The Origami Forum

Hi!

I'd like to fold some 2D tesselations so I can put them in a frame. I haven't found anyone selling glassine, so I need tesselations that can be folded from kami. I have googled and searched the forum but I've only found 3D tesselations or tesselations where the pattern is clear because of the transparency of the paper.
Anyone knows of any diagrams?

I don't know if it qualifies as a 2D tesselation for you, but you could try the Hydrangea from Fujimoto. There's even a video explaining the folding process here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y3EcpOSSRs

It looks nice when simply folded from kami, and if the paper is not too thick you can also illuminate it from behind for a nice effect.

Visionary wrote:I don't know if it qualifies as a 2D tesselation for you, but you could try the Hydrangea from Fujimoto. There's even a video explaining the folding process here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y3EcpOSSRs

It looks nice when simply folded from kami, and if the paper is not too thick you can also illuminate it from behind for a nice effect.

Thanks for the tip, but I've already folded that one and the other Fujimoto with the squares. I just forgot to mention it.

There's one more possibility I can think of, however, it's described in a German book only. In Das große Origamibuch by Lucio and Spütz a simple mosaic-like module is presented for which many different variations exist which can all be combined in some kind of relief. The single module is basically just a windmill base if I remember correctly.

So if you're happy with having modular origami in your frame that might be another nice option. I should have some of those modules at home, so if you're interested I can take a quick picture later for you. Though strictly, this isn't a tesselation and it might look too simple for your purpose.

Edit: Here's a nice page showing these modules and lots of possible variations: http://thebraid.wordpress.com/2008/05/1 ... of-beauty/

Hi great question!

When I started designing my pieces I was frustrated by the fact that I couldn't produce the effect of backlit tessellations in glassine without the back lighting. (Glassine when not lit from behind looks very plastic and cheap) As a result over the past few years I have explored using tracing paper from many different brands. I also use parchment paper - The translucency of the paper allows for the effect of light behind them without it actually being there. The more layers of folds there are, the whiter the pleat becomes, while the rest of the paper remains very clear. Whence being able to put them in frames. I suggest experimenting with those.

Good luck!

You can find two kinds of glassine paper in this shop that ships worldwide: http://www.modulor.de

Ralf Konrad makes beautiful framed tessellations from this paper. On his homepage he writes that he prefers the embossed ones. Just visit his site for inspirations:
http://www.origami-online.de

You can find all sorts of tessellations, as well as some creasepatterns, at the Origami Tessellations community on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/origamitessellations/