‘awe me eek ee Cte aon Advanced Techniques for Experienced Folders 15 Original and Challenging Projects Make the Perfect Paper for Origami ArtADVANCED ORIGAMI An Artist’s Guide to Performances in Paper Michael G. LaFosseINTRODUCTION ‘Advances in Origami Origami as an Art Form About My Origami Designs About This Book TECHNIQUES ‘A Review of the Basics Folding Paper Neaily Reading Origarn! Diagrams Basic Folds ‘Advanced Folds Curved Folds Wet-Folding ABOUT PAPER Paper Qualities Grain Paper Sirength Fiber Choice and Blends Ghoosing the Right Paper Customizing Commercial Papers Back-coating Tissue to Foil Aliding Surjace Color toa Sheet of Paper PROJECTS. North American Cardinal Origamido Buterty Koi SeaTunle Squirrel Toco Toucan, Frog. Ruby-Throated Hi ir Goan Hummingind 10 10 5 15 15 6 6 8 B 19 25 25 25 6 26 26 25 30 3 3B 34 3 3 7 52 58 64, 68 2 Horseshoe Crab Cattleya Orchid Happy Good-Luck Bat Big Brown Bat, Eptesicus fuscus Praying Mantis Panther Mask MAKING YOUR OWN ORIGAMI PAPER Tools and Materials Pulp Preparatior Beating Basic Papermaking Steps Coloring Sheet Forming, Pressing Drying The Finished Sheet Making Duo Paper PAPER PULP RECIPES Paper Fibers and Beating Times Three Gene Kamiya's 50/0 Blenc Robert Lang's Origami Insect Paper Cotton Blend Purpose Pulps RESOURCES ABOUT THE AUTHOR 7 & 88 2 301 m 5 6 16 17 ug ng 121 124 127 229 330 433 34 234 135 135 136‘ADVANCES IN ORIGAM! snes Ts to rind eis so recent that only in the ast century artis relat olen Ss fame ot 0 A ey cates ec, rth orig SP ypc pe or one gon oe Ted Maing tne, es eae nic communication: advances in pul sped the sharing of techni a e a Fraps, résnge DVD, ox exzputes,eigami designs are no Tonge Toned bythe memory ofthe techer and spodem designs have become in ingly more complex. There now tools hae als allowed the origami comununity to overcome certain aetna problems in origami, Since many origami artists consider the use of cutting and pasting tobe cheating, these techniques are not encouraged. Through the overvhelming effort of the origami community, the technical problems of g only—no cuts creating models of any complecty with fold thas been solved, ‘fier alfa century of development, these technical challenges have melted away ‘Now it seems that thete sno subject that cannot be rendered without cuts. Just as origami designs have evolved, so has origami paper. Once limited in Yaricty of celor and patter, “origami paper” easily met the limited needs of the hobbyists predictable repertoire, Nowadays, hundreds of varieties of origami papers ate svailable in a wide range of colors, patterns, and sizes. sreter demand for ready-to-use papers his reflects a that are beter suited to the vast new colle tions of origami projects published every year, This is the hobby. Honeves, comple and a fling this higher level, and such advanced projects requite paper with Ha Tin dd gules The apr tht {hae ben able to produce have pale Ger designs opus papeolcng technology to extreme limits The signs of Robert ang, Satoshi Kamiya, Denil Robinson, and others have in tum He me pole papers that are even thinner and stronger. This co-evolution of Monk nase to cornu in exiting, unforeseen ways ecan now (ld organ creat Ooi. aad a mi erations with acidsfre papers, made fom high Pees Mi cn lst for generations wid just minimal cate. And wih FT patpapemaking techniques, you cant make your own incredibly song aid fre piper, of any desi Aes youn agen YM hes, sored specially for what This com wergence of tena a nological advances in making strong, thin, archival Peper wi he avanced computer and inform ie hist ie ation tools for sophisticated origami rigarn papers are sill totally unsuitable for much of todays je origami designs, There arc relatively few origam! IntRopuction design has resulted in truly amazing works of folded paper art. This is indeed the galden age of origami art, since many ofthe best artists of this gente are stil alive today, Most have practiced their ar within the last few decades, and this explosion of documented origami designs is now evident in print, as well as on the Internet, here a search of the word “origami” yields thousands of offerings. Lower ip Frontleg —Z Hind leg! \_fronttea Vilbu the piglet was folded freestyle” from 3 single 12-inch Go.s em) square of handmade, cottonabaca-blent paper. ‘Michael was so taken by alive pilet tot ting across its pen while on display atthe Topsfield Fair that he produced numerous, gesture sketches, and even made special ‘pigskin paper” for this model. He also adopted an uncharacterstically loose folding style to capture