Random tile patterns
Mike Willis
and wall units, and want to form a random pattern with 3 or 4 colours or
shades of plain tiles. I have been playing with different patterns but
finding it very hard to generate random-looking patterns that don't have
obvious artifacts such as diagonal stripes etc.
Does anyone have or know where I could get some random patterns from?
Mike Willis
Colin Latter
it to be "random".
We used 10cm x 10cm x 5mm thick tiles and chose a base colour (dark green)
then we chose
10 tiles in yellow and 10 in pink.
As we tiled the walls we just put in one of the "coloured" tiles when we
felt like it. Not deliberately alternating the colours either.
I was a bit sceptical about it at first but have to admit that the end
result looks quite good (total bias) with no obvious pattern or shape to it.
Colin
Mike Willis wrote in message ...
mil...@my-dejanews.com
mike_...@pivotal.co.uk (Mike Willis) wrote:
> We are about to tile our kitchen walls, mainly the runs between worktop
> and wall units, and want to form a random pattern with 3 or 4 colours or
> shades of plain tiles. I have been playing with different patterns but
> finding it very hard to generate random-looking patterns that don't have
> obvious artifacts such as diagonal stripes etc.
>
> Does anyone have or know where I could get some random patterns from?
A computer. I could whizz up a table of random numbers pretty easily
for your 4 colours. I think it is well known that a human cannot generate
random tile patterns alone except perhaps by routines similar to tossing
coins. Email if you need some generated.
--
Jon
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Douglas de Lacey
>
> In article <mike_willis-23...@usero432.uk.uudial.com>,
> mike_...@pivotal.co.uk (Mike Willis) wrote:
> > We are about to tile our kitchen walls, mainly the runs between worktop
> > and wall units, and want to form a random pattern with 3 or 4 colours or
> > shades of plain tiles. I have been playing with different patterns but
> > finding it very hard to generate random-looking patterns that don't have
> > obvious artifacts such as diagonal stripes etc.
> >
> > Does anyone have or know where I could get some random patterns from?
>
> A computer. I could whizz up a table of random numbers pretty easily
> for your 4 colours. I think it is well known that a human cannot generate
> random tile patterns alone except perhaps by routines similar to tossing
> coins. Email if you need some generated.
Not sure that truly random numbers will answer: you would expect the
occasional "run" in a random sequence. I beliee there are programs whcih
generate carefully *non* random sequences to exclude such things, but
don't know where to find one. I suspect your eye as you go along would
be best: if you see a run developing use a different tile!
Douglas de Lacey.
Peter Riocreux
Mike> We are about to tile our kitchen walls, mainly the runs between
Mike> worktop and wall units, and want to form a random pattern with 3
Mike> or 4 colours or shades of plain tiles. I have been playing with
Mike> different patterns but finding it very hard to generate
Mike> random-looking patterns that don't have obvious artifacts such
Mike> as diagonal stripes etc.
Mike> Does anyone have or know where I could get some random patterns
Mike> from?
Can't offer any help, but it got me thinking...
A few (?) years ago, some maths bod proved (as much as any theoretical
mathematician ever proves anything) that a (set of?) shape(s) that had
been devised could be infinitely tesselated in an genuinely
non-rpeating pattern. It would be quite nice to be able to tile with
this/these shapes. Does anyone know if a tile make has pursued the
idea?
Pete
--
Peter Riocreux, Amulet Group, Dept. Computer Science, Manchester University,
Oxford Road, MANCHESTER, M13 9PL, UK. <http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/amulet/>
Voice: +44 161-2753531 Mobile: +44 7970-611366 Fax: +44 161-2756236
Alistair McDonald
mike_...@pivotal.co.uk says...
>
> Does anyone have or know where I could get some random patterns from?
I'd take a pack of cards, and shuffle them. Simply match a suit to a
colour of tile. Don't change a tile, even if you get a run of three or
so the same colour, this is the random nature, and has occurred
naturally.
Add more cards of various suits depending on the proportions of colours
that you have.
--
Ally | Please do not duplicate usenet follow-ups by email.
| Check my address for Anti-Spam measures.
