Instructor:Recognizable Tessellation Exercises Solutions

Recognizable Tessellation Exercises

1. a. Early sketches have rotation (p2, pgg). Later sketches have no rotation (p1, pg);
   b. Because four legged mammals only look natural in one orientation, with feet facing down. See Visions of Symmetry pg 77-78.

Four Legged Mammals

Sketch	Group	Sketch	Group
Sketch #1 (Lion)	p2	Sketch #61 (Weird)	pg
Sketch #2 (Lion)	pgg	Sketch #66 (Pegasus)	pg
Sketch #6 (Camel)	p2	Sketch #67 (Horseman)	pg
Sketch #7 (Squirrel)	p2	Sketch #76 (Bird/Horse)	pg
Sketch #8 (Horse)	p2	Sketch #78 (Pegasus)	pg
Sketch #16 (Dog)	pgg	Sketch #83 (Odd stuff)	p1
		Sketch #97 (Dog)	pg
		Sketch #105 (Pegasus)	p1
		Sketch #129 (Fish/horse)	p1
		Sketch #130 (Fish/horse)	pg

2. Because they can be shown in any orientation, they look natural in symmetry patterns which have rotation symmetry. They can naturally be used as decoration on floors, walls, or celings since we are used to seeing them from different angles. In addition, these animals need no visible means of support. (See Visions of Symmetry pg. 77)
3. Choose a sketch and compare with others.
4. The print “Verbum” is based on a triangular tessellation. Escher used this tessellation to create a picture where shapes morph into other shapes. The fish (land) morph into frogs (land), which in turn morph into birds (air). There is also a duality between black and white animals. The common theme of the three prints is that all depict earth, water, and air in a single scene.
5. Liberation, Development I, Verbum, Fish (Visions of Symmetry pg 292), Encounter, Regelmatige vlakverdeling, Plate I. Escher is emphasizing the symmetry or duality between figure and ground.
6. a. The cultures are: Japanese (1), the Orthodox church (2) and the Moorish culture is represented by a pattern from Cordoba (3) and from the Alhambra (the rest); b. The parallelogram, rectangle, square, triangle, rhombus, and hexagon; c. Top row: p1, p4 and bottom row p2, pg, pgg; d. The top row ones are likely easiest to explain. The tessellations with the glide reflections are likely the most difficult to explain.
7. a. Head; b. Wing; c. Tail; d. Head and wings; e. Front left hoof.
8. Make a tessellation.