Tangrams

The tangram (Chinese: lit. 'seven boards of skill') is a dissection puzzle consisting of seven flat polygons, called tans, which are put together to form shapes. Many design problems can be posed with this game in mind, the main principle to be learned being that of economy of means—making the most with the least. Further, the game helps to sharpen the powers of observation through the discovery of resemblances between geometric and natural forms. It helps the student to abstract: to see a triangle, for example, as a face, a tree, an eye, a nose, depending on the context in which the pieces are arranged. Such observation is essential in the study of visual symbols.

Here are the results of an exercise completed for a class in Form and Color. I used cut paper (photographed with my phone) instead of immediately jumping to the computer on the premise that pushing the pieces around with my hands in the Real World would fire more brain neurons than pushing pixels on a screen.

Forms capturing movement.

I see this as a figure twirling around with flags held in the hands, one leg in the air.

It’s got to be a mallard in flight.

Trying to create animal forms has been a popular use of tangrams for centuries. Turns out it’s not that hard to do—surprising considering there are only seven pieces to work with.

Bowing in kimono.