Defining Shape

Figure/Ground

Composition






Tessellation

Tessellation is a special case of the face/vase illusion. It involves dividing a module into shapes that begin to have an ambiguous figure/ground relationship. These modules are then assembled into a grid structure so that when the portions of the module that were originally perceived as negative space are arranged side by side, they complete a shape that can now be perceived as a positive shape. The artist M. C. Escher used tessellation to create illusions that reveal the contradictions between what makes visual sense and what makes logical sense.
 

Click and drag the edges of the unit square to create a shape that tessellates (fills the space without leaving gaps). The Outline button shows you the contour of the shape. The Invert button allows you to experiment with the perception of positive and negative space. The Reset button returns the unit square to its original shape.