the piglets happy spit Many advanced models are folded methods that are nt easily shown in diagrams, resulting in origami publications on video and DVD. Other advanced warks are often depicted only as crease pattems with a photo ofthe inal model, rather than individual step-by-step draw- ings, since most people are simply curious about the method, and only accomplished folders ever attempt to fold them. The basic fld (or base) for Wilbur is actually quite simple, as shown in this crease pattern, The tick with any origami madels to breathe life into the subject with a loose, lyrical handling ofthe fnat shaping that only wecfolding affords,his the base that results om the crease pattern fom hich ‘Wilbur the Piglet was foie. ORIGAMI AS AN ART FORM ‘The many advances in the technology of origami design and paper have enabled the origami community to focus on origami asa form of art Crigams's methodology i significantly different from most other sculptural processes. Caving (in wood, stone, ice, pass, or plastic) is subtractive: material is removed to reveal the final form. Building (From sand, clay, metal, wood, plastic lass, or paper) is additive: materials are brought together to produce the final sculpture. Single-sheet origami is metamorphic: nothing is subtracted or addec (Origami is engineering, and every piece of origami represents a puzzle to those who have never seen anything like it before, Becat “How was this done® But some origami sculptures manage to go beyond this surface reaction to convey a deeper message to the viewer, In these works the artist's touch and vision are clearly evident. Like any work of art, these pieces are a rare treasure and the viewer will not be so concerned with how it was accom. of this, viewers ask, plished. This is what | strive for in my own work, and what I enjoy most in the best works of my peers. Objects created with the intention of artistic expression are works of art Whether they are judged good, great, or otherwise depends on the audience. The choice of the medium does not predict the success of the art, Not all ll paintings are great art, even though many great paintings are oils, An artist may use what ever materials and techniques ate available. just as my life was changed when L saw the origami self-portrait of Akira Yoshizawa, others are being influenced by origami art that speaks to them, Art begets artists, The more that origami artis shown, the more others explore and experience the power of that art. ABOUT MY ORIGAMI DESIGNS My origami designs can be attributed to a few different influences. The first of these derive from my training as a biologist, which has given me unusual oppor tunities to observe and study certain creatures in great detail. At first { am curious about the cresture and try to understand it completely-—its physical form, typical 16 stances or postures, life cycle, behavior, even individual personality. Eventually, 1 must admit that I shamelessly fall in love with my subjects, so 1 want to show others what I see, by folding fairly realistic renditions of them. Many of my designs are based on living creatures. My most recent, popular design is a simple cardinal. There are no complex technologies, nor are there curved creases. The folding is straightforward and totally land marked (in origatni, "land mark’ is physical reference point, such as a comer, edge, crease line, or crossing point of several creases, which can be used to aid in the placementof the Paper during the folding process), lam fortunate to have several cardinals around my house, and their personality, song, and behavior have always thrilled me, 1am ‘These two images illustrate how | conjure the gesture forthe final work using other artistic mediums for practice, while studying the subject in ts natura habitat.IM ack View. crear of ~ finding a huge Strombus on the beach. 5 Pessina ny allons these to reach a length of about 6 inches: “sen soimastomche my ovr. Deron ‘this plece with a wax version, thea made & “scone rld, which allowed reto casts hitehandmade paper pula core a a3 ture took nearly vo yeas fr me fo apply about 50 lay-up (a “ay ub"s9 ‘Tage term for building up afr by applying ayeraer ayer of matra of ‘handmade pape m3ché as | sew this shell. The gess0 has plenty ofan ‘carbonate tostifen the paper, since wantedto care through the eious Celored layers Fano to produc subtle stripes The outer sface Mas been rubbed with paste wa. ADVANCED ORIGAN! i Jucky that the side profile of the cardinal is so easily translated into a simple origami model. It does not bave to be wet folded, and