Tessellation the word comes from the Greeks, and it refers to pictures and tiles that cover a surface area in a symmetrical way so that there is no over lapping or gaps. They usually depict animals or other life. Simply, a repeating shape or pattern that has no gaps or overlaps.
2. Write a couple of paragraphs describing the life and work of M.C. Escher. Pick out important facts that describe who he is, how he worked, and why he is famous.
The “Father” of tessellations, M.C. Escher, was born in Holland in 1898 as the youngest child of five sons. His skills in drawing were first recognized by his art teacher in high school, who prompted him to send the sketches to famous designer Roland Holtz. At Holtz’s suggestion, Escher also tried wood carving, and when he failed school he decided to enroll in a specialized art and architecture college. While he continued to draw, his new friend Mesquita got Escher more involved in wood carving and wood designs. The two remained life long friends, and Escher greatly admired him. Escher’s first real tessellation was done in 1925, and his love for ‘filling planes with no gaps or overlaps’ led him to create even more.
A major turning point in Escher’s life came when he returned home for a visit and met with his brother Beer. His brother was intrigued by Escher’s designs, and referenced him to some work he had heard of about crystalline structures. Escher found wall paper designs by George Polya and notes by Professor F. Haag. Haag had described tessellations as “Regular divisions of the plane consist of congruent, convex polygons joined together, the arrangement by which the polygons join each other is the same throughout.” This invigorated Escher and started him on some of his most famous work. By the time he died in 1972, he had made 137 tessellations as well as 448 woodcuts, linocuts, lithos, and over 2000 drawings.
He may be gone, but Escher could never be forgotten. One of his biggest contributions to the art of tessellations was to create patterns of animals and people instead of just geometric shapes. His new and lively designs made tessellations much more popular than before. Escher is also famous for his amazing pictures such as castles with staircases that go up and down simultaneously. Although he has many beautiful landscapes and drawings, tessellations were his true passion. Escher himself admits he was “addicted” to making them. As one can see, this artist certainly deserves the title “Father of Tessellations.”
Practice Tessellation:
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