I’ve been interested in combining tessellations with three-dimensional forms for quite a while, but it’s been a challenge. This is the first piece where I’ve incorporated a tessellated design all over the vase form. I changed the vertical spacing of the dots based on the width and how far apart the dots would be horizontally.
The tessellation is my own design, although it’s simple enough that it may be a re-invention of someone else’s design. I was inspired to fold this design shortly after I folded Lydia Diard’s Circles tessellation because I liked the look of the raised circular (or really, dodecagonal) dots. I figured out how to adapt her design from a hexagonal grid to a square grid, which I posted previously (top photo, bottom right piece). From there, I was able to figure out how to combine the tessellation with the curved-crease vase shapes I usually work with.
This design is a first attempt, and I’d like to find other ways of incorporating tessellated and corrugated elements into my designs. The dots here are visible, but they don’t stand out much more than the horizontal and vertical lines. I’m exploring other ways of combining textures and folded patterns to create visual interest on three-dimensional designs.
Very cool! Unique. Looks conceptually similar to Lang’s fish scales on a koi ( as well as others). I wonder if it is possible to use duo paper and do a color change of the polka dots at the edges, then collapsing the shape?
Hank, yes, this is similar in that I’m folding the tessellation, then using the tessellated rectangle to fold the final form. It might be possible to color-change the top row polka dots, but the rest are so much in the center of the paper that I’m not sure it would be at all doable. I considered painting the polka-dots to all be the same color but didn’t actually do it.
Really beautiful and unique. Your head seems to be full of interesting ideas compared with enough talent to make those ideas happen in the real world. Congratulations.
Anna, thanks so much!