Figurative tessellations


Models of this type are also automatically listed in: figurative, tessellation More restrictive types: origami painting, periodic figurative tessellation

Figurative tessellations are, as the name implies, origami tessellations which represent actual objects or whole scenes.

They can be contrasted with abstract tessellations.

This page lists models of a single type. You might be interested in folding instructions instead.
Armor-Piercing

Armor-Piercing

A bullet in flight, penetrating a sheet of armor.

David (דוד)

David (דוד)

I designed and folded this model in mid-2023. Originally, I planned it as a typical figurative illustration of the story of David and Goliath, often found in...

Heading into 2024

Heading into 2024

Per my personal tradition of designing a New Year’s model each year, here’s one for 2024. This is my first origami design folded from Dragon Hide paper (copp...

Frog Star

Frog Star

The outline of this star is made using the same technique as various Star a la Fujimoto variants. The decoration in the center is a tessellation molecule tha...

Ladybug Box

Ladybug Box

This box is decorated with a ladybug, which is a tessellation molecule. I used the same molecule for a BBU tile variant to make a decorated cube. While the f...

Origami in Shades of Gray

Origami in Shades of Gray

This is a collections of my origami tessellations that I framed and hung near the desk I use for folding. The models, all kept in neutral colors, are as foll...

Epiphany V

Epiphany V

This year’s model of the Star of Bethlehem for Epiphany is based on my Star of David I molecule. The model as a whole is very similar to Epiphany III, the di...

2023 in Maya Numerals

2023 in Maya Numerals

This origami tessellation represents the number 2023 using Maya numerals as 𝋥𝋡𝋣. This system is vigesimal (base 20) and individual digits are read top-to-bot...

Hinged Shamrock Box

Hinged Shamrock Box

This box, designed in late 2020, is decorated with a shamrock, and folded from a single square of Tant paper. In contrast to most of my box designs, in which...

Worlds Apart

Worlds Apart

This model has been long in the making and is based on ideas of my Brain in a Vat from 2016 which in turn uses a technique I learned from Joanna Sobczyk the ...

The Golden Gate of Kyiv

The Golden Gate of Kyiv

The Golden Gate of Kyiv (Золоті ворота) was the main gate of the city in the early middle ages. Today the city is under attack again. Origami tessellation f...

MMXXII

MMXXII

Happy 2022! This is my first fold of the year, and as usual I wanted it to be something related to the new year. Since 2022 has a rare symmetry when rendered...

San Francisco Bay

San Francisco Bay

A view of San Francisco Bay, folded from a single square of Satogami paper. This origami painting is not based on any singular image, but a compilation of mu...

Butchers’ Guild Coat of Arms

Butchers’ Guild Coat of Arms

This model started out something completely different that what it ended up being. Originally, I planned to make a model of Lublin Castle, and started with t...

Shamrock Tessellation 1.1

Shamrock Tessellation 1.1

This is an improved version of my Shamrock Tessellation. It uses Flagstone Paneling technique in order to hide pleats, so that each shamrock is separated fro...

Trifora

Trifora

This kind of tripartite window was a popular motif in sacral architecture, found in many architectural styles, including Romanesque and Gothic.

Shamrock Tessellation (simplified)

Shamrock Tessellation (simplified)

This is a simplified version of my Shamrock Tessellation. I have also designed some boxes that use the same molecule: Slightly Simplified Shamrock Box and Si...

2021

2021

This model took me longer than I expected, but better late than never, so: happy New Year 2021! This model uses a new tessellation molecule of mine which I h...

Christ Pantokrator

Christ Pantokrator

Christ Pantokrator, inspired by Byzantine icons. One sheet of Edokosome paper, just folding. Merry Christmas!

Edelweiss Box (variant A)

Edelweiss Box (variant A)

I derived this design from my Shamrock 1.1 Box. Just like the former, it can be tessellated. It is named after a rare flower which grows in the mountains.

Shamrock 1.1 Box (Refold)

Shamrock 1.1 Box (Refold)

A new fold of my Shamrock 1.1 Box — compared to the previous one, I managed to fold and shape the stem in a cleaner way. The shamrock can be tessellated.

White Collars

White Collars

Origami tessellation, single sheet of Satogami paper. Just folding: no cutting or glue.

Groom and Bride

Groom and Bride

Origami tessellation designed as a wedding gift. One sheet of white Elephant Hide paper, no cutting or glue.

Entry to the Fjord

Entry to the Fjord

Together with In the Fjord, this is from my Norwegian fjord series of origami works. Folded from hand-made paper with oatmeal.

Doom

Doom

Doom Eternal is coming out tomorrow, so here’s an origami version of the cover art of the first Doom game from 1993. Origami from a single square sheet, no c...

Excalibur

Excalibur

Excalibur, the sword in the stone, from Arthurian legends. Origami folded from one sheet (Elephant Hide paper courtesy of Paula Versnick). Also compare my Tw...

In the Fjord

In the Fjord

View into a Norwegian fjord, folded from a sheet of hand-made paper.

