J Nakashima

1095: A Wing and a Prayer

| wonko

Having just treated my first 2 bits of Wenzhou paper, I was itching to fold something (and running out of time to do so). I decided on a Praying Mantis, designed by Jo Nakashima model that I have not yet folded:

Jo Nakashima's Praying Mantis

Based on a 40 grid, using fairly standard box-pleating tricks, this model is a lot of fun to fold. Jo helpfully provides diagrams that detail how to efficiently and accurately lay in the crease pattern (check it out here) and in doing so I learned a LOT about treated wenzhou: It is deliciously thin, crisp and really strong (it allowed me to bugger up a collapse 2 times before getting it right, without paper fatigue). One thing I did not expect was it’s relatively poor reversibility – ie. you fold in one direction and then turn it accurately inside out. I was expecting it to be easier to reverse.

Jo Nakashima's Praying Mantis Views

Instead of “parachuting” (apparently a CP solve no no), I used the central axis and formed the head, thorax and as a consequence formed the front 2 pairs of legs. The abdomen collapse is fascinating and bends back under the wings making it really tidy all round.

Continue reading →

1094: Travel Fold 2023

| wonko

One of many habits I have developed, when travelling, is to “art bomb” the places we stay:

Jo Nakashima's Kangaroo

I take origami paper on holiday (like, who doesn’t, right?) and like to hide a finished cute model somewhere in our accommodation, restaurant, ferry, funicular or whatever for either the owner or a subsequent guest to discover – meant as a nice little surprise.

As an Australian, I try to include aussie flora or fauna, and memorize the fold.

Jo Nakashima's Kangaroo scale

If I am to be completely honest, I am astonished I have never folded Jo Nakashima’s “Kangaroo” before. It is a little charmer. I have a pack of indigo Tuttle paper that will be perfect for this, so it is sorted (apart from the practice needed to fold it from fading memory).

You too can fold along with me – Jump here for video and diagram tutorial

998: Losing Our Shiz

| wonko

Australia is many things to many people. Currently, in the media, it seems like Australians are being portrayed as panic buying essential items in huge quantities, in preparation of an on-coming pandemic. EDIT – (that is waaay less lethal than normal Flu):

Toilet Paper Origami

The first such item was Toilet paper, with viral (or bacterial) footage of people fighting in the aisles of supermarkets for the last bulk pack.

All I am saying, is give peace (and common sense) a chance, people.

This is Jo Nakashima’s Toilet Paper Crane, a fitting symbol of restraint. I only wasted 3 “poo tickets” (“Kenny” reference) in making it, so do not panic, unless that is something you do to increase likes on Instagram or Tik Tok.. … imagine going down in social media history as a toilet paper “influencer” – bahahahahahaha.

You should consider making this – sit somewhere, calm down, unclench and fold some bog roll for something other than wiping your bum.

932: Clever Girl

| wonko

In a classic scene from the first Jurassic Park movie, a hunter realises he has just been surrounded by hungry, angry velociraptors, and utters the words “clever girl” before being ripped to shreds:

This delightful mode is really simple to fold, and belongs to that stable of models whose proportions are perfect, detail is sufficient, form is elegant and stable as is – a mark of clever design.

There is lots to love about this little snapper – the head, the placement of the haunches, the gentle curve of the tail – fabulous.  Continue reading →

705: (155/365) Jo Nakashima’s Monkey

| wonko

This adorable cheeky monkey is a masterpiece of design:

Using the back colour of the paper to highlight the face and ears, then working a nice body, lovely long tail and all. Continue reading →

600: (50/365) A Shedload of Models

| wonko

For those of you keeping up, you will notice SOME of the posts on this blog have numbers. The first number (in this case 600) represents a catalogue of sorts – it documents the number of new models that I have never folded, before documenting it here:

Jo Nakashima’s “6” is new for me, the “0” is a refold but, yeah, 600!!!! Continue reading →

568: (18/365) TRex

| wonko

Working in the same school for 28 years makes me feel a little like a dinosaur at times:

This is Jo Nakashima’s TRex – a lovely little cartoony Trex that is fun to fold and simple enough to do with smaller coloured squares. I followed along with the video tutorial on Jo’s Youtube channel. Continue reading →

567: (17/365) Jo Nakashima’s Penguin

| wonko

Returning to work, we balance between the stinking hot outside temperature and the painfully cold airconditioning (yes, I know this sounds like a first world problem, and it is), but I decided to fold a critter that has evolved to put up with intolerable temperatures:

This is Jo Nakashima’s Penguin, a lovely little model with a blocky, cartoony feel to it. Continue reading →

473: Scaled Goldfish

| wonko

I am currently learning how to fold Satoshi Kamiya’s Ryu Jin 3.5.  As part of that fold, “waterbomb tesselation” scales are made and shaped. I need practice so I am looking for scaley applications of this technique.

I remember ages ago folding Davor Vinko’s catfish and seeing a video by Jo Nakashima on how to incorporate scales into the body, so I adapted Jo’s technique so I could ‘pop’ scales running in the correct direction. Continue reading →

383: Slinky

| wonko

Now I am a fan of a simple but effective modular, and this one is a lot of fun:

Modelled after a spring-slinky, designed with skill by Jo Nakashima, it stretches, falls and steps like the real thing.

Using remarkably simple modules, each from a small square, the structure begins to behave when there is sufficient mass in it to be propelled by its own momentum.

I like this model a lot – it was a fun way to while away an exam supervision and the construction method was simple. I ended up making over 50 modules before it started behaving correctly but even this feat did not take very long.

Give it a try, you know you want to…