Computer-aided generation of Escher-like Sky and Water tiling patterns

Abstract

Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher created many interesting prints based on tiling patterns. A typical example of such a print is Sky and Water I, in which a bird at the top deforms gradually towards the bottom and melts away into the background, while a fish gradually appears from the background. This article presents an interactive system for generating Escher-like Sky and Water tiling patterns. In this system, a user supplies two figures, and the system places deformed copies of them in such a way that, from top to bottom, one figure gradually disappears into the background, while the other figure gradually appears from the background. The system combines tiling, morphing and figure-ground reversal. The user can also specify the density of and a global pattern for the tiling.