Epiphany IV

Epiphany IV

This rendition of the Star of Bethlehem is based on the same general idea as Epiphany III, but made to better resemble an actual comet. It features a double ...

2020

2020

Happy New Year 2020! Here’s an origami tessellation with the number 2020, folded from a 2:1 rectangle of Satogami paper.

Crucifix

Crucifix

This origami crucifix is modeled after icon crosses found in Byzantine art, but also present in other styles up to this day. A matching model for All Saints’...

Titanic

Titanic

The sinking of Titanic, in origami.

Two Swords / Dwa Miecze

Two Swords / Dwa Miecze

Model ten zaprojektowałem po niedawnej wizycie na polu Bitwy pod Grunwaldem. Origami z jednego arkusza papieru, bez cięcia i klejenia. Siatka 48×48. Pojedyn...

Frank’s Bow Tie (as I would fold it)

Frank’s Bow Tie (as I would fold it)

Another fold of Frank’s Bow Tie, this time in my usual style (thick paper, as few grid lines visible as is practical). The link contains more information abo...

Spider’s Web

Spider’s Web

Ben Goldberger is an interesting origami artist from Israel whom I had the opportunity to meet at CDO Convention 2018. You should definitely check out his wo...

Shamrock 1.1 Box

Shamrock 1.1 Box

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, here is a new version of my Shamrock Box (previous versions: 1.0 and two simplified variants). Current version was design...

Still Life with Epiphany III

Still Life with Epiphany III

Another attempt at folding the subject of Star of Bethlehem, this time using the Lucky Star molecule (invented independently with Fujimoto, Haligami and many...

Christmas Tree 2018

Christmas Tree 2018

Unintuitive as it may seem, this tessellated Christmas Tree was born as a modification of a shooting star model, Epiphany III. The molecule used for creating...

Houstonia Box

Houstonia Box

This origami box represents a flower of the genus Houstonia, also known as bluets or Quaker Ladies. Some species, in particular Houstonia Caerulea have four ...

Epiphany Tessellation

Epiphany Tessellation

An origami tessellation for the Feast of Epiphany. Single sheet of Gampi paper, no cutting or glue. Wet folding was used for the coma of the Stars of Bethleh...

Happy 2018!

Happy 2018!

Happy New Year 2018! This is the first fold of my recent idea for making pixel tessellations, called Butterfly Pixel Tessellation. The molecule is basically ...

Nativity

Nativity

Nativity — origami tessellation folded from a single square of Tant paper. Merry Christmas!

Shamrock Box (Slightly Simplified)

Shamrock Box (Slightly Simplified)

Here is a slightly simplified version of my Shamrock Box. The original was based on a molecule which can easily be tessellated. However, with a single molecu...

Shamrock Box (Simplified)

Shamrock Box (Simplified)

Here is a fully simplified version of my Shamrock Box. The original was based on a molecule which can easily be tessellated. However, with a single molecule ...

Simplified Shamrock Box Variants

Simplified Shamrock Box Variants

This picture shows a comparison of two variants of Simplified Shamrock Box: Simplified Shamrock Box (on the left) Slightly Simplified Shamrock Box (on the ri...

Body and Blood

Body and Blood

An origami tessellation for Maundy Thursday and Easter.

Shamrock Box

Shamrock Box

Box with a single molecule of my Shamrock Tessellation. Folded from 16×16 grid, of which the molecule consumes 12×12.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, here’s a tessellation with a beer tankard and shamrocks. Each of these molecules can also be tessellated independently of the...

Shamrock Tessellation

Shamrock Tessellation

I was inspired by this model by Matthew Green to also design a model for St. Patrick’s Day. A bigger model is coming up, which I hope to finish on time, but ...

Scroll of Time: 2017

Scroll of Time: 2017

I wanted to try something new this year, so I folded this model from thin parchment paper whereas most of the time I use much thicker papers. Modern parchmen...

Hedgehogs!

Hedgehogs!

A tessellation which fills the plane with cute little hedgehogs. Hedgehog design is a modified version of Pureland Hedgehog by Sebastien Limet. Folded from c...

Brexit

Brexit

Model designed on my plane back from UK which I visited just days after the Brexit vote. The British Flag itself can be used as a tessellation molecule and t...

Parrot Tulip Opening

Parrot Tulip Opening

A small tessellated version of Meenakshi Mukerji’s Tulip, originally designed as a modular origami unit. Tant paper with acrylic paint.

Picture Frame with Hedgehogs

Picture Frame with Hedgehogs

Origami picture frame with two little hedgehogs on the bottom bar. The frame is based on this design. The hedgehogs are a prototype of what later became Hedg...

Box with Shooting Star

Box with Shooting Star

I designed this box during the annual meeting of Polish Meteoritical Society (meteorites are one of my hobbies alongside origami).

Brain in a Vat

Brain in a Vat

A brain in a vat is a thought experiment related to consciousness and the perception of reality which has, in one form or another, interested people ranging ...

Saturn Tessellation

Saturn Tessellation

This tessellation is based on a 128×92 grid. Image is created from a four-sink-base tessellation by folding up some of the squares’ corners. While I’ve seen ...