Tessellation is a design concept that involves creating a repeating pattern of shapes, called tiles, that fit together seamlessly without any gaps or overlaps. In the realm of design, tessellations are used to create visually striking and harmonious patterns that can be applied to various surfaces, such as floors, walls, fabrics, and digital graphics. The concept of tessellation has its roots in ancient art and architecture, with examples found in Islamic art, Roman mosaics, and Moorish decorations. The mathematical principles behind tessellations were formalized by the Dutch mathematician Maurits Cornelis Escher, who created intricate and mind-bending tessellations that challenged perception and inspired generations of artists and designers. Tessellations can be created using regular polygons, such as squares, triangles, and hexagons, or irregular shapes that interlock in a specific way. The key to creating a successful tessellation is to ensure that the edges of the shapes match perfectly, allowing the pattern to repeat infinitely without any breaks or inconsistencies. Tessellations can be used to create a wide range of visual effects, from simple and geometric to complex and organic, depending on the shapes and colors used. In graphic design, tessellations are often used to create background patterns, logos, and illustrations, while in interior design, they can be used to create eye-catching tile patterns or textiles. Tessellations also have practical applications in architecture and engineering, where they can be used to create structurally sound and visually appealing designs for buildings, bridges, and other structures. Fun fact: The honeycomb structure created by bees is a natural example of a tessellation, with hexagonal cells fitting together perfectly to create a strong and efficient structure
Interlocking patterns, repeating shapes, geometric designs, visual harmony, infinite repetition
Tessellation is a concept in geometry and design that involves creating a two-dimensional plane using the repetition of a geometric shape or shapes without gaps or overlaps. The term tessellation is derived from the Latin word tessella, which refers to the small square tiles used in ancient Roman mosaics. In mathematics, a tessellation is defined as a collection of plane figures that fills the plane with no overlaps and no gaps. Tessellations can be found in various forms in nature, such as in the hexagonal cells of a honeycomb or the patterns on a snake's skin. In design, tessellations are used to create visually appealing and repetitive patterns, often featuring interlocking shapes. The study of tessellations has been popularized by the work of Dutch artist M.C. Escher, who created intricate and mind-bending tessellations using a variety of shapes and figures. Tessellations have practical applications in fields such as architecture, where they are used in the design of tiling and paving, and in computer graphics, where they are used to create seamless textures and patterns. The creation of tessellations involves the use of mathematical principles such as symmetry, rotation, and reflection, making it a subject of interest to both mathematicians and artists.
geometry, patterns, interlocking shapes, tiling, symmetry, repetition, mosaics, M.C. Escher, computer graphics
Tessellation is a fascinating concept that has been used in a variety of fields, including art, mathematics, and architecture. It involves the process of creating a pattern of interlocking shapes, such as squares, triangles, and hexagons, that fit together without any gaps or overlaps. This pattern can be repeated indefinitely, creating a larger design that is both visually appealing and mathematically precise. One interesting aspect of tessellation is its use in Islamic art and architecture. Islamic artists and architects have been using tessellation for centuries to create intricate geometric patterns that are both beautiful and functional. These patterns, known as girih, are made up of a combination of polygons, such as squares, hexagons, and stars, that fit together perfectly to create a larger design. Another aspect of tessellation is its use in computer graphics and video game design. Game designers often use tessellation to create detailed 3D models of objects and environments. By breaking down complex shapes into smaller, simpler polygons, they can create more detailed and realistic models that can be rendered in real-time. In mathematics, tessellation is used to study the properties of shapes and patterns. Mathematicians use tessellation to explore the relationships between different shapes and to develop new mathematical concepts and theories. For example, tessellation has been used to study the properties of fractals, which are complex geometric patterns that repeat at different scales. Overall, tessellation is a fascinating concept that has been used in a variety of fields to create beautiful designs, study mathematical concepts, and develop new technologies. Its use in Islamic art and architecture, computer graphics, and mathematics highlights the versatility and importance of this concept.
polygons, Islamic art, girih, computer graphics, video game design, 3D models, mathematics, fractals, geometric patterns
Tessellation, within the context of architecture, is the practice of combining geometric shapes to create a visually pleasing design. It involves the use of polygons, such as squares, triangles and hexagons, to form a pattern. While the pattern often looks complex, it is actually made up of many smaller, simpler shapes. Tessellations can be used to decorate interior and exterior walls, floors, and ceilings, as well as furniture and other objects. By playing with the size and shape of the pieces, the tessellation can be made to look more abstract or more organized. The key to a successful tessellation is to use the shapes in a way that makes the pattern look like it is part of a larger, connected design.
