tessellation
Gapless shape covering
Tessellation is a pattern of shapes that fit together perfectly without gaps or overlaps, like tiles covering a floor.
The term comes from geometry, where it describes how polygons can repeat to fill a plane: The honeycomb is nature's most famous tessellation.
Tessellations appear in art, architecture, and mathematics, from ancient mosaics to M.C.
Escher's interlocking figures.
Surface-covering arrangement
- polygonsClosed plane figures
- hexagonsSix-sided closed figures
- verticesCorner points of shapes
- edgesOuter limits or boundaries
congruent · symmetry · periodic · grid · plane · Euclidean · topology · algorithm
Dutch impossible-geometry artist
- tilesFlat covering pieces
- tesseraeMosaic's constituent pieces
- patternRecurring arrangement or template
- ByzantineOf Constantinople's civilization
Roman · Gaudi · opus · interlocking · ceramic · glass · marble · stained
Decorative branching stonework
- vaultingLeaping over something
- arcadeArched passageway or gaming hall
- minaretMosque tower with balcony
- cloisterCovered monastic walkway
buttress · iwan · madrasa · stucco · flooring · pavement · facade · ornament
Wax matrix of hexagons
- scalesPlates or weighing devices
- shellHard outer covering
- crackedHaving surface fractures
- mudWet soil mixture
giraffe · pineapple · dragonfly · basalt · turtle · snakeskin · coral · cellular
Puzzle or curve-cutting tool
- interlockingEngaging by overlap
- piecesParts of something divided
- fittingSuitable or proper
- assemblyConstructing from components
solver · solution · arrangement · challenge · tabletop · completion · manipulative · tangram
tiling
Surface-covering arrangement
edges · congruent · symmetry · periodic · grid · plane · Euclidean · topology · algorithm · subdivision
Escher
Dutch impossible-geometry artist
- tilesFlat covering pieces
- tesseraeMosaic's constituent pieces
- patternRecurring arrangement or template
Byzantine · Roman · Gaudi · opus · interlocking · ceramic · glass · marble · stained · mural
tracery
Decorative branching stonework
- vaultingLeaping over something
- arcadeArched passageway or gaming hall
- minaretMosque tower with balcony
cloister · buttress · iwan · madrasa · stucco · flooring · pavement · facade · ornament · parquet
honeycomb
Wax matrix of hexagons
mud · giraffe · pineapple · dragonfly · basalt · turtle · snakeskin · coral · cellular · fractal
jigsaw
Puzzle or curve-cutting tool
- interlockingEngaging by overlap
- piecesParts of something divided
- fittingSuitable or proper
assembly · solver · solution · arrangement · challenge · tabletop · completion · manipulative · tangram · dissection
quilt
Stuffed, stitched bed covering
tapestry · embroidery · knitting · crochet · patchwork · herringbone · chevron · brocade · damask · batik
- generative artgenerative art, code art, fractals, strange attractors, WebGL
- geometry termscircle, line, rectangle, side, square
- graphicsvector, shapes, 3D graphics, raster, symbols
- math conceptsangle, numbers, algebra, circle, equations
- patternspattern, chevron, geometric pattern, stripes, plaid
- decorative patternschevrons, paisley, crosshatch, chevron, floral
tessellationchaos
Complete disorder and confusion
disarray · disorder · randomness · jumble · asymmetry
tessellationfragmentation
Breaking into smaller pieces
gaps · discontinuity · incompleteness · voids · patchwork
tessellationgaps
Unfilled spaces between
fragmentation · discontinuity · overlapping · interruption · void