Douglas de Lacey
> A few (?) years ago, some maths bod proved (as much as any theoretical
> mathematician ever proves anything) that a (set of?) shape(s) that had
> been devised could be infinitely tesselated in an genuinely
> non-rpeating pattern. It would be quite nice to be able to tile with
> this/these shapes. Does anyone know if a tile make has pursued the
> idea?
Yes. Roger Penrose is your man, and a web search on his name will lead
you to lots of examples. His College (in Another Place) has a courtyard
paved with penrose tiles. And if you run linux, one of the standard
screensavers is a rather nice penrose tiling pattern. They are great
fun.
IIRC the smallest number of tile shapes necessary is 2 but ther are
various different flavours.
Douglas de Lacey.
Ed Sirett
>In article <mike_willis-23...@usero432.uk.uudial.com>,
> mike_...@pivotal.co.uk (Mike Willis) wrote:
>> We are about to tile our kitchen walls, mainly the runs between worktop
>> and wall units, and want to form a random pattern with 3 or 4 colours or
>> shades of plain tiles. I have been playing with different patterns but
>> finding it very hard to generate random-looking patterns that don't have
>> obvious artifacts such as diagonal stripes etc.
>>
>> Does anyone have or know where I could get some random patterns from?
>
>for your 4 colours. I think it is well known that a human cannot generate
>random tile patterns alone except perhaps by routines similar to tossing
>coins. Email if you need some generated.
>
I have only done tiling that involves the 'random' insertion of a
'decorative' tile in a certain proportion such as 10:1 or 6:1 say. The
method I use is to count out one less ordinary tiles
than the proportion required (this is to allow for the fact that highlight
tiles are never used in the awkward/edge/hidden areas) and then add one of
the special tiles to this little batch. Place these tiles on the wall and
then make a new 'batchette'; this method works a treat if you find that for
some very odd reason the tiles are doming out to 'regular' thenjust swap the
special tile with the next pain one.
For your application I would simply take a 3 of each colour and then shuffle
the batchette a bit - hope it will work out fine.
BTW a true random pattern is not what is needed this will lead to (probably)
unsightly and unwanted clusters.
John Morris
prio...@cs.man.ac.uk "Peter Riocreux" writes:
> A few (?) years ago, some maths bod proved (as much as any theoretical
> mathematician ever proves anything) that a (set of?) shape(s) that had
> been devised could be infinitely tesselated in an genuinely
> non-rpeating pattern. It would be quite nice to be able to tile with
> this/these shapes. Does anyone know if a tile make has pursued the
> idea?
An Alta-Vista search for "penrose tiling" (Penrose being the above
mentioned bod) produced lots of hits, but nothing in the first few
pages seemed to indicate any actual implementation in ceramic.
There's a picture of the tiling at:
http://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arch/10_12_96/pentile.htm
or for a real grouter's nightmare, try:
http://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arch/10_12_96/nonpd.htm
J.
Jake
<MPG.104b56fd9...@newshost.us.oracle.com>...
> In article <mike_willis-23...@usero432.uk.uudial.com>,
> mike_...@pivotal.co.uk says...
> >
> > Does anyone have or know where I could get some random patterns from?
>
> colour of tile. Don't change a tile, even if you get a run of three or
> so the same colour, this is the random nature, and has occurred
> naturally.
>
> Add more cards of various suits depending on the proportions of colours
> that you have.
The problem will be that the human brain is very good at
finding patterns in anything. It probably helps reduce the
amount of information flowing between the eye and brain.
So if you put up any of these truly random patterns its
likely you will be able to see patterns in it quite quickly.
Jake
Paul Mc Cann
allym_...@usa.net says...
> In article <mike_willis-23...@usero432.uk.uudial.com>,
> mike_...@pivotal.co.uk says...
> >
> > Does anyone have or know where I could get some random patterns from?
>
> I'd take a pack of cards, and shuffle them. Simply match a suit to a
> colour of tile. Don't change a tile, even if you get a run of three or
> so the same colour, this is the random nature, and has occurred
> naturally.
>
> Add more cards of various suits depending on the proportions of colours
> that you have.
>
>
> Ally | Please do not duplicate usenet follow-ups by email.
> | Check my address for Anti-Spam measures.
>
whatever, before you start.
Should lead to some interesting patterns , no?