Geometry, Polygons, Pattern, Surfaces, Mosaics
The process of tessellation is a fundamental element of architecture, engineering and design. It involves breaking down a larger surface into smaller, more manageable and uniform pieces that can be reassembled in an orderly manner to form a unified whole. By creating a pattern of smaller, more manageable elements, the surface can be more effectively managed and enhanced. Tessellation is an important technique in the construction of structures, as it allows for a more efficient use of space, while also creating a unified aesthetic that can be pleasing to the eye. Additionally, the use of tessellation can also facilitate the incorporation of different materials into a cohesive structure, thus allowing the architect to further enhance the design.
Geometry, tiling, symmetry, mosaic, polygon.
The word tessellation has its origin in the Latin term tesselata, which means “small square”. The word tesselata was formed from the root ‘tessera’ which signifies “little square” and was derived from the Greek word tessara, meaning “four”. The English word tessellation has a long history of usage. It was first used in the 16th century to refer to the process of interlocking similar shapes or figures to form a repeating pattern. Over time its definition has broadened to mean a two-dimensional mosaic with a single design element repeated over and over. From a morphological perspective, the term tessellation implies a three-dimensional repetition or pattern, with each representation constituting a “unit” in the overall structure. In terms of pragmatics, the word tessellation is often used to describe the concept of “patterning” or “arrangement” of a two-dimensional surface with multiple shapes.
Etymology, Morphology, Word, History, Evolution, Pattern.
Tessellation is a noun of Latin origin from the verb tessellare, which translates to to chequer. Tessellation can be defined as the process of forming a pattern of interlocking shapes. It can also refer to the pattern itself. Synonyms for tessellation include mosaic, chequerwork, checkerboard pattern, and jigsaw puzzle. Antonyms include disarray, haphazardness, messiness, and chaos. Cognates of tessellation include the French tesseller, Spanish teselar, and Italian tassellare. Variants of the word tessellation include tessellates, tessellations, tessellate, and tessellating.
Morphology, Word Formation, Taxonomies, Syntax Analysis, Lexicology
CITATION : "George Adrian Postea. 'Tessellation.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=223629 (Accessed on August 02, 2025)"
The phenomenon of Tessellation is an important concept in geometry and language. In geometry, it can be defined as a tiling of a plane by means of closed polygonal shapes, such as squares, triangles and hexagons, with regular arrangement, in such a way that there are no gaps in between. In linguistics, it is defined as the use of words with similar or the same meanings to express one single idea or concept. Although Tessellation is an English term, there are many other languages which have their own equivalent words. In Spanish, it can be referred to as ‘pavimentación', 'concejalía', 'encaje', 'azulejo', 'mosaiquismo' and 'mosaicar' among others. In French, ‘tessellation’ is referred to as 'tessellé', 'miroir', 'mosaïque', ' marqueterie' and ‘emploi' just to mention a few. In German, it is called 'mosaismus', 'mosaizismus', 'verbundteilen', 'kacheln', 'kachelung' and 'gefleckte'. Finally, in Italian words like 'decorazione', 'mosaico', 'pavimentazione' and 'tessellazione' are used to express the idea of tessellation.
Tessellation, Pavimentación, Concejalía, Encaje, Azulejo, Mosaiquismo, Mosaicar, Tessellé, Miroir, Mosaïque, Marqueterie, Emploi, Mosaismus, Mosaizismus, Verbundteilen, Kacheln, Kachelung, Gefleckte, Decorazione, Mosaico, Pavimentazione.
Tessellation is a method used in computer graphics to create patterns and shapes by fitting together polygons (usually squares and triangles). These regular and semi-regular arrangements of polygons have been used throughout history to create ornamental designs, blocks of shapes and also to create images. The most well-known use of tessellation can be found in the works of Dutch artist M. C. Escher, whose drawings relied heavily on the use of tessellation to create interlocking shapes and intricate repeating patterns.
Tiling, tessellating, tessellated, tessellation design, polygon tiling.
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