40min

294: Montroll’s Centaur

| wonko

Ever since my first disastrous encounter with a centaur, I have been looking for a worthy replacement:

This model comes close, the proportions work a little better (although, truth be told it looks more like a man standing with a donkey wedged up his bottom, but you get that).

A mch easier fold with plenty of modelling potential, I think the quadrupedal hindquarters are a little out of scale. I did fold it to the directions, but might, next time I fold this re-position some of the features a little. I like the arms and the upper body, although figurative, are well proportioned.

Happy with this as a first fold. taken from “Mythological Creatures and Chinese Zodiac”, worth exploring further.

282: Skillman’s Chair

| wonko

Now I freely admit as a kid I was an origami wimp – seeing complicated folds of this “comfy chair” and running a mile, or half-ass trying them, crumpling the paper and sulking. This fold, by Jack Skillman, seemed too hard way back then so I never tried it:

As it turns out, the only confusing part is that you pre-fold a chair shape, unfold it completely and collapse it inside out so all the stickey-outy bits are hidden.

Certainly 12months ago I would have thought this tricksey, but not now. One of the side-effects of the dailt fold is that previously tricksey steps now are automatic to me – oddly I now tackle models really differently and that is a good thing.

This simple exercise in box-pleating is a nice sturdy design with a modern feel to it, even though it was designed by an architect/mathematician in the 60s. Folded from “Secrets of Origami” by Robert Harbin, my oldest book.

Happy finally to try this model, pleased with the first fold of it also – choosing today’s model seemed to take ages for some reason – so much choice I guess.

276: Nautilus

| wonko

Tomoko Fuse is undeniably a genius, her work with exacting spiral forms unequalled:

This is her “Nautilus”, a lovely recursive form that, after the pre-creasing, almost folds itself.

Elegant and graceful curve, perfectly planned pleats and a tidy shell end make this model a keeper for sheer geometric beauty alone.

I want to pretend that I go tthis first try – truth is I folded a set of folds wrong way round first go (bloody Japanese instructions), but restarted because I wanted to make the model (so sue me)

Will be folding this again – would love to fold this in large format, will see how I go. really happy with this – who said geometric sequences were not beautiful (it is just mathematicians that wring the joy out of them :P)

262: A Dead Man’s Chest

| wonko

Ahoy me Hearties, so today be International Talk Like A Pirate Day, so I looked for somethin’ suitably Piratical t’ fold in celebration.

I decided on a Treasure Chest by Robyn Glynn, a lovely folded and pleated folly that looks like it be made o’ planks o’ wood, has a curved top and a rather nice clasp latch.

Avast! T’ scale o’ this model was problematic, particularly t’ internal lockin’ o’ t’ corners o’ t’ box, but t’ fantastic crease pattern you do prior t’ collapsin’ makes it all fall into place.

I be quite happy with this as a first fold, and hope more than just me celebrate this important day by talkin’ like a Pirate.

Although I be not a great jack tar, I could quite fancy a wooden leg, eye patch and parrot and imagine t’ tricorner hat and overcoat would go down a treat.

238: Daffodil Day

| wonko

In Australia, August 26 this year is nominated as “Daffodil Day”:

We celebrate the lives of those brave people who have fought cancer in all it’s forms – to do so we use a flower, the fragile symbol of hope and beauty:

I made a white one, then folded 4 in colour and scattered then strategically around my school. I remembered, if few others did initially. I do this in memory of some dear friends that lost the fight and suffer no more.

A complex and time-consuming fold,  the flower head is dense and made, unusually from a hexagon cut from an A3 sheet, it collapses down to a life-size bloom via some interesting sinking, swivels and squash folds. An interesting (and cathartic) fold designed by Paul Jackson, taken from a book loaned to me by Amanda (thanks @ackygirl)

I hope you remembered Daffodil Day, or at the very least people you know who have been touched by Cancer.

209 Elias’ Bull

| wonko

When I bought “Selected Works” by Neil Elias, I was delighted with teh collection of box pleating models from the founder of this technique

After watching masterchef tonight I thought “What a lot of bull” – judges and contestants sprouting such a lot of false sentimentality the model I decided to fold was really obvious (at least to me)

there is much to like about this model – it looks stroppy, like it is readt to charge – head down, horns to the front, nice. The hind quarters are also good except the back legs seem an odd proportion to the rest of the model. Knowing how hard it is to plan and design a mode however I will forgive Mr Elias.

Very happy with this as a first fold – I must explore more of Elias’ work, many amazing figures from an origamist before his time. Not a good sign that the wife could not pick what the animal was (I think it is relatively obvious – maybe that is just me)

200: Hercules Beetle

| wonko

Wow, 200 days down so I thought I would try something special:

Kade Chan is a design master, and this beetle is something I will fold again (only not with copy paper) – this lovely beetle is complete with lovely carapace and modeled mandibles, all in very few folds.

Simplicity and economy results in a rounded body and legs that are i the right position – I got a little paper fatigue along the top central axis, but that is copy paper’s fault, not the design I feel as the thickness of 80gsm paper makes the body very thick and quite difficult to work with.

200 down, that is …only … 165 to go – bugger, just when I was feeling on top of this thing, nvm , happy with this as my first fold of this model.

187: Spiral Box

| wonko

Looking at the plethora of boxes I still have to fold, it is difficult to select just one. I chose this spiral box because the spiral on the lid is echoed in the construction of the bottom:

A rectangular box (as opposed to square) that cleverly tucks away flaps inside itself to make a sturdy and tidy construction

Quite happy with this one, fairly simple to fold and lots of fold landmarks once you get past the fifths.

173: Siberian Hamster

| wonko

Manuel emphatically suggests “Is no rat, is “Siberian Hampster, man is shop tell me” he insists – it cracks me up every time:

Fawlty Towers is not a show I can watch anymore, but a beloved memory is Manuel’s pet, “Basil” the rat, so I made one.

Curious and torturous fold this one – I stopped understanding the instructiosn and sort of winged it in all honesty – the Spanish with poorly drawn diagrams did my head in a bit, but I think I rescued a rat-like object from the chaos.

A deliciously complicated collapse does most of the work here, then it is mostly shaping – I made the mistake of using a 2×1 rectangle from an A4 page – it needed to be much larger, but you live and learn. When I fold this again I will be armed with the knowledge of what ends up where.

I can see much potential in this model – lots of paper for a nice tail, lovely head and ears, plenty of paper for legs – this base is a keeper.

152: A Magic White Rabbit

| wonko

I like this model – a rabbit sitting atop a dice (white spots on the white die – totally Zen)

Made with a 2×1 rectangle, containing a waterbomb and crafting the rabbit from what was left is neat

I like the ears, nose and posture of the rabbit, and the fact that the waterbomb base is neat (oft times I make them lop-sided) and am happy with this “white rabbits” for the first day of the month

Folded from my oldest Origami book “Secrets of Origami” by Robert Harbin, the model is actually designed by Fred Rhom.