One approach to paper folding starts with a “base” – a form with flaps and general morphology that suits an end goal.
A well-designed base is a thing of beauty, and a flexible tool.
This base, a mutated fish base has really useful properties as demonstrated by these two wildly different folds, both designed by Jose Ma Chaquet from Spain. Continue reading
There are lots of origami tigers – few actually look like tigers – you know, the stripey thing. This model is radically different:
Using a HUGE square (I hand-made a large piece of double tissue – black and yellow), you start with a birdbase, then torture the paper for 2 days to create a pleated ruffle either side of the back ridge that is then zig-zagged to reveal colour slices that become the tiger stripes.
This model is really really intense – it took me ages to even work out what half the folds mean, let alone how to achieve them. Thankfully the double tissue was thin and terrifically strong, so it withstood the torture unscathed. Continue reading
Origami dragons and wyverns seem to be a bit of a “holy grail”, with the more complex gaining almost mythic reputations for breaking folders spirits when they attempt them:
I came upon the diagrams for this charming model shared on fakebook, and it took a moment to hunt down the designer – Shaku on Flickr. Continue reading
Often Origami books are organised such that the simpler models are at the front, more challenging folds towards the back. “Origami Pro 3 – Machine Origami” by members of the Korean Origami Association is organised such and this model was the last one, designed by Jang Yong Ik:
Starting with a 60cm square of thin crisp Kraft paper, you begin tiny grids, then collapse the edges only, then form a preliminary base, then bird base, then begins a layer management exercise from hell as we thin down and divide the points to make the bits that would later be details. Continue reading
At the risk of a family intervention, I present to you my first fold of Yoo Tae Yong’s “truck mixer” from the origami book “Origami Pro 3 – Machinery Origami” from a group of members of the Korean Origami Association:
From a square, via a very useful base, we arrive at what eventually looks mechanical but up until you begin squaring things up could also be an animal. This furthers my theory that heavy machinery is the living embodiment of once-thought extinct dinosaurs. More work to be done here. Continue reading
Now if we were looking for a mascot for procrastination, I think a panda is the perfect animal because, well, from all accounts, they just couldn’t give a flying f*ck:
It seems they are endangered. My guess is it is due to them losing interest in most things (except eating bamboo) including sex – a real deal breaker genetically speaking I would imagine. Continue reading
It is a little known fact that mice used to originally be triangular – the closer to a right angle triangle, the more genetically successful apparently*:
This charming model is designed by Makoto Yamaguchi, a quirky fold that I found when browsing Tanteidan 106. Continue reading
I have a long and terrifying “fold me” list of models I will one day get around to – this was on it:
An excruciating fractal tessellation that eats paper like few other folds, based on spiral collapses of a dodecagon that then gets turned inside out to make the next level to collapse.
The unfold and re-collapse stages (I did 3, but theoretically could keep going getting smaller and smaller) looks like it is going to hell in a handbasket, then it sort of just sorts itself out in a magic sort of way. Continue reading
There are many bears out there in the origami design community, and I have folded most of them:
This is Robyn Glynn’s “Teddy”, a charming bi-color fold that looks cuddly and seems quite poseable. Continue reading
Retailers really have a nerve when you think about it. Right up to Christmas they hike up their prices. We dutiful drones pay top dollar for loot which we wrap and give away. Come “Boxing Day” prices plummet in almost obscene ways and it can get hectic as people clamber for bargains:
We went early, with a list and an idea of what we would regularly pay for the items on that list. In, bought (from the then still full shelves and racks), and out again in an hour and a half – this is the stuff of legends. Continue reading
…and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for a mouse:
Prep for festivities is always fun. Family feast tomorrow, lots to do. I hope you and your families enjoy the prep time as much as the day itself. Continue reading
Always on the look out for a model that somehow incorporates traditional cranes (Tsuru), I stumbled across this design and knew I had to try it:
A clever pre-folding sequence caches paper that later emerges as “bird-baseable” end points you can locate at the ends of arms. Continue reading
As custodians of this planet, we do a pretty lousy job overall at looking after it. We see apex predators as threats and demonise them for acting naturally in their own domain:
In Australia, we employ shark nets which each year kill more OTHER things things than keep out sharks – time to think more about our place in this complex ecosystem. It is heartening to see activist groups like Sea Shepherds and Greenpeace actively working to change peoples perspectives but our News and media have much to learn about this – headlines are seductive but rarely paint a balanced or objective picture. Continue reading
I am sure you remember the good old days, when things were better. In the Star Wars Universe this meant Luke, Leia and Han battling the dark side of the force wearing cheesy costumes, in squeeky clean spaceships, among a rain of pew pew pew:
The truth is there were no “good old days”, they were just days, and at the time they seemed amazing but you know, they were just days. This is Lee Armstrong’s “Emperor Palpatine” – you know that evil prune who bar-b-qued people with lightning by channelling the dark side of the force. Continue reading
So apparently a symbol of the festive season is a portly old beardy man in a red suit that gives presents to kids who have been nice (and not naughty):
This is Steven Casey’s “Santa”, a lovely exercise in colour change and layer management. Continue reading
