Mesh Tool - 2. Tiles Parameters

This is a sub-chapter of the Mesh Parameters chapter.

Tiling is covering of a plane using one or more geometric shapes, called tiles, with no overlaps and no gaps. Tiling in Studio NEXT can be achieved using A) ready-made blackwork samples or B) generated tessellation mosaics.

This page details the tiles parameters for creating mesh fills. It covers two distinct methods: utilizing seamless Blackwork samples with adjustable scale and single-layer options, and generating intricate Tessellation mosaics. Tessellation is when shapes fit together in a pattern with no gaps or overlaps. For Tessellation, the page explains various controls for pattern selection, cell size, distortion, splitting patterns into smaller parts using different methods, and modifying the edges with extrusion and bending effects.

Category A) - Blackwork

The selected Sample is tiled seamlessly to fill the entire mesh object.

Blackwork Tiles

Single Layer - see the detailed description of the Single Layer setting at the end of this chapter. The Single Layer option is not available for all blackwork samples. Samples that allow single-layer stitching are marked.

Scale control allows you to adjust the size of the samples and, consequently, the density of the mesh paths.

Category B) - Tessellation

Tessellation mosaic

A tessellation is the covering of an area using one or more geometric shapes with no overlaps and no gaps.

Controls affecting the tessellation are:

Kind - select the tessellation pattern. The fill colors of individual geometric shapes indicate whether the shape is large enough to be subdivided into smaller shapes (see Split > Threshold parameter). Shapes large enough for subdivision are filled with green, while smaller shapes are filled with pink.

Average Size of Cells > Size - the average width of the empty space between edges. The actual gap varies above and below this value.

Distortion > Range - a good-looking effect can sometimes be obtained by distorting the mesh. Set a non-zero value for this control to randomize the mesh fill.

Randomly distorted edges

Split - new patterns can be obtained by splitting the existing pattern into smaller parts. Several methods exist for creating smaller parts from a larger one. Their effect is depicted on each method's icon.

Currently available Methods of splitting the shapes are: Corner Spokes, Edge Spokes, Inscribe, Inset, Shrink.

Methods of splitting the shapes explained on a 6-sided shape: 1. Corner Spokes, 2. Edge Spokes, 3. Inscribe, 4. Inset, 5. Shrink.

The Inscribe, Inset, and Shrink methods produce an inner shape (yellow) and outer shapes (blue).

Split > Threshold - this threshold divides geometric shapes in the pattern into those that are split into smaller parts and those that are not. Shapes with an area larger than the threshold value are split using the selected split method. Select 0% threshold if you want all shapes to be split. Shapes smaller than the threshold are rendered in pink in the tessellation pattern box. Shapes equal to or larger than threshold are rendered in green.

Split > Outer Lines - some split methods (Inscribe, Inset, and Shrink) create an inner shape inside the parent shape and several small shapes around this inner shape. This switch allows you to delete the outer shapes. In some cases, this produces nice new patterns.

Split > Offset - some split methods are parameterized with an offset value. This control is disabled for split methods that do not use an offset.

Edges: The result of tessellation is a mesh of edges, which can be further modified by the following parameters:

Edges > Extrude - expands edges and produces decorative star-like objects in some patterns, especially those containing 8-sided polygons (octagons).

Identical pattern with increasing edge extrusion. Left to right: 0%, 50%, 75%.

Edges > Bend - replaces straight-line edges with arcs, creating a more organic-looking mosaic.

Arched edges