I was reading the chapter on “box pleating” in Robert Lang’s “Origami Design Secrets – 2nd Ed” (one of my cherished origami books) and came across the chapter “homework” which is this Organist seated at her Wurlitzer:![403Organist](https://i0.wp.com/www.wonko.info/365origami/wp-content/uploads/403Organist.jpg?resize=764%2C516)
This model is astonishing for a bunch of reasons. The design is clever – one piece of paper to fashion the player and the instrument, the details of both the player and instrument are well controlled, efficiently use paper and are clearly recognisable.![403OrganistViews](https://i0.wp.com/www.wonko.info/365origami/wp-content/uploads/403OrganistViews.jpg?resize=764%2C434)
I upscaled, starting with a 128x32cm piece of brown Kraft paper, used a tape measure to lay in the landmark creases (although I could have folded them, it would have resulted in much more disfiguring creases in the end model so I am glad I did). In retrospect, working much smaller would have been very difficult with my fat, clumsy fingers as some of the pleating becomes very fiddly indeed (32nds and 64ths)![403OrganistDev1](https://i0.wp.com/www.wonko.info/365origami/wp-content/uploads/403OrganistDev1.jpg?resize=764%2C2038)
Initially, working with paper on this scale is problematic – simple things like “fold in half” take on epic proportions and introduce inaccuracies which seem slight at the time but compound in such a convoluted model.![403OrganistDev2](https://i0.wp.com/www.wonko.info/365origami/wp-content/uploads/403OrganistDev2.jpg?resize=764%2C2670)
There was an “ahh” moment when the box that is the body of the organ swings into place, making the keyboards and footpedals slip into place that was very satisfying.
I enjoyed folding this model, probably will not fold it again, but learned a bit about paper properties and wrangling pleats that will make future folds better I think.![403OrganistScale](https://i0.wp.com/www.wonko.info/365origami/wp-content/uploads/403OrganistScale.jpg?resize=764%2C759)
What to do with her? there is the question – the resultant model is quite large (16x14x14cm) and in some places one layer thick (others much more so), but it is stable and surprisingly strong. It even has a music stand atop the organ that even “Barry Morgan” would appreciate. Suggestions?