Create Your Own
Tessellation
• If many copies of a
shape can be used to
cover a surface, without
leaving any gaps
between them, then we
say that the shape will
tessellate.
• The pattern that is
formed is called a
tessellation.
Tessellation with Pentominoes
Who is famous for tessellations?
• A man who is famous
•
for his art work with
tessellation was
Maurits Cornelis
Escher, from
Leeuwarden,
Netherlands. The
picture on the right is
his self-portrait.
He said, “My work is a
game, a very serious
game.”
M. C. Escher
• Most famous creator of
•
•
•
tessellations
Born in Holland in 1898
(died in 1972)
Originally studied
architecture before
becoming interested in
woodcuts and
printmaking
Did 137 tessellations in
his lifetime
Tessellations by M.C. Escher
Famous Tessellations
• This is one of Escher’s
most famous
tessellations. It is
simply called
“Reptiles”
Pegasus
(Tessellation 105)
Transformation are an important part of
creating tessellations.
*Three Common Transformations
*1. Translation, which is a slide of
the polygon.
*2.
Reflection, which is a flip or
mirror image of the polygon.
*3. Rotation, which is a turn
around one vertex of the
polygon.
Transformations
• Geometric shapes
Translation
Reflection
Rotation
Glide
Reflection
can be translated,
reflected, rotated,
or glide reflected.
• These movements
of the shapes
create a more
interesting
tessellation design.
Translations - a slide
this side
the alteration
moves here
Get practice template and try creating a translation….
Reflections - mirror images
the alteration
flips
here
Get practice template and try creating a reflection….
Rotations - turns
the alteration
here
rotates around
this vertex
Get practice template and try creating a rotation...
M. C. Escher,
Cycle
Bulldog
(Tessellation 97)
Lizard
(Tessellation 104)
Make Your Own Escher – like
Tessellation Example 1
You need to first create a tessellating template.
• Step 1: using grid paper cut out a perfect square.
• Step 2: with a pencil make a line on two adjacent
sides of the square. Be sure not to draw through a
corner.
• Step 3: cut out the pieces and attach them with
tape to the opposite sides from where they came.
 You have now created your tessellation template.
How to make a tessellation
template
1
2
3
4
Use your imagination –
Can you see the elephant?
Seeing a Figure
• Looking at your tessellation template, study the
sides and the shape to decide what sort of figure
you might see.
• The person who designed this form saw an
elephant and an elf.
• Are there any other different forms that you
might see?
• When looking for the shape be sure not to see too
much detail as it can make the art work too
crowded.
Putting It All Together
• Take your tessellation
•
•
•
template and trace it
on to a piece of paper.
When tracing you can
use different types of
symmetry to change
your picture.
Be sure that your
whole page is filled
with a repeating
pattern.
Color in your picture
creatively.
Elephants
Translation
symmetry
Elves and
Elephants
Combinations of
symmetry
Make Your Own Escher - like Tessellation
Example 1 finished
Make Your Own Escher – like
Tessellation Example 2
Step 1: Start with a simple
shape that will tessellate
e.g. a rectangle.
Step 2: Remove a shape or
shapes from one side of the
rectangle and fix them to the
opposite side.
Make Your Own Escher - like
Tessellation
Example 2 finished
Make Your Own Escher – like
Tessellation – Example 3
You could start with a hexagon and cut semi-circles
from three of the sides and fix them to the opposite
sides like this.
Make Your Own Escher - like
Tessellations – Example 3
Completed
Make Your Own Escher – like
Tessellations Example 4
Start with a square and cut segments from two sides
and fix them to the opposite sides like this.
Make Your Own Escher - like
Tessellations
Example – 4 completed
So, as you can see, tessellations are
fun to learn about and easier to make
than perhaps, you originally thought.

Enjoy making
your own
tessellations!