Folding Origami Paper

Stegosaurus Dinosaur Origami by Fumiaki Kawahata

noreply@blogger.com (Benz) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:26:00 +0000

Another dinosaur origami model. This one is my favorite. It's a stegosaurus. This model takes a long time to make and is very complicated. The result is worth it, though. I've built this model a bunch of times and like it very much. This is another model that is from the "Origami Fantasy" book of dinosaurs published by Origami House which is very rare. I have another dinosaur paper origami by Fumiaki Kawahata here.

Interesting Paper Models

noreply@blogger.com (Benz) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:10:00 +0000

Instead of talking about folding origami from paper, today I'm going to talk about some paper models I've made. I really like making paper models. You cut them out and then fold them and glue them together. There are lots of places to download plans for these models. So you download them, print them out on paper (OK) or card stock (best), then cut them out carefully and glue them together. It's kind of the same sort of thing as doing origami in some ways.

On one hand, origami is more poetic. It's like a haiku. A haiku is seventeen syllables. Usually it's three lines. The syllable pattern is normally five, seven, five. So the first line is five syllables, the second line is seven, and the last line is five. There are a lot of rules about haiku. It seems like origami is the same way. Like you have ot start with a square piece of paper. You can't cut the paper. You can only fold.

Anyways, without getting too deeply into it, here are some paper models I've made.

These models can take a long time to cut out and fold up, depending on how complicated they are. I still like doing them when I have the time. It's a fun hobby.

This is a beautiful Asian design that's a lot like the fancy Japanese dishes you can get at Japanese stores. I really like this model. It was fun to make. It was designed by Kiwi Fruit. Here is the website of this paper model designer.

This is fun girl paper and was designed by Eloole.

This model was designed by Robert Ives at Flying Pig except that he releases these models at cardbawdy.com.

Well that's it for today's post on Folding Origami Paper. See you next time!

Tips for Folding Great Origami from Paper

noreply@blogger.com (Benz) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:19:00 +0000

I've been making paper origami for years and have put some thought into how to make the best pieces. There are some things that will be obvious even to the beginner, but there are some things which will save you a lot of time and headaches that may not be so obvious. Here are some of my tips:

Choose Suitable Origami Paper or Art Paper
Since origami is a paper craft, paper can make all the difference in the world. For very simple origami, I think it is best to use paper that is more fluffy or has a texture. That creates volume and can very often also give you a good gesture. Craft Stores often carry craft papers or scrapbooking papers that are great for this.
For more complex models, you will probably want to go with more utilitarian paper. More thin, and also I think more solid colors show off the details of complex origami better.
For really super-complex origami like dragons, insects, and dinosuars, sometimes it's a good idea to use some foil-backed paper. This is paper that's available at places you get origami paper. It's basically dual-layered paper with metal foil being one of the layers. The nice thing about foil paper is that it will keep a sharp crease really well. The main problem with it is that once it's folded (or gets dented,) it'll never lose the crease.

Make sure you are familiar with the diagram symbols for mountain and valley folds, etc.
I've been folding paper for years, but I still spend some time with every new origami book and go over the folding symbols so that I am sure that I am folding correctly.

Fold paper carefully in beginning to save time and problems later.
Origami takes a lot of patience. Also, as your model progresses you're really building on earlier folds. Take the extra time and care to make sure you're building a good foundation. Models approach entropy as they progress. Pay special attention to making folds go to corners and make edges meet where they should. Sloppy folds earlier on will throw things off more and more as you progress.

Stop Occasionally and Check Things Out
I like to stop occasionally and make sure that a model I'm folding really looks like what is in the diagrams. Sometimes you may notice that something that should have been folded over will be folder under. Sometimes you find that you skipped a step. Also, sometimes it's a good idea to look a couple of steps into the future to anticipate where your model is going and maybe find some places where some creases can be sharpened.

Fold in the Air
There is a little debate about this but most experts say you should fold in the air. By this they mean do as much folding as possible with your hands instead of using a table surface to fold against.

The Reward for Attention is Delight
As you do more and more origami, observe how origami designers solve common problems and achieve certain shapes. You may end up figuring out how to get from one place to another. I enjoy watching how a paper folding model changes shape as it approaches completion.

Above all, have fun! Do you have any origami tips to share? Leave me some comments!

Tyrannosaurus Rex by Fumiaki Kawahata

noreply@blogger.com (Benz) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:50:00 +0000

Tyrannosaurus Rex made with foil-backed origami paper.

Here is how to make your paper like mine. I fold it so the foil is on the inside. I get most of my paper from arts and crafts stores, but also sometimes I used to get some in Chinatown. Most foil-backed paper is white on the paper side so I use permanent markers to color the paper before folding. You have to let it dry before you use it or it will stain your fingers.

This origami model is the Tyrannosaurus Rex by Fumiaki Kawahata from "Origami Fantasy." This book was published by Origami House. I have read that it is very rare and so it is one of my prize possessions. I bought it years ago in San Francisco at Kinokuniya Bookstore. All of the models in this book are awesome. I'll post more soon!

It is important to use the right kind of origami paper for your models.

First Post on Folding Origami Paper

noreply@blogger.com (Benz) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:03:00 +0000

I've been an origami enthusiast for years and own an extensive library of origami books. Here I hope to share my opinions and tips about folding paper into animals and monsters. Have fun!