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(click for a larger, unmodified image)
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1. This initial square shape can generate the entire tessellation
through a series of translations. Visualize this for yourself.
Imagine this square shape being moved to the upper-right, upper-left,
lower-left, or lower-right. The pattern should coincide exactly.
Once you have convinced yourself that this square shape can produce
the rest of the tessellation by simple translations, move to step
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2. We now outline the boundaries of the fish. We realize that
the boundaries can be divided into four sections, with each section
being a rotated copy of the others (by 90 degree rotations). What
this means is that the entire tessellation was generated from
a single line pattern drawn from a vertex of a square to the center
of the square. |
The following animation should illustrate how to recreate the
above tessellation. The process involves the following steps:
rotate the line design three times around the center of the square (90
degrees each time) and translate the entire design to tessellate the plane:
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Print out an example on the hands-on activities page and use the techniques described above to create your own tessellation
based on this example of Escher's artwork. Remember to pick
the activity referencing page 3/12.
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All M. C. Escher works (c) Cordon Art B.V.-Baarn-the Netherlands.
Modifications for demonstration purposes only. Used with permission.
  
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