How to Make a Seahorse Tessellation Template

A tessellation is a form of modern art created by M.C. Escher. Tessellations use a symmetrical shape laid over itself to form a pattern that fills the canvas. You can create your own shapes for tessellations and make one using any form you want, including a seahorse. In order to make a seahorse tessellation template, you must first draw the outline of the shape. You then cut it out and use it to create your art.

Cut out a square or rectangular piece of paper with scissors. Use a ruler if you need to ensure that the sides and the top and bottom are equal lengths or the tessellation will not work properly. Draw a shape from one corner of the bottom to the opposite corner that you want to use for the head.

Cut out this shape using the scissors. At the bottom of what you cut out will be a flat side. Move this shape to the top of the rectangle and tape the bottom edge to the top edge of the rectangle. You will now see the head of the seahorse.

Draw the shape of the body of the seahorse and the tail starting with the upper right corner of the rectangle and ending in the bottom right corner. Try to draw the shape so that when you move it to the opposite side, it forms the body and the tail of the seahorse.

Cut out the shape you just drew. Move it to the left side of the rectangle and tape the long flat side to the left edge, just as you did in Step 2 for the top and bottom. You will now see the finished shape of the seahorse. If it does not look right, you can draw a new rectangle and start over until you get the shape you are looking for.

Place the template on another sheet of paper and trace it with the pencil. If you performed the steps correctly, you should be able to slide the shape to the right and the left side will fit perfectly against the right side of what you just drew.