There is so much happening in the world of Origami design, it is amazing to see new models emerging of every subject imaginable. I am working on editing/test-folding a bunch of Chinese diagrams currently, and thought I should fold this beauty to check on the sequence in the diagrams:
I started with 2x 45cm squares of Kraft – intending to fold BOTH the landed and flying versions of this model (yes – 2 different forms in the same model!), reached a part of the diagram I could not get past – I ruined, ragequitted and snowballed one of the sheets in frustration … only to realise the impasse just required a different view of the model.
Plunging on, through a challenging sequence, I muddled to the end and the result is quite amazing. I like that someone has focussed on the “on the ground” version of a model usually depicted in flight with wings extended. These critters were land dwelling, occasionally in the air, and their body morphology is full whack – prolly why they no longer exist (except as remnant critters like bats). Tapejara’s were thought to be particularly agile fliers and formidable predators, remnants of these have been found in Brazil.
This is part of an astonishing collection of new designs coming soon as a book from origami-shop.com and showcases some amazing layer /sheet management. I _almost_ want to go back and now fold the flying version of this model … almost.
Fun, challenging fold. I think folding this critter much smaller represents a huge challenge – the pleats that form the back legs/toes at this size ended up being 4mm – my fat clumsy fingers struggled to fold these accurately (and you form these pleats part way through the sequence – not in pre-creasing). Going smaller will be “interesting” for a more nimble folder.
A long while ago, a new artist on the scene, Fynn Jackson, started releasing astonishing mask crease patterns on social media.
He later commercially released his designs and I purchased his crease pattern packs for masks 1-35, along with the more recently released noses 1-9.
I love Fynn’s work, and eventually will develop my own CPs of faces. There is so much expression in the score and fold bundle, so decided to expand my collection and try out a bundle of manilla card in the process. I contacted @Jacksonorigami and asked him about selling finished masks – he (to my surprise and delight) freely encourages folders to monetise their rendering of his designs, so long as we do not share the purchased CPs (so please DO NOT ASK) …. so I got to thinking about an upcoming Gallery shoppe associated with my papermaker friends PAQ – put 1 and 1 together and arrived at 6.
I set about folding 6 faces I had not tried before from Fynn’s rich collection of characters, each using different aspect ratios, techniques and all quite wonderful. I was encouraged (by some of the wonderful ladies in PAQ – I am looking at you Ann and Wendy!) to consider selling, and began thinking about displays that would make them work as purchaseables.
When I first read Frank Herbert’s “Dune” series of books, it was the mid 70’s and I was a teenager. The expansive universe captured my imagination like little else.
Dune Part 2 has just been released in cinemas, and the Denis Villeneuve adaptation is visually stunning. On planet Arrakis (Dune), a chosen method of air travel is the “Ornithopter”, described as an insect-like flapping machine.
’Thopters in the current movie series are astonishing, if illogical from an engineering perspective. Variously, ‘Thopters have 2 to 12 wings, each move independently in a coordinated buzz to provide controlled lift and thrust.
The origami world has a few simple ‘thopter designs, most modelled on the 80’s David Lynch film adaptation, so I thought I would have a go at designing one from scratch. Initially I thought to harness an existing base, but decided I wanted 12 wings, in groups of 3, and wanted landing gear, some paper for a fuselage and various flaps for some simple detailing.
There are many design methodologies I could have employed. Circle packing (each circle centre representing the vertex of a stickey outer bit), 22.5 folding to facilitate the point-splitting needed for so many separate flaps, but settled on box pleating.
First I sketched out a rough crease pattern (CP). 12 points along opposite edges of a square. The downside of this arrangement was the points ended up tiny – way too small for the wings. Rearranging them symmetrically allowed me to include extra flaps for landing gear, cockpit and more. Designing the collapse along a 2 unit strip of the central axis also gave me the bulk for the fuselage. I calculated I could achieve this with a 48 grid.
On Sunday during the weekend the PAQ “All Stitched Up” exhibition opened in Gympie Regional Gallery a fortunate group of paper makers were able to spend the day at Dion Channer’s paper mill. Michelle, Vanessa, Wendy, Sue, Heather, Ann, Joolie, Marjorie and me, Peter were in for a treat with Dion and his partner Sue Purnell. Surrounded by the bush, among music rooms and yurts, pavilions and lakes, Dion’s mill was a large shed with a bespoke collection of gear and infused with the passion of a master papermaker.