you do not need special handmade paper. The typical 6- or 10-inch (15- or 25-cm) red)black duo origami paper is a perfect size range for these birds, and they make great ornaments for this is perhaps the most holiday trees and wreaths. Since, for the average folde able ofall of my designs, the diagrams for this model appear at the beginning 1e designs that | enjoy every time I fold of the projects section, It is also one of it, [know each one will come out perfectly My designs are also influenced by my joy in the process of hhave reached a point where I enjoy continually exploring and refining a small ‘number of designs, just as I enjoy playing the same composition again and again ‘on the flute. From decades of exp head, and then confirm the design by actually f hands. {realized carly that by simply folding a square piece of paper, { could mak ience, Ican develop a folding sequence in my ding a piece of paper in my any shope, but making it elegant isthe difficult part. Sometimes an origami koi emerges as a more successful model than the last one. Sometimes it might not be quite as successful in some respects, Nevertheless, it always comes out as a ‘completely different individu Finally as much a8 I enjoy the process of cteating origami, | also like to share my art with others. Todo this I co-founded the Origamido Studio with m Partner Richard Alexander, This space allows us to dedicate ourselves tothe art oF origami. Origamido means “the way, through paperfolding,” which is a word coined to remind me that my best creations have co iaumers. At our Origamldo Studio we held crigami workshops, design and eate origami models, and make our own origami paper. We algo operate an art ie from goal-inspired a IntRoouerion 1 take great pride in knowing that the creatures being sold new location. My pieces are now lecy in this spat ery will be proudly displayed in even loved as much as they were ‘ound all over the world, admired and perhay when I made them, ABOUT THIS BOOK who seek a higher quality in their work: This book is primarily for origami arts Whether you are creating simple o complex models, paper choice, preparation, ste, and technique are all crucial to the final product. These decisions will set four work apart and make your experience more satisfying. Instructions are given for advanced folding techniques. These techniques, such as wet-folding, are essen al to creating more lifelike origami models. I also have included directions for creating your awn origami paper, which is so important to creating not only ncredible-looking models, but also models that last. While there are no shortcuts, the lessons that I have learned and now present here willact as a compass for your or your study I have chosen fifien projects from my original designs that 1 represent the richest journeys of my origami career. These pieces le on a path of leaming, discovery, and personal and spiritual growth, and have single sheet of paper renewed my sense of wonder, Each project is folded from a without cutting, Most of these subjects are the common creatures that live in local woods and fields, and you will probably find the most satisfying results while folding subjects that you, too, can study in person. ‘trombus gallus it Font View. THis view captures my lifetime love affair withthe interesting and sensuous forms of rmellusks. The possibilities of paper are indeed endlessADVANCED ORIGAI “These projects maybe challenging technically artistically or both. Each project ts best mastered in stages. Firsts the study phase, when you become familiar with the rubject and lem iow to fold the model, At this stage, direct observation of the Good photos or video willbe helpful. This is also when ving subject i valuable, Pen ‘any of the prescribed folding methods, You must yeu determine ifyou will modify Giscover which folding steps will cause you dificlties and how you will overcome snd without wetting the paper. them, Practice this with ordinary material Next is the rehearsal stage, Strive to master all the technicalities and try to memorize the folding sequence. To lo your best work you must become totally thod, even if you rely upon the diagrams, ‘comfortable withthe entize folding m sightreading, as you fold, If not, you may be encumbered by technicalities, distracting your fll attention from the performance. During this stage of prepa with the paper that you will use for the final sculpnire Seca Fee ae redagcankca youl lam abne ony fy bernie he es sabe Fe eee eee ey Vomrepe prt shen py of Tere you vill create your finest examples, your powers have grