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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

More Collages Made From Flexagon Piece

Here are a few pieces that I created yesterday.  Once again I created a flexagon using the directions out of Esther K. Smith's book, Magic Books and Paper Toys.  After scanning the completed flexagon I cut and pasted and adjusted color to make the new PhotoShop collages that you see below.

original from the flexagon

The next two are adjusted for color saturation.


 
Just in case you are interested in how the flexagon looks once it has been collaged, here you go.  Once you fold the sections and link them, the flexagon flexs into three different parts.
 
side one

side two

Here are what the three sides of the flexagon look like when folded together.  As an experiment I taped each side with clear tape as a precaution to keep the flexagon from tearing.  It helps to keep the edges from wearing quickly.  I especially like the blue and red piece, but as you saw above cutting and pasting made for some fun grids.
 


 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

These are very interesting John! I don't quite get how they are made, you fold them?

Julie-Anne McDonald said...

I had to look up Flexagon and I'm still not sure of what I am seeing or not seeing. I thought it would be a 3D object? Whatever, I can see the math teacher and artist merging here and it looks mighty good. Maybe a photo of the Flexagon folded up would help us no math folks understand better.

john said...

This particular flexagon is flat and when you manipulate it by flexing it you turn to the next page. I recommend checking out the book by Esther K. Smith...Magic Books and Paper Toys and on pages 43-45 you will see how it goes together. The book is really fun even if you don't make anything from it. My example shows all three sides resulting from the collage, cutting, and folding. Some flexagons are 3D such as a hexaflexagon which is really fun as well. I had my students making them. There are many types of flexagons and reference in this book.

Julie-Anne McDonald said...

Wikipedia failed to mention flat (:

Julie-Anne McDonald said...

I just ordered Magic books from our library and also Smith's bookmaking book. I love making books.