Over a morning cup of tea, PAQ members talked with Dion about individual goals and hopes for process assistance, we learned about the available fibres and equipment we would learn to use during the day. Following a tour of his eclectic property, we retired to the mill and began with an orientation.
Gear
Dion showcased his collection of papermaking equipment and the surrounding workshop. He has geared all parts of the process so they can be completed by one person, using dollys, trolleys and such (to save his back). We were introduced to his pulp beaters: He had a “Peter Beater” – a relative of the Hollander with a key difference being a counterweighted beater head designed specifically to “jump” over clumps, rather than being clogged by them. He also had a hammer mill that used a propellor-shaped cam to raise and release the weighted shaft ending in a block, each release turning it slightly to evenly hammer the circular pulp pan at ground level.
Taking up a large area at one end of the shed was his vacuum table – a shallow boxed “tray” with valved drains. The table was lined with a “screen sandwich” consisting of an open fibrous mat, topped with fiberglass mosquito netting, topped with fine cloth. This device was used for pouring thin pulp to build up layers and artisan arrangements of textures and inclusions. The finished artwork was then topped with another sheet of thin material, then capped with a thin plastic sheet. The table plumbing is then connected to a vacuum pump which drags the air out, compressing the layers and excluding most of the water from the piece.
His sheet-making vat was a lovely raised half wine barrel with an integrated drainer rack. Snuggled beside it was a large curved couching table and felt/calico couching cloth rack – clearly set up for production line sheet formation. Around the periphery there were huge mechanical presses, circular ironing machines, storage racks and an esoteric collection of bits and bobs accumulated over a diverse lifetime of papercraft.
Materials
Dion had prepared three fibres for us to use: cotton linters, beaten flecky recycled paper mulberry (kozo), and a pink-dyed mix of recycled fibre. Additionally, during the day he filled his beater and Joolie Gibbs processed some sisal pulp, then some recycled paper was beaten. Such a luxury to have access to a beater for the day. We were shown how to mix up the pulp for use on the vacuum table – a fairly watery mix made slippery with a suspension aid called Neri, and then shown a variety of techniques for how to apply the pulp on the table. The sheet-making vat was initially charged with cotton linters, then as the day progressed recycled kozo was added to change the mix. I took my new mold and deckle (an A3 beauty) and Dion also supplied a couple of different sizes from A4 to slightly larger for us to try.
Workshop
After orientation and basic WHS, we gathered around the vat and learned sheet-pulling techniques. I dutifully made all the mistakes so we could all learn from them, then the group divided into table and sheet makers. We decided, first, to make a full table artwork that the whole group contributed to. The mix of textures, fibres and textures and a fascinating collection of inclusions made for a striking sheet that will, hopefully, make a great display for our group.
After a leisurely lunch and re-hydration, four of our pulp artists had a quarter of the table each to make individual works. I must admit to spending most of my time pulling sheets from the vat – determined to develop a technique that could reliably make uniform sheets. Handling larger frames is more difficult but it was a great experience and I think I was getting the hang of it – learning when the vat needed more fibre, when to add Neri and getting a real feel for the couching was something we had time to repeat and improve. We tried production-line techniques, where one did the sheet formation, another couches and layers felts gave us a feeling of how hard work it would be to do for a long period of time (and how much physiotherapy you would need to correct postural conflicts).
The papermaking process is one that takes time – we made a giant stack of sheets and a few vacuum table artworks that will need to be pressed, dried and finished – Dion kindly offered to do this for us. Joolie will bring back to a future meeting the fruits of our day in the paper mill and I am very excited to see how it all turned out. On behalf of the lucky PAQ members who were able to share his time we express deep gratitude for Dion’s gentle manner, experience, advice and use of a remarkable creative space.
Scrolling through this year’s JOISEL AWARD entrants, I noticed a lovely little Rocketship designed and folded by Zhu Yandan, from China – it was released with a crease pattern (CP) so I thought it worth a try.
I used a technique called “Ghost Creasing”, where ONLY the needed creases are transferred via careful embossing using a stylus. This eliminates the excess grid creases, making the fold cleaner.
