle tessellations, the tiles

aren't square.
The individual tiles are the
shape of animals, people, and
things.

They inspired the young M.C

Escher, who copied these
geometric tessellations into
his notebooks and later
converted some into
tessellations of animals or
people

Escher defined "tessellation"

as "the regular division of a
plane"

At Tessellations.org, we use
a similar definition:
"Repeating shapes or
patterns that cover a surface
without gaps or overlaps."

In our opinion, the shapes in a

tessellation can be geometric
like squares and triangles, or
shaped like animals and people.
surface can be square like a
pageorround like a CD. It can
be flat or cover a 3D object like
a lampshade, shoebox, donut,
baseball, or soccer ball.

Escher's
drawing of
Alhambra
tiling.

Two
tessellations
in the
Alhambra

Escher's Tessellations

Tessellation Or Not?

This is a
professionally done
photo on loan to us
from
Ben and Bear, an ec
o-friendly handbag
maker
.
Can you decide
whether this is a
tessellation?

 In the lower left half of the

photo, definitely "yes"
because the feathers fit together
without gaps or overlaps
and clearly, that pattern could be
repeated forever to fill an infinite
2D plane.
However, in the upper right half
of the photo, many of the
feathers are overlapping.
The "tiles" in a tessellation
shouldn't overlap.

This is a piece
of symmetry art
done by David
Annal,
Is it a
tessellation?

There are gaps-- large

unused spaces-- in the art.
Look between the front paw
of any cat and the nearest tail.
Look above each ear, too.
Do you see a large unused
space?
The "tiles" in a tessellation
should fit together with only a
thin constant line between
them, like a jigsaw puzzle's
pieces. Below the gaps to
green so they're easy to see.
A proper tessellation would
have no gaps.

This is a beautiful
piece of symmetry
art by Dr. David
Annal.
Can you decide
whether this is a
tessellation?

"No".
The basic shape repeats perfectly.
If this were just empty shapes, it
would be an OK and slightly boring
tessellation.
However, if this is a picture of
houses, the answer is emphatically
"no" because we can't see the
whole front of each house.
Those red roofs covers up the
lower part of the houses behind
them.
We shouldn't be distracted by the
fact that each individual tile looks a
little like a row of mushrooms.
A proper tessellation should fit
together without gaps or overlaps.

Line Method

Line Method
This method is capable of producing some
unexpected tessellations! As explained in
'basics', you must start with a shape that
will tessellate.

- in

this case an equilateral

triangle. You can lay down a grid if
you want but as each side is
equal...

1. First - draw a wavy line.

2. Move it so the ends meet as shown

You now have 2 sides of the triangle...

3. Draw a straight construction line joining the ends of the

2 wavy lines. Mark the centre. This line will be removed
later.

4. If you have layers, use a new one. Draw another wavy line from
one end of the construction line to the middle.

5. Copy and paste this line. Now you need to rotate it

180. Move it to bridge the gap...
.

6. This is the arty part - can you see the shape of an animal or flower? Different
people will see different things. There is no right answer! If you really can't see
anything with yours then try again with another start line.
Did you see an animal here...?

7. I saw a calf's head!

Whatever you have, it will now tessellate. Copy and paste another...

7.

I saw a calf's head!

Whatever you have, it will now tessellate. Copy and
paste another...

8. If you make alternate ones a different colour they will show

up better and not run into each other. You will need to rotate
some of them through + or - 60 to get them to fit.

9. Continue filling them in until you have filled the page.

9. Continue filling them in until you have filled

the page.

10. Here is the complete picture with the calves completely filling all the space with no gaps - a true tessellation!
9. Continue filling them in until you have filled the page.
Carry on to see the framework on which it is based and to see a larger picture of the finished tessellation...

10. Here is the complete picture with

the calves completely filling all the
space with no gaps - a true
tessellation!
Carry on to see the framework on
which it is based and to see a larger
picture of the finished tessellation...

