Helping out a mate today, got inspired to try some box pleating to duplicate his mode of transport, relatively happy with the results:
The wheels (front and back) worked out fairly nicely, seat is functional (but does not look very comfortable – with some more paper torture I am sure I could pad both) and the handle at the back needs work – not bad for a first fold however
49: Caterpillar on Leaf
In 9 ICTE we are making a grubby movie using a caterpillar made up of head, body and tail segments, animated to do the whole wiggle thing:
students will then be put into a scene where they devastate someone’s vegie garden – nice, instructive and open ended.
This model is quite intense – one piece of paper, no cuts – unfortunately photocopy paper gave up the fight along the back of the grub, but it is demonstrative of form, critter and nicely sits on a fresh leaf contemplating lunch
… think Eric Carle’s “The very hungry Caterpillar” and you have an idea where I was going. You can have a go yourself: caterpillar_on_leaf
48: An Excavator
I found another box-pleating model that looked cute – a digger thing with a sort of backward-facing bucket:
I like that it has caterpillarish tracks, and a nicely shaped scoop. Folded from a 2×1 rectangle folded into 12/24ths prior to collapsing, the whole 1/3rds thing is the only real stumbling point:
You an have a go also: excavator
47: Dragonfly
A simple model, nice and demonstrative of the actual animal it models, a dragonfly has characteristic wings and abdomen:
I like this model, it is a relief from the usual paper torture, hope you like it too.
46: Tyrannosaurus Rex
…now I was watching a show on SBS2 last night on T-Rex, and there were a bunch of academics arguing whether it was a predator or a scavenger:
It was curious, because they were arguing so passionately about such flimsy incomplete fossil records.
I would like to settle it once and for all: T-Rex was snarly enough to eat WHAT EVER IT WANTED. OK? Scientific communities can now relax, because if the mood takes it it can snap at a passing morsel, but I am sure if it stumbled accross another animals kill no one was going to argue when it pushed to the front of the dinner queue.
I like this model (think Jurassic Park just before the first victim, a lawyer, was taken, angry rexy) – it is fairly simple, but the posture is lovely, and the appendages are in the right place and relatively correct in proportion.You can have a go at it yourself: tyrannosaurus
45: A Valentine
…now I am not one to buy into the whole commercialism of Valentines Day, afterall it is a Hallmark moment mostly, but it did give me inspiration for todays model – a heart-shaped box:
So I made one on Friday (inbetween sleeps as I was sick) as a first-time fold and was so pleased with it I made a nice one (using some patterned parchment), made a hearty shapey thing out of gold foil, personalized it, then whilst shopping Saturday discovered that Darryl Lee have a dark chocolate heart that just fits the box made from an A4 page – all sweet. Hid until this morning it made a nice surprise.
I am sure you have done something for the one you love, I also am sure it is not as nice as mine 😛
Alternatively, you could have a go at this:
- * BASE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOtKxBqYR8c
- * LID: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onONDuG8USs
Nice use of a SINGLE sheet of A4 split lengthways down the middle to make the base and lid.
Domestic Origami
Now I like to cook – well in truth I like to eat but in order to eat you have to cook – right?
Origami is useful in domestic science – when, for instance you are considering a luscious, sticky, dense brownie (thank you USA for the concept of a brownie) then unless you do something special, that sucker is NEVER going to come out of the tin. My solution: an Origami lining to the slice tin:
Fit silicon paper nicely (it takes creases really well if you are firm), maybe use a little water to get it to stick in place prior to schlooping in the batter.
Let the batter hold the paper out, bake, rest and it LIFTS OUT of the tin ready for slicing.
Yes, I do think you should give this a go. I fold in white chock bits as the “second” helping of chocolate, and also crushed pecan nuts (because I like them more than walnuts) – my afternoon tea is sorted, how about you?
or go here to find the recipe (works a treat: http://www.csrsugar.com.au/Essential-Classics/Slices/Double-Chocolate-Fudge-Brownies.aspx
44: Dippy Dog
In my day, on the back window mat of your V8 Kingswood, you had a nodding dog, to complement the fake leopard-skin velour seat covers, the troll hanging from the rear vision mirror and the 8-ball you custom-drilled from a stolen pool table ball on the stick-shift. That was cool, it signalled you were with-it and happening:
I first saw the “dippy dog”, designed by John Smith, in the book “More Origami – the Art of Paper Folding No. 2” by Robert Harbin – a much used, yellow and now crumbling volume. I used to have volume 1 also, but I cannot remember who I loaned it to, but it is gone from my library now (and most likely out of print – good starter books however for a paper ninja in training).
It is a 2 part model, head balances nicely on the fulcrum of the body and nods with gentle breeze – quite cute really. the dog is a little “beagle” like I guess. A simple but effective model that uses thirds and quarters (for the legion of maths teachers trying to keep up).
I could not find an online diagram for this model, but something similar can be found here: http://www.origami-instructions.com/origami-dog.html (a simple but fun dog for Mrs M’s 2M “Gems”)
43: An Ant
wow, no I mean WOW! This is a design that, on paper at least, looked impossible. Piotr Pluta designed a way of paper torture (involving 4 lots of 8-way accordion sinking) to extract 6 limbs and 3 body segments typical of an insect – quite honestly I was convinced it could not be done.
