What is a common application of the technique known as tessellation in the arts?

Tessellation, which involves fitting shapes together in a repeated pattern without any gaps or overlaps, is widely used in the design of geometric patterns, particularly in textiles. This application showcases how tessellation can create visually striking designs that often exhibit symmetry and variety. In textiles, these patterns can be printed or woven, adding depth and interest to the fabric.

The other options, while relevant to the arts, do not typically embody the essence of tessellation. Textures in watercolor painting, structural elements in architecture, and color mixing in oil painting focus on other techniques and principles that don't specifically pertain to the systematic repetition and arrangement characteristic of tessellation. Thus, designing geometric patterns in textiles stands out as the most appropriate and direct application of the tessellation technique.