Call and Response Tessellation Series

Two Canadian tessellation artists. There aren’t that many of us. One in Ontario, the other in BC. No, we have never met, other than through social media and texting. Through these platforms we have learned about many other tessellation artists around the globe. I think Escher would have been impressed with all these artists, influenced by his work. Even corresponding, learning and collaborating with them. He would not have been alone “beyond the garden gate”*.

Which brings me to today. LASTEST UPDATE : May 18, 2023

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2023 International Women’s Day Tessellation

On the forefront this year for sure, #IWD2023, March 8th. Two fronts actually. Two shows in Victoria (Canada) and my dueling inspiration, a game of tag with Jason Panda on Instagram. The first instance, a show at the Victoria Arts Council, I wrote about in a previous post. A juried show with the IWD premise celebrated for the whole of March, workshops, talks, conversations, panel discussions and of course, the artwork. And a showing of four tessellations at the Eckankar Centre, two blocks away.

Jason Panda? We became aware of our common passion for tessellations, a few years back, on social media. He is an excellent tessellation artist and a Canadian too. Ya.

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Two Shows this Spring, in Victoria, BC, Canada

Showing five tessellation prints starting in early March, 2023, on Vancouver Island.

A juried show at the Victoria Arts Council, in celebration of International Women’s Day 2023, “Levelling up, Breaking Down” will run from 4 –31 March in the VAC main gallery, 1800 Store Street, in Victoria, Canada. Gallery Hours are: Tuesday – Saturday from noon to 5pm. I will be showing a tessellation entitled “Push Back”, reproduced below.

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Take the NEW tessellation class and leave a review!

In the previous five classes we learned the first three symmetry methods used in creating nested shape tessellations and patterns. Mirror, rotation and translation. This class introduces and explains in depth, the fourth symmetry operation, the glide reflection. It was one of M.C. Escher’s favourites, having accomplished 25 drawings using this symmetry method.

If you want a month’s free access to these classes…

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Image Resolution Question

I had a question about resolution in KaleidoPaint this morning (reprinted below). If KP exports at 72 DPI, how do you get a good quality print, let’s say 300 DPI?

An excellent question, and one concept that is not easily understood. But once you get it, it will stick with you for your whole artist’s career.

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KaleidoPaint iPad App Help

A new version of KaleidoPaint has arrived. Here you will find:

  1. A link to the side by side comparison of the new features vs. previous
  2. Jeff’s List of upgrades for V3.0
  3. Many youtube videos about tessellations
  4. Skillshare classes on the different symmetry groups
  5. Help files on previous versions
  6. Drawing a tessellation in each symmetry group
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Simple Quick Patterns and Tessellations

This new class shows you easy ways to create quick patterns as well as new ways to vary your pattern layouts. TWENTY patterns in THIRTY minutes. We will use the four previous class symmetries to create these patterns showcasing the simplicity of the line.

All you need for this class is a good dose of imagination, an iPad, and a stylus. No need for advanced drawing skills. No math skills. No geometry jargon. No programming. Not even scissors and carboard.

And the KaleidoPaint iPad app is free!

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Hiking Season, hiker tessellations

From initial first lines to final print, with a funny twist at the end. A video, a short one, showing you the first two lines required to draw a most simple nested shape tessellation. It’s easy to draw tessellations if you have an iPad, the free KaleidoPaint App from the iTunes store and the magic sentence to get you started, one simple trick for each symmetry method.

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Another tessellation class is LIVE!

This time, we will zero-in on symmetry group P3, the Three Cozy Buddies is how I like to call these character arrangements. Humans, animals, birds and fish, or geometric designs, the topics are endless. If you know the artist M.C. Escher, then you’ve seen his wonderful tessellations.

All you need for this class is a good dose of imagination, an iPad, and a stylus. No need for advanced drawing skills. No math skills. No geometry jargon. No programming.

And the KaleidoPaint iPad app is free!

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