Art and Design

Introduction

Fractals in wallpaper

Designers of wallpaper use a kind of fractal by repeating shapes at the same size so that they fit together exactly. They hide the repeat so that the wallpaper looks the same all over. The same idea is used for wrapping paper. The printed shape does not change size or angle but it is repeated in different positions.

The Victorian designer William Morris produced over 50 different designs. He often used leaves and flowers. Can you see where the shapes are repeated and how he fitted them together?