Latest Posts

Great work by Mélisande

Mélisande just uploaded a pile of new tessellation photos, including this beautiful star-spoke-hexagon thing (not sure what she calls it, but no doubt it’s better than my bad description). I’m really liking this one, it has a nice depth to it, and some surprising light characteristics which are very appealing. You can see it larger by clicking the photo, or following this link.

This design is great- a wonderful and efficient use of pleats and paper to create a complex design without excess paper waste. I think it’s really an interesting design, and very graceful; I’m hoping to fold it myself today!

again, click the photo for a better view, or follow this link instead.

Thanks again, Mélisande!

Google Print shows me an interesting book!

Doing a google print search for “origami tessellations” gives me this book:Hinged Dissections: Swinging and Twisting, by Greg N. Frederickson of Purdue University in Indiana.I can honestly say I would never have found this book if it was not indexed in Google Print. that seems like a huge plus for them, especially since this is exactly the sort of “long tail” money making scheme that google print helps out. (especially at $40 for this book!)

here’s a snippet from the Cambridge Press description page:

———-

If you enjoy beautiful geometry and relish the challenge and excitement of something new, the mathematical art of hinged dissections is for you. Using this book, you can explore ways to create hinged collections of pieces that swing together to form a figure. Swing them another way and then, like magic, they form another figure! The profuse illustrations and lively text will show you how to find a wealth of hinged dissections for all kinds of polygons, stars and crosses, curved and even three-dimensional figures. For an added challenge, you can try using different kinds of hinges for twisting and flipping pieces. The author includes careful explanation of ingenious new techniques, as well as puzzles and solutions for readers of all mathematical levels. If you remember any high school geometry, you are already on your way. These novel and original dissections will be a gold mine for math puzzle enthusiasts, for math educators in search of enrichment topics, and for anyone who loves to see beautiful objects in motion.

• First book ever on hinged dissections

• Beautifully illustrated with over 500 diagrams

• Includes careful explanation of techniques, as well as puzzles and solutions for readers

offset hex twist (p6m) sketch


offset hex twist (p6m) sketch
Originally uploaded by Ori-gomi.

I’ve folded this design already, and I thought I’d try to diagram it since it looks quite interesting. I’m not sure how one really diagrams or documents the folding process for this sort of thing; while it’s relatively easy, it’s also repetitive and time consuming, so it’s difficult to know quite how to approach it.

anyway, this was my starting point. included below is the flickr commentary.

———-

started working today on a diagram set for a relatively complicated 3.4.6.4 (p6m) tessellation; it’s an interesting thing to fold, although rather time consuming. I have a folded model that is awaiting some time to be photographed properly.

the most interesting part of this design, to me, is the fact that while the top side displays very obvious characteristics of the 3.4.6.4 (p6m) tiling design, the flip side of it is the dual fold of this same tiling, exactly! it is pretty neat to see that take shape in one folded pattern.

the top side info is seen here at wikipedia:

Small Rhombitrihexagonal tiling

the dual is seen here:

Deltoidal trihexagonal tiling

interesting stuff, at least for me!

log hex star sketch


log hex star sketch
Originally uploaded by Ori-gomi.

some ideas that I’m working on; here’s the flickr post in it’s entirety.
———

playing around with some ideas, and this is one of them… I think I can put together a hexagonal tower of triangles, based on some logarithmic scaling (which shouldn’t even require measuring or anything else to accomplish!)

I’m thinking it might turn out like one of those “flower towers” I have heard of but never seen; who knows? regardless, if it’s something I figure out on my own, then I’m claiming it as my own…

(that assumes I get around to folding it, though!)

if I can get it to pull together, it might be a nice part of a larger tessellated pattern.