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Hexagon-based tessellations are great backgrounds for clocks, as the divisions can align with the hour markers. I've starting making clocks with this in mind.
Tessellumination Clock
Tessellumination Clock
This clock is also backlit like my tesselluminations, allowing for the layering to be viewed. The sunken hexagon weave also has no pleat drift, allowing for a straightforward alignment of hour markers. The top hexagon is exposed and colored to differentiate it from all other hours so you always know where 12 is.
Light green tant, 36cm diameter hexagon, 48 triangle grid. August 2026.
The normal view, which shows the top face of the pattern.
The backlit view, which shows the layering of the pattern. The dark area in the center is due to the clock mechanism.
Star Windows
Star Windows
I've always wanted to turn Star Windows into a clock, as there is no pleat drift between molecules. This makes hour marker alignments easier to manage.
In this initial version I did not insert extra paper into the windows. This allows the focus to be on the tessellation itself instead of embellishments.
Light blue tant, 36cm diameter hexagon, 36 triangle grid. July 2026.
The second version I used a patterned paper to emphasize the window shapes.
Dark blue tant, 36cm diameter hexagon, 36 triangle grid. Blue/light blue floral patteren inserts. August 2026.
Hub and Spoke
Hub and Spoke
This simple weave pattern is an open triangle twist flagstone on the back side. The closed hexagon twists for the hour markers were pinwheeled to make them distinct from the other hexagon twists.
Dark green tant. 36cm diameter hexagon, 48 triangle grid. July 2026.
The clock mounted in a white shadowbox frame.
Cog in the Clock (12 Jewels edition)
Cog in the Clock (12 Jewels edition)
Cog in the Machine features star puffs so tightly packed that their tips interlock, sort of like gears. Here the hour markers were colored with red metallic marker as a nod to the red jewels (artificial sapphires) in a mechanical watch, which are used as bearings to reduce friction amongst watch parts.
Metallic silver mulberry paper, 50cm diameter hexagon, 64 triangle grid. June 2026.
The tessellation with the clock hands on top to check for size.
The clock, mounted in a black shadowbox frame.
Citrus Slices
Citrus Slices
Each molecule of Citrus Slices includes 12 diamond pips. By coloring an increasing number of pips, the hour marker can be explicitly marked.
Dark red biotope, ~40cm diameter hexagon, 64 triangle grid. March 2026.
An initial test on dark red biotope, with silvered pips.
The final tessellation uses metallic green on the colored pips to provide contrast. This is in a temporary cardboard housing.
The final clock is housed in a wooden hexagon shadow box. This was displayed at San Jose's Nikkei Matsuri (2026) in their origami exhibit, along with some of my other works.
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