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Showing posts from December, 2022

Rolling Stones Origami Tessellation

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  The idea for this tessellation came from solving a few different ones by gatheringfolds. A different take on some common origami tessellation elements.  It features small hex twists with alternating triangles off of them. The triangles alternate between front and back.  It also has some pyramids and another common tessellation shape whose name I don't know. It's all illustrated in the crease pattern sketch at the bottom of this post.  It's a symmetrical tessellation. The front and back are mirror images of each other.  It feels very familiar, but I don't believe I've seen it before. That's not to say it hasn't been done before. Just that I don't think I've seen it myself prior to having conceived of it.  It's nice how many repetitions fit on a 32 pleat grid. 

Solving Contained Tessellation

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 Contained is an origami tessellation by gatheringfolds. She is quite active on instagram and I often try to figure out her creations. Solving the puzzle of someone else's tessellation is something I quite enjoy. Honestly, I enjoy the process of solving them a lot more than I enjoy the actual folding of them. I enjoy that part too, just enjoy the solving a little bit more.  This was a tricky one for sure. Her generous uploads of many photos made the structure pretty easy to determine, however, the execution is a bit finnicky. It's very densely layered. All the shapes are quite close together. Sturdy paper is required.  The centers are open back hexagon twists. There are triangles off of their axes.  Each of those triangles connects to a small hex twist on the other side. That hex twist has a triad of triangles on the front. From there it's just repetition.  Not all origami tessellations require pre-creasing of all the folds. Sometimes I am lazy and just crease as I move out

Solving Turnstiles Origami Tessellation

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 This is a tessellation by gatheringfolds that I solved. I can't remember what she named it. I went looking for it again on her instagram and I couldn't find it the second time around. I really tried. Several times.  So I just went ahead and gave it a name for the sake of titling the post.  It's a pretty interesting configuration. Hex twists at the center. Double triangle twists. Then a nice triad of around a pyramid.  Solving other people's tessellations is always a fun puzzle.  Once I've solved how to fold, executing it is also a pleasing exercise.  It's also a great way to find inspiration for your own ideas. Even if they take elements from other designs, you can still find unique variations.  My crease pattern that I worked out for this tessellation is at the end of this post.  There are some remnants of other tesses in the crease pattern photo. But I think it's still pretty easy to understand. 

Solving Acute Angles Origami Tessellation

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This tessellation was created as I was working on solving a tessellation by gatheringfolds. I had figured out her starting point and the central module. It was at that point that I got lazy and decided I would just do repeats of that.  Later on, I did go back and did complete solving her full tessellation. I just haven't folded it yet. A post for another day! Inspiration comes in many forms. Sometimes, even laziness.  The repetitions on the first side are just offset rhombuses when you strip it down to its essence. It is, however, a nice exercise in folding 1.5 grid shapes. Those shapes between 1 pleat and 2 pleats can be useful in many ways. They can be confusing when you first encounter them, but they're not so very different from any others.  I like how neatly and tightly everything nestles together.  The other side has some nice narrow arms with triangle twists on the ends. I found those interesting as well, as they didn't quite twist in the usual way.  As usual, I have

Solved Someone Else's Stars Tessellation

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 This origami tessellation was solved from a picture that I had saved to my google photos several years ago. I don't recall from where I obtained the original pic or to whom the credit for the design is due.  I believe I tried once or twice before to figure it out and was unable to do so. I only had a photo of the front side, so that made it a little bit harder.  I was kind of stuck on the idea that it was a small hex twist on the back to create the rhombus star on the front. That however, isn't the case.  When I wasn't even really trying, it struck me that it might be a collapsed star instead.  From there, it was pretty easy to solve it and finally fold it to completion. That was satisfying! On the reverse side the rhombuses twist in the opposite direction as the hex star.  As with any respectable origami tessellation, it is folded from a single sheet of paper.  I did trim it to a hexagon before I started, but there are no other cuts.  My crease pattern is included below. 

Time Machines Origami Tessellation

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  This tessellation is unusual for me in that it's incredibly tricky. I came up with the starting point quite innocently and then it got way more complicated from there.  It began with a classic star around an open back hexagon and then went down an infuriatingly difficult rabbit hole.  By then, I was too deep into it to turn back. I had to complete it.  My first attempt with thinner paper failed.  My second attempt with kraft paper was successful. I just wish kraft paper took better photos.  I did my best to get some nice back light photos, but with such thick paper it's a struggle.  It's a pattern I've not seen before, so that's always rewarding.  My crease pattern is at the bottom. Attempt only if you're feeling particularly brave. 

Generous Tornadoes Origami Tessellation

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 This tessellation was born from me thinking about another tessellation I'd seen by Arseniy K. I wasn't actively looking at nor trying to solve his. I was just remembering the central starting point and wound up with this variation. His had some extra triangles that I didn't use.  It's offset small hexagons circled by rhombuses. Then there are some triangles off of the tips of the rhombuses. At that point it all repeats. More rhombus are created on the backside by the layout of the repetitions.  It's a pretty tricky tessellation to fold. Definitely one of your harder ones.  I used some pretty thin copy paper and was obviously able to complete it, but it probably would've helped to have a slightly sturdier stock.  Have a crease pattern. Forgot to photograph it. It will be forthcoming in the near future.  Update: crease pattern image added at the end of this post.