Daviso, a new tangle from Massachusetts CZT Katie Crommett, is a classic example of the figure/ground perceptual phenomenon.
An optical illusion is another way to phrase that.
You might remember this from school where we were presented with an image similar to this and asked what we see:
Public domain image courtesy of Wikipedia
This is known as the Rubin Vase, “a famous set of ambiguous or bi-stable (i.e., reversing) two-dimensional forms developed around 1915 by the Danish psychologist Edgar Rubin.” For more examples of this phenomenon check out this article, “Two Faces or a Vase – Simple but Wonderful Optical Illusions“.
When you look at my example of Daviso above, do you see (1) elongated white hexagons, or (2) squares with black triangles in the corners, or (3) Star of David patterns?
The example on the right where I used a “diamond grid” instead of the traditional squared grid of Katie’s steps presents the more obvious Star of David without so much of an optical illusion.
Katie explains how she developed Daviso and shares a little about herself.
The tangle is called ‘Daviso’, which is a word I created by blending ‘David’ with ‘Isogrid’. But before the name, came the lines, which was how this began. I drew simple grid lines, and then thought, ‘What would happen if I added a one-direction diagonal?’ When I darkened the spaces that that diagonal created, I saw Stars of David emerge. I did some research on that pattern and found someone who’s named it a ‘quarter isogrid‘ pattern. That was intriguing.
When you’re drawing the diagonal, keep the line straight but keep close to the corners of the original grid boxes.
I’m a Certified Zentangle Teacher (seminar #15) from Worcester, Massachusetts. When I tangle at the dining room table, usually one of my cats tries to intercept my pen or sit on my tile.
Katie illustrates the step-by-step instructions for drawing Daviso here and features it in a Zentangle® tile along with a few Zentangle-original tangles.
Image copyright the artist and used with permission, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may use this image for your personal non-commercial reference only. Republishing or redistributing pattern deconstructions in any form is prohibited under law without express permission of the copyright owner.
Katie also illustrates how to draw Daviso here on her blog along with images from her sketchbook showing both versions of her tangle. You can also see and meet Katie here and learn more about her.
Check out the tag katiec for more of Katie’s tangles on TanglePatterns.com.
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- How to use the site — an excellent free video tutorial showing how to use the site as well as pointing out lots of useful features you might have missed.
- Linda's List of Zentangle-Original Patterns — here is the complete list of original tangles (aka "official tangles") created and introduced by founders Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, including those not published online. If you are new to the Zentangle Method I highly recommend learning a few of the published Zentangle classics first.
- "A Zentangle has no up or down and is not a picture of something, so you have no worries about whether you can draw a hand, or a duck. You always succeed in creating a Zentangle." Thus patterns that are drawings of a recognizable naturalistic or actual object, figure, or scene, are not tangles. A pattern is not always a tangle — here's what makes a tangle. TIP: tangles never start with pencil planning.
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July 15, 2015 | 
More like this: 
Oh this is a fabulous tangle! Simple yet so effective. Can’t wait to tangle with this 🙂
Pretty neat! It’s one of those ones that I’m always surprised we in the Zentangle world have not “discovered” it yet. How did we go so long without it? Well, we have it now. Thanks Katie.
Always fun to have something new…great tangle. Thank you!
Katie-I like your Daviso. When I see Linda’s emails with a new pattern I immediately open it and if the pattern excites me I grab a piece of paper to try it out. This is what I did this morning with your Daviso.
I know we are supposed to draw our grids free-hand——-no rulers—-but my diagonal lines were getting a little skidiwompi and I could only see the Star of David in my mind and not on my paper. Any suggestions?
As always, thank you, Linda. Nancy P
Here’s advice from Rick and Maria, “As you tangle, let your focus be on the stroke you are drawing at that moment, instead of on the pattern or the final result.” And never rulers, you don’t want a technical drawing but an intuitive one that’s all you.
I thought my cats were the only ones who love to share in the joys of Zentangle.. 😉
Love it Katie and your pattern using Daviso – what a classy piece of work. Noelene