Learn to create tessellation patterns with easy step-by-step lessons and plenty of examples. You will be drawing true nested shape tessellations in no time at all. No cardboard, no scissors, we will dive into all the symmetry groups over the next while. Using your iPad tablet, I will show you all the tricks I have learned in the last decade of drawing nested shape tessellations using KaleidoPaint. You will become a tessellation artist!
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These designs were structured using different symmetry groups, but using similar arcs pinned in a specific location. It creates a pleasing gradation enhanced with a colour blend.
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For some unknown reason lately, symmetry group P31m has been number one for my latest efforts at creating tessellations. I’m not a big fan of mirrors in nested shapes, by far I prefer the fluid lines of other symmetry systems. Well, this guy showed up as a vampire in its original sketch.
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Pentagonal Derivative #Tessellations: just a short fancy way of saying that I used a grid built up of pentagons to come up with these two designs. It was quite a blast and a struggle last year (it’s not yet a complete project) to re-create all of the ways that a surface (plane) can be equally divided using pentagons. Continue reading
Most of us learn the easy/best way. Look at the masters, follow their path and learn all that we can from them. Replicate their artwork. It is a long process, especially without any direction or assistance from a teacher. This is where I’m at right now — copying / learning from the pentagon symmetry system seekers: Reinhardt, Kershner, James, Rice, Stein, Mann, McLoud, and Von Derau. As I did for a while, copying M.C. Escher’s tessellations, decades ago, although I no longer need MCE inspiration to create a tessellation. Continue reading
My Pentagon Challenge is keeping me busy. I am plowing my way through all of the pentagonal tiling types. Quite a few of them are built within either a perfect hexagon, or one that has been distorted beyond recognition. I am finding some interesting rules of symmetry I had not yet encountered. Wrapping my noggin around new concepts. Many of these symmetry types are skew-able, not only scale-able. Also, many of the anchor point for division lines inside hexagons are variable in their location, as long as the variable is kept constant for each pentagonal unit. Continue reading
Another challenge showing up on my desk, compliments of Woodpecker Carving. Hussein posted a beautiful Islamic geometric design, displaying the use of pentagons. But wait I thought, aren’t pentagons impossible to tile using the original seventeen symmetry groups? Or so I thought. I had seen intriguing examples of pentagonal tiles over the years, but I was still obsessed with M.C. Escher type nested shapes – and will always be. Continue reading
These ocean-side tessellation topics are dear to my heart since we moved to the Island, a decade ago already. The weather is wonderful, winter and summer, those year-round hikes — local, beautiful, plentiful, varied. Continue reading
Since M.C. Escher started popularizing “nested shape” tessellations, many artist have dabbled in the field. Some show a passing interest, yet still create with a very deep understanding of the rules of symmetry. Others can’t get enough and create constantly in this medium. Still other artists push the boundaries and explore off-spurs, into fractals, circle limits, non-repeating planes, animation, metamorphosis, pentagonal rules, morphing shapes, platonic solid tessellations, architecture, art shows, consumer products… Continue reading
Constant compromise. Coming up with a tessellation is an excercise in seeing both sides of the coin. A long process of shifting the needs on both sides of the line and allowing the other side to use available space, without loosing sight of your own purpose, your own needs. Finding a crack somewhere, nudging a line, inserting a limb in a space between. Give and take. Just as in life. Elle philosophise. Continue reading
The other side of me is the carver, 3D instead of digital artwork. I came across a carving by Chouki Derrouiche, a tessellation of Whirling Dervishes carved with different woods. Spectacular. I undertook to figure out which symmetry system Chouki used to create his nested shapes. I was baffled as to which symmetry system was being used Continue reading
Quite similar to one tessellation I did a few weeks ago. The Three Dogs tessellation. But this one is based on a six way rotation, group P6 rather than P3. If you have a look at both, the tails swirl around into a spiral, the Dash Hounds using 6 instances of tails, the originals using three tails. Continue reading
Quite similar to one tessellation I did a few weeks ago. The Three Dogs tessellation. But this one is based on a six way rotation, group P6 rather than P3. If you have a look at both, the tails swirl around into a spiral, the Dash Hounds using 6 instances of tails, the originals using three tails. Continue reading
Having a heck of a time deciding on what to call this tessellation. Redhead. Pearl J. Bailey. Crimson Cutie. Reclining Doudette. Reeboks. MJDSV. The little black dress. Continue reading
Many times, I will sketch a whole bunch of tessellations. Some look okay, others somehow keep my interest, but have flaws or unresolved areas. I usually leave them aside for a while and return with a fresh eye. One such tessellation was the Jewel Thief. Continue reading