…so I cheated and gave parts of it a practice try first – sure I screwed it up (on what are unreasonable first-fold rules) but I learnt something about the successful fold. That said, I am mightily pleased with this one:
Photocopy paper does not withstand being bent so much – at the centre of the thorax (middle body segment) you can see the square’s centre point – a much creased and slightly frayed hole forming from bend fatigue, otherwise it held up remarkably well to a very difficult fold.
You can see the degree to which the paper has been massaged and tucked away to take an A4-cut square and as if my magic make all the requisite parts of the ant, right down to the mandibles and the puffed out abdomen.
You might like to have a go at this – it is not a beginners fold (and indeed there are aspects of it that I have still to master), but the design is ingenious and worth the time it takes to complete : ant_diagram
42: Frog On A Lily Pad
…there are lots of patterns for Frogs, most even look frog-like but this one designed by Colin Weber is charmingly sitting atop a lily pad – made with one square of paper you massage enough paper towards a corner to then form the froggy bits – very clever:
Why a frog? Well, it is my Sister-in-Law’s Birthday today, she loves all things French (and would move there to live in a flash), so I thought something a little froggy would be appropriate as a present for her – Happy Birthday Sue! It is also my Nephew Andrew’s Birthday, and he is IN Paris atm, so a double froggy celebration for him as well.
You can have a go at making this model yourself: http://dev.origami.com/images_pdf/frogonlilypad.pdf however I think there are a few mistakes in the diagram, I found flaps where there should not be and no flaps where there should have been, thankfully it was possible to get creative and work around if you keep your eye on the final model.
41: Pavlova
Now generally my students rock. Often they do really cool things and this bunch of Year 12s seem to enjoy, from time to time, homebake.
I was approached, post Australia Day, and canvassed as to whether it would be ok to bring Pavlova to share in our double IPT … silly question really:
We as a group ate dessert in the lab, it was very cool (many thanks James and Joe) – they organised fruit (strawberries, blueberries and passionfruit), cream, the works – wow!
This is my attempt to modify a twist-flower into the swirls of meringue that is a Pavlova – I fully realise I FAILED to recreate the magnificence that was morning tea today – the intention was there however (I have been sick, it was late, I was tired). I sort of thought the things on top would look a little like fruit (strawberries) but there was something lost between idea and realisation – they cannot all be gems I suppose.
Not to put a damper on the gesture – I thought it was awesome, those guys rock! (all of my students do)
40: A Catfish
This fish, designed by Davor Vinko has the most splendid eyes, and a nice 3D body, most impressed.
Why a fish? Well, it is the School Swimming Carnival today and I am at home being beaten up by a middle ear infection so I thought I would get as close to the spirit of the event whilst staying quiet and dry.
You can have a go at this model yourself, it is actually pretty easy once you get the 1/6ths sorted out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUcp0EiZ2xU
39: An Orchid Bloom
Robert J Lang is a living treasure in the origami world for many reasons. He is a mathematician, artist and seeming magician (for he can do with paper the seemingly impossible) but more importantly he specialises in realistic Origami models.
It is my Mother-in-law’s birthday today and I thought I would attempt a hideously difficult model of Lang’s which attempts to accurately represent a bloom from an orchid called a “Phalaenopsis” as a suitable birthday present.
These lush beauties have 5 petals, often frilly or oddly beautiful throats or slippers at the nectary.
All my reading and advice to folders suggested the model was not for the faint-hearted and boy, was that understating it – so many folds, so much folding, pre-folding and unfolding then bending into new shapes.
I am amazed the photocopy paper I am using actually did not tear or just disintegrate. This model would benefit from a “wet fold” where you wet the paper as you fold it, the shapes are softer and hold when the model dries.
I must admit to being completely chuffed and proud I could actually make this model, first time fold, and love how beautiful the end result is.
It is amazing that it started as a plain square cut from an A4 page, it ended up so organic with such bulk of paper tucked, crimped, sunk, and pleated in exotic ways.
I must try to find some of Robert Lang’s books – they are considered “bibles” of form, technique and contain so many iconic models.
You can have a go yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-UPR_HIyQo
38: Rowboat
Sometimes simple designs are beautiful – this rowboat, whilst folding-wise is not challenging, it is proportioned correctly and perfectly seaworthy, with a neat stern and a nicely locked bow
Why a rowboat? Well, I figured the Victorians could use it in the light of floods they are having right now – gotta love a sunburnt country – hot, bushfires, floods and cyclones (not to mention the wildlife) – wouldn’t live anywhere else for quids.
Thanks @ackygirl for the loan of the book with this in it, I like it, a lot (at 8 folds total it is such a nice respite from the complex models of late)
37: A Kiwi
New Zealand has a national day celebrated variously but often on the 6th February called “Waitangi Day”. One of the species endemic to that place is a small, nocturnal and alltogether odd flightless bird called a Kiwi:
A very difficult model on a bunch of levels, designed by Roman Diaz. The feet were fascinating, and made from straight edges crumped into 3 toes each (curiously a Kiwi has 3 toes/claws on each foot it uses for digging with). Amazed with this first time fold as I was convinced it was going pear-shaped at a number of junctures.
I had to cheat with a couple of blobs of blutac under the feet to get it to stay upright for the photo, the balance is a bit out of whack. I would prefer the models to be free-standing but you get that sometimes; very happy with the body shape (morphology) however, clever.
You can have a go yourself (good luck understanding the person doing the tut, swarthy Latino accent and directions are unclear) kiwi