Hexagons are everywhere around us. They occur in natural structures such as honeycombs and snowflakes; crystals like the graphite in your pencil; rock formations such as the Giant’s Causeway, and even in space on Saturn’s hexagonal cloud.

Regular hexagons enclose the largest amount of space in between the shortest possible edges. This means that hexagonal tiles efficiently tessellate a surface without any gaps or overlaps. Their aesthetically pleasing symmetry is often an inspiration in architecture, design, and of course, fine art.

In this class, I invite you to join me on a two-week geometric journey to create your own tessellation sketchbook.

I will teach you how to construct a basic hexagonal grid using a compass and a ruler, and how to split it in a variety of shapes. Then you will learn how to transfer and replicate each tile into your sketchbook with tracing paper.

I will demonstrate numerous colouring techniques with media such as watercolours, pencils and markers. I will also discuss a wide range of layout contours, shape infills and shading effects.

Each day we will tessellate a new pattern, culminating with a recursive rosette on Day 14.

This class is suitable as a starting point if you are inexperienced and interested in geometry, or as a deeper exploration if you are an accomplished creative, or if you simply wish to engage in a regular, mindful artmaking practice.

By the end of this course you will better understand how geometric structures and their properties are related, and you will develop your visualisation skills to create more of your own future designs. This project offers something for everyone to add to their art skills and the inspiration to make your own sketchbook unique.