Origami Tessellations: Awe-Inspiring Geometric Designs

by Eric Gjerde

Eric Gjerde demonstrates 25 of his favorite tessellations and turns them into projects for newcomers as well as experienced origamists. With step-by-step instructions, illustrated crease patterns, and how-to photos, you'll learn to create these wonderful designs yourself. Eric's first book covers the fundamentals of origami tessellations, provides history, and describes simple beginning techniques with detailed illustrations and photographs. An extensive gallery showcases tessellations folded by the world's leading origami fine artists---inspiring you to experiment, innovate, and eventually create your own unique designs.

Genres: Origami, Nonfiction, Art, Crafts, Design, Reference

128 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2008

About the author

When asked by his parents what he wanted to be when he grew up, five-year-old Eric replied, “a paperologist.” Throughout his childhood and adolescence he enjoyed paper crafts and origami—a frequent birthday gift was stacks of paper and rolls of tape.

After preparing for a technology career, Eric kept looking for an artistic outlet to balance his creative side with his professional life. He returned to his childhood love of paper, and discovered a deeper appreciation for the beauty of origami by exploring and researching new areas of folding. These days, Eric focuses on the geometric art of origami tessellations.

Eric continues to fold, teach, and share his talent through art workshops, origami conventions, international art exhibitions, and through his popular site on the Internet. He currently balances dual careers as a technology professional and paper artist in Minneapolis. You can learn more about Eric’s passion for paper art at www.origamitessellations.com.

Reviews

[Fadoua · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that folding along crease lines is the only way to make origamis... until... I start exploring origami tessellation. The twisting capability of the paper, as material, is elegantly used in origami tessellation. In this "new" kind of origami, one uses a single sheet of paper to make twisted geometric forms that coalesce into beautiful symmetric patterns.

Basically, there are two phases to make a model of origami tessellation;
(1) Preparing the grid which consists of creating small convex polygons spread on the paper. The success of the final result depends on the accuracy of this phase.
(2) Folding pleats and twisting the vertices of the polygons, made in the previous phase, to make geometric forms.

To learn these intriguing techniques, I referred, mainly, to Eric Gjerde's book “Origami Tessellations: Awe - Inspiring Geometric Designs”. To design his models, Eric Gjerde is getting inspiration from Islamic tessellation. It is well known that the tessellation art flourished in the Islamic land. This tessellation is, mainly, geometric patterns or Arabic calligraphy that help us to achieve spiritual harmony. They are used as ornaments for decorating our mosques and houses.

The book is suitable for a newbie to origami tessellation, like me. It provides a detailed explanations of the basic techniques (different grids, pleats, twists, etc.). Then, a well illustrated explanation of making several models designed by the author follows. The illustrations are combined with pictures of amazing Islamic tessellation patterns. A smooth understanding of the book requires, as prerequisite, the knowledge of the standard terminology and icons that are commonly used in classical origami.

Eric Gjerde describes origami tessellation as “meditative experience”. Indeed, the repetitive process of folding geometric patterns, in one project, offers me serenity and relaxation.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The origami book that I have been waiting years for

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure I would describe the experience of folding tessellations meditative, though definitely addictive. More likely "medicined" as in Withnail and I. I wish I'd had this book in hand BEFORE I tried to fold from the various videos available. Well worth the price.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike so many books with a superlative in the title, this one is at the level of "awe-inspiring." A tessellation is when a design is repeated so that it covers (at least in theory) the plane. Given that their religion prohibited the use of images, Islamic artists concentrated their creative energies on the creation of tessellations. That artwork has great beauty and some of it is successfully mimicked by the paper constructions featured in this book.
You cannot help but be amazed at the talent needed to fold paper so these tessellations are created, including some three-dimensional features. Detailed explanations of how the structures are created are included, but I would have been in over my head if I had tried any. However, experienced paper folders will be able to follow the explanations and create true artwork.
I have read and reviewed several books on advanced origami and to date have always been amazed at the structures that are created. In this book, the level of my amazement has gone up a notch or two.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission and this review appears on Amazon.

[Kelsey Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book serves as a wonderful introduction to origami tessellations. Distinct from traditional origami, tessellations are patterns that are created by making folds that are systematically repeated. Before reading, I had only the barest knowledge of how tessellations are made, and what differentiates them from other approaches to paper-folding. Sure enough, though, once I opened the book and started to read, everything began to fall into place. I have made eight of the models so far, and have just started to pre-crease another.

The instructions were helpful enough for me to understand, but there is some amount of intuition that I felt was required for me to fold each model. (Personally, as long as I'm not entirely lost, I prefer it this way.)

The models are diverse and beautiful, ranging from easy to complex. I found the photographs to be lovely in addition to being helpful, and I look forward to folding the more challenging models now that I've mastered the basics. I would recommend this book to anymore interested in origami, especially since the methods for creating tessellations are so unique.

-Kelsey Joy

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, amazing. If you like origami, have itty-bitty fingers and lots of time, this may be for you. I would love to make something from this book, but I honestly don't know if I have the patience or the skill. You first have to create a creased grid, and then start folding the patterns. It looks pretty difficult. Do a Google image search for "origami tessellations" to see what this book will show you how to do. The reason this gets 4 instead of 5 star is because I think very few people will actually attempt to make the designs, even though it's a pretty extensive 'how-to' guide.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting twist (BAHAHA OH PUNS) on origami and paper-crafting. I didn't try to fold any of the patterns (just studied them), so this is not the most complete of reviews. As a fan of geometry and paper-crafting (and fractals and tessellations and mosaic), I look forward to trying some of these in the future.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

My husband has been learning simple origami, and I read a book recently about a guy who was beaten, suffered brain damage, and became a genius who sees the repeated fractal patterns of nature everywhere.....tessellations! These intricate folded paper designs are awesome, but I do not have the tenacity to try to learn how to make them.

[Marina Tseng · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has made me fall in love with tessellating (: It has specific directions, pictures of the final product, and a crease pattern. It also teaches you the basics of making tessellations. Tessellations are tedious, yes, but you can't blame it in the book. The book is wonderful!

[Georgina · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is far too much time that is necessary for preparing the paper with lots and lots of grid folds before you can do any actual "art." Three hours of careful folding and I was still unable to do the simplest project in the book, the Five-and-Four. This book goes back to the library tomorrow.

[Manintheboat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddening. I might do some of this stuff this summer.

[Paolo]

i want to learn some origami,a beatiful oriagmi......

[Terrangirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been doing origami for quite some time, but this book really gives a whole new perspective to folding for me. It is an excellent work!!!!

[Nigel_s · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Designs and instructons you can follow, strangely therapeutic and very rewarding after you have done your first one.

[Robz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond Am-ay-ZING! :) structured creases and folds. love it.

[Maddy Maxey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and useful folding patterns, but more of an instruction manual than a guide to Geometric Design.