--
Paul Mc Cann
Chris J Dixon
>The problem will be that the human brain is very good at
>finding patterns in anything. It probably helps reduce the
>amount of information flowing between the eye and brain.
>
>So if you put up any of these truly random patterns its
>likely you will be able to see patterns in it quite quickly.
How many of you remember the omnipresent Crystal tile with the
veined pattern, introduced in the sixties? Once you have seen
the bird, you always see it.
Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK
chris...@easynet.co.uk
Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.
Andy Dingley
Dixon) wrote:
>How many of you remember the omnipresent Crystal tile with the
>veined pattern, introduced in the sixties? Once you have seen
>the bird, you always see it.
My Dad spent the Seventies being proudly shown people's newly
decorated kitchens / bathrooms and reliably exclaiming, "You've got
your chickens on upside down". They'd always missed at least one, and
he never did learn the notion of tact.
Now in his Seventies, he lives in the country and prefers to talk
about septic tanks instead. Useful chap to have around if you have
anything plumbing-related that is going to need rubber Herriot
gloves.....
--
Do whales have krillfiles ?
Greg McDougall
>and wall units, and want to form a random pattern with 3 or 4 colours or
>shades of plain tiles. I have been playing with different patterns but
>finding it very hard to generate random-looking patterns that don't have
>obvious artifacts such as diagonal stripes etc.
>
>
A friend of mine once claimed that you could purchase 'sheets' of mosaic
tiles, bonding to a backing substance. I also have a vague memory of seeing
something similar on a DIY programme where the sheets are laid down on a
'underlay' type material and then grouted over.
Could anyone point me to a supplier for this, I think the sheets come in 2'
x 2' sheets?
Regards,
Greg
David Micklem
<dou...@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>
>A friend of mine once claimed that you could purchase 'sheets' of mosaic
>tiles, bonding to a backing substance. I also have a vague memory of seeing
>something similar on a DIY programme where the sheets are laid down on a
>'underlay' type material and then grouted over.
>
>Could anyone point me to a supplier for this, I think the sheets come in 2'
>x 2' sheets?
>
>Regards,
>
>Greg
I don't know about patterned mosaics but you can certainly get plain sheets
of little (about1 inch square) tiles... I have them in my kitchen and
bathroom. They look pretty good but apparently are a total pain to grout (I
didn't DIM).
I think they are called Cinca (or similar) porcelain tiles, and I got them
in London (ObDIY - myself) from um, er, drat can't remember the name. Very
near a big bridge over the river (can you tell I've never lived in
London?). My A-Z, and the spare 1/4 box of tiles, are several thousand
miles away or I'd try to see if I could find the address.
Not very helpful I'm afraid, but at least confirmation that they exist!
David
--
D.R. Micklem, Time flies like an arrow...
Beckman Institute, Fruit flies like a banana.
Stanford, Ca 94305 USA Email:dmic...@cmgm.stanford.edu
Unsolicited mail will incur a US$100 processing charge.
Douglas de Lacey
>
> > Yes. Roger Penrose is your man, and a web search on his name will lead
> > you to lots of examples. His College (in Another Place) has a courtyard
> > paved with penrose tiles. And if you run linux, one of the standard
> > screensavers is a rather nice penrose tiling pattern. They are great
> > fun.
> >
>
> xroger :-)
xlock -mode penrose. Standard part of the Red Hat installation.
I thought there was a piccy of RP and the tiled court (presumably at
Wadham) on the net, but have failed to find it, so either it was in one
of his books or my own imagination. Shall keep looking.
Douglas de Lacey.
Chris French
>
>A friend of mine once claimed that you could purchase 'sheets' of mosaic
>tiles, bonding to a backing substance. I also have a vague memory of seeing
>something similar on a DIY programme where the sheets are laid down on a
>'underlay' type material and then grouted over.
>
>Could anyone point me to a supplier for this, I think the sheets come in 2'
>x 2' sheets?
>
Yes I know it's a long time coming.......
(I've emailed Greg, but someone else may be interested)
but I've just come across the number for this place again.
The Mosaic Workshop 0171 263 2997
They sell all sorts of mosaic related stuff, so may be able to help.
Better late than never...
--
Chris French
Email address valid for at least two weeks from posting