A tessellation is a single image that is made by tiling identical images without any gaps on a surface. The end result is a pattern that looks like a simple jigsaw puzzle. The use of repetition makes this art form suitable for kids who are beginning to learn about crafting techniques and patterns.
Cut-n-Paste Tessellation
Start with a 5-inch by 5-inch piece of cardboard. Cut a simple shape, such as a triangle, from the right side of the cardboard. Use tape to reattach the shape to the left side of the card so that it is level with the area on the side from which it was cut. Trace the outline of the card with colored pencil onto a piece of paper. Shift the card to the right so that the left side of the card interlocks with the right side of the previous outline. Trace the shape again using a different color and continue until the paper is filled with this pattern.
Stamped Tessellation
Cut a large potato in half. Draw the outline of a T onto the cut area of the potato so that both the vertical and horizontal lines of the T measure 2 inches high by 1 inch wide. Cut away the excess potato around the T shape so that it creates a stamp. Hold the potato stamp by the end and press the stamp side into an ink pad. Stamp an upright T onto a sheet of paper. Turn the stamp 90 degrees clockwise and stamp it again on the paper so the second T interlocks with the first. Fill the page with this tessellation pattern.
Stencil Tessellations
Draw a 5-inch by 5-inch square on a sturdy piece of cardboard and cut it out with a utility knife. Cut a free-form shape off of the right edge of the square using a utility knife. Attach the shape to the inside left edge of the box to create a stencil. Trace this shape onto different patterns of wrapping paper, cut them out and assemble and glue them into a tessellation on a large piece of poster board.
Tessellation Puzzle
Create a cardboard stencil of a hexagon, with six exactly equal sides. Use spray adhesive to glue a brightly colored piece of wrapping paper onto thick, sturdy cardboard. Allow the glue to dry. Use the tessellation outline to trace the shape repeatedly onto the cardboard. Cut out each piece and use them like jigsaw pieces to assemble a tessellation on a flat surface, such as the floor or a table.
References
- Oracle Think Quest: Totally Tessellated
- Tessellations: Slice Method 1
- "Arithmetic Teacher 38"; The Art of Tessellation; Giganti, Paul et al.; March 1990
Resources
About the Author
Alana Armstrong started her writing career in 2005, covering street art and graffiti. She currently works as a freelance writer, photographer and artist in Toronto. Armstrong has a diploma in photojournalism from Sheridan College and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photo media from the University of New South Wales.
