Aiman Soliman

Research Scientist
National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois
Urbana, Illinois, USA

My research is focused on the analysis of the spatial patterns of natural and urban landscapes using satellite images and geospatial big data. My primary art medium is digital vector graphics, I use it to develop tessellations, fractal art, and geometric designs. Beside vector graphics, I use traditional pen and pencil, and watercolors.

Folded Snub Tessellation
Folded Snub Tessellation
40 x 26 cm
Archival Digital Print
2019

I used a modified snub square tiling as a base for creating two grotesque motifs, a winged and horned monster. Both the right and left tessellations are identical. However, the optical illusion of folding is visible on the right tile. Our minds take clues from the visible shapes and shadings to estimate the spatial configuration of observed objects. For example, the rhombus shapes and surrounding square tiles in this semi-regular tile give an illusion of an isometric perspective. I further emphasized the sense of depth by shading this tile as if it is illuminated from a single source of light. As a result, the juxtaposed monster tessellation appears to be folded in a three-dimensional space, though it is perfectly flat.