11. If we overlay a grid, you can

see how each individual picture is
based on an equilateral triangle.

Line Method - Example 2

1. This time we'll start with a grid of kites...

1. This time we'll start with a grid

of kites...

2. Draw a wavy line down one of the long

sides. If you have a program that supports
layers, it is easier for subsequent steps if
you use a new layer for this...

3. Now copy the line and paste it back. Flip it

horizontally and then rotate it to line up with the
other side. Move into position...

4. Now, in a new layer, draw a

random shaped line along one
of the short sides...

5. Copy the line, flip it vertically and move it

into place along the remaining short side...

6. Does the whole shape remind you of anything? Fill

it in and look at it. If you really can't see anything,
maybe there is nothing there - so start again.
Did you see the same thing I did in this one?

7. A seal!!

8. Copy it into the other kite shapes. Look at the

spaces in between...

9. Another set of seals will exactly fit when flipped

vertically! Colour them differently so they show up
better and don't merge into the others.

Slice Method

Slice Method
First, let's look at a very simple one to
show the method.
1. Start with a shape that we know can
tessellate - in this case, a square...

2. Mark out a shape to be

cut out on one side...

3. Cut out the slice and

place it on the opposite
side...

4. This shape will tessellate like this...

4. This shape will tessellate like

this...

5.

And it's possible to make a simple symmetrical

picture with it.
In step 4, it was a tessellation. It's not, now. It's
important that you realize, this is technicallynota
proper tessellation now. Why? Well, a proper
tessellation "fills a space with no gaps or
overlaps". When this was just an abstract shape,
it was a proper tessellation. Now, though, it's a
picture of houses, and because obviously the
houses overlap, it isn't a proper tessellation.
The bottom of each house is hidden behind the
roof of the house below it.

Gap Method

Gap Method
This method always results in a picture
with at least 2 dissimilar motifs.

1. Take a suitable graphic...

2. Fill the page with a pattern of them. They

can be arranged in any repetitive symmetric
way.
Now the difficult bit - look at a gap. Could
you fill it with an appropriate picture? (Some
of Escher's double motifs are far from
appropriate and bear little relation to each
other)

3. Another eagle, perhaps?

Hint - when trying pictures use layers if you have
them. Make a selection of a gap and paste the trial
picture behind it. You can then move it about, resize it
to fit and chop bits off, as appropriate.

4. Fill in the remaining gaps and you have a

tessellation!

Gap Method
Example No. 2

1. Select or draw a picture...

2. Arrange some more to fill the

page in a regular way.
Look at the gaps. Any ideas? What
do pelicans usually have in their
beaks?

Fish?

3. Fish?

4. Fill in the rest.

Hint - Just draw one fish. Using a lasso tool, make
a rough selection round it including some pelican.
Now copy and paste. Move to exact spot over next
pelican. If using 'Photoshop', the cursor keys can
be used to nudge it gently into place. Repeat for
other gaps.

There a three types of

tessellations:
Translation, Rotation,
and Reflection.

TRANSLATION
A Tessellation
which the
shape repeats by
moving or sliding.

"Scarabs" 1953

Notice how the Scarabs and Owls translate from

side to side, as well as, up and down as they repeat.

Student work, "Owls" - 2011

ROTATION
-A Tessellation
which the
shaperepeats
byrotating or
turning..

"Fish" 1964

Student work
"Snooty Queen"
2011

Notice how
the Fish and
the Queens
rotate as
they repeat
over and
over.

Horsemen"
1946
REFLECTION - A
Tessellation
which the
shape repeats
by reflecting or
flipping.

Notice how the Horsemen and Fish reflect

each other as they repeat.
Student work "Tropical Fish" - 2011

APPLICATION
(ACTIVITY)

DESIGN YOUR OWN

TESSELLATION

Materials Needed:
Bond Paper
Pencil or Pen
Ruler

Start doing your design

Assignment:
Define :
Physical Fitness
Physical Education
Reference: Any MAPEH
Textbook or Internet