It seems to be the season for buying houses. A couple of my work colleagues have, individually, in the last little while purchased houses:
The “Great Australian Dream” apparently is to own your own home – this seems irrefutable proof that it is still entirely possible. Continue reading
I cannot believe I have not tried this before:
A lovely hexagonal tessellation in one corner of a hexagon becomes the fluffy tummy, collapsing the body makes for lovely eyes and a pair of crenellated wings. Continue reading
Topologically convoluted geometric modulars confuse the brain – shapes that morph into different shapes in stable but seemingly unpredictable ways are fascinating:
This is a wedge-flex – a modular hinged construction of a series of triangular prisms (wedges) that fold, bend, twist and re-align in interesting configurations. Continue reading
Exploring Tanteidan Magazine 138, I noticed a rather lovely Frill Necked Lizard that I had not yet tried:
This is Gen Hagiwara’s Frilly, a torturous fold that spends lot of time isolating legs and tail from the large corner that would become the frill and head.
I must admit to enjoying the challenge that is inherent in most of Robert Lang’s designs:
When the Tanteidan magazine arrived, I saw there was a new version of his cicada, and I knew I needed to try it.
Starting with a 35cm square of Daiso washi (that turned out to be slightly rhombic problematically), I began the marathon folding sequence. Continue reading
I am so excited that there is a new Alien Movie out today – Alien Covenant. Although I would dearly love to see it right now, I will have to wait until I am less busy and tired:
Having already folded both Kade Chan‘s Xenomorph, Fernando Gilgado‘s Alien and Face-Hugger I was struggling to find something Geiger-related.
I was browsing google imaged and came across Tim Rickman’s “comic” alien and knew I needed to try it. Continue reading
I am always on the lookout for a striking modular to fold when I am idle at work. This beauty – two tetrahedrons mating, was an obvious choice:
I have folded much more complicated versions of things like this – made with lots of little pieces each having different angle connectors. Ilan Garibi appropriates Francis Ow’s 60 degree unit and adds 2 different connector slots mid way along each long unit – a bottom edge slit and a top edge slit. These then mate seamlessly making it look like a pair of struts are in fact 4 bits of paper when they are not. The intersection of the 2 mating tetrahedrons is an octahedron; points rise from the octahedron faces making it stellated – genius. Continue reading
I have lost count of the times I have been asked this by students, presumably based on the assumption that because I fold paper I must make a mean paper plane:
Truth be told when I make simple paper darts they fly terribly, not sure why. Many of the worlds great origamists started with paper planes – I did not. Continue reading
Pika, Pika, PIKA! Pika, Pik Pik Pikachu, pikachu? Pikachu. Pika? Pikachu. Such is the scripting necessary for a Pokemon standard character’s dialogue. Yeah, but…?
So I have started to fold again, I need to bend paper and finding models I am interested enough to fold seems to be an issue for me at the moment. In the interim, I figure I should continue to tap into pop-culture and fold some more Pokemon.
I know little about this universe but know of the passion people who have brand loyalty have, so that they are going out, meeting people, catching them all. Continue reading
People with “green thumbs” are a treasure to behold.
As someone with a not-quite-green, more of a dirty yellow thumb I am in awe of people who delight in growing things.
Our College gardener/groundsman John has retired, while I am as jealous as anything, I know he will have a fabulous time. Ever friendly, it has been a pleasure to share a workplace with him. The College will miss his charming style, happy greetings and zeal for gardens.
He retired on the sly, which is the right way to escape our asylum – the exit rituals can be exhausting so I understand he went on term break and retired earlier than first advertised – good on him, I will probably try to do the same.
I made this figurine for him, as a way of saying thanks. I hope i get a chance to give it to him. Enjoy retirement John, may your gardens bloom and be ever greener on the other side of working life.
Manfred von Richthofen, AKA “The Red Baron” flew a TRIPLANE – I know, right! Now a Triplane makes no sense to me, but using it, von Richthofen shot down his last 19 enemy planes, and subsequently crashed himself (you win some, you lose some):
I have lost count of the times students have asked if I can fold a paper plane. It turns out I can fold one with quite a level of detail, but not one that flies. Continue reading
Interestingly (for me), I have had goldfish over the years. At one stage I had a tank with 3 of these in it – Blackmoors – lovely plump little goggle-eyed black goldfish:
I remember as they got sicker, they became less black until, as they floated upside down ready to be scooped and flushed to an early grave they were almost a deep purple colour. Continue reading
I have been searching for something “fishy” to make with some lovely paper gifted by a friend when Ronald Koh came to the rescue with some amazing mutant goldfish designs:
This is a Ryukin, and has a lovely 3d body, staring eyes and beautiful flowing fantail. Characterised by a hunched back, chunky body and pot belly, they swim slowly and provide decorative elements to any aquarium. Continue reading
I was approached about the possibility of making some props for this year’s Middle School Musical, naturally I turned to Origami for Inspiration:
Project 1: a school of tropical fish. I remembered a lovely catfish/Koi designed by Davor Vinko. Continue reading
A dear friend (*waves to Caff) holidayed in Europe, visited Florence and found some amazing block-printed handmade paper, popped it in a post pack tube and mailed it to me.
To be honest, I have struggled to use this paper because it seemed a such a terrible shame to cut it. Lovely irregularities, vibrant colours and relatively heavy cardstock suggested that a kusudama might be the solution.
Thumbing through Tomoko Fuse’s book “Multidimensional Transformations, Unit Origami”, I came across a unit called “little turtle” that I had not tried. I think they got the name because, as part of the folding process of the unit you make a shape similar to the “turtle base” I have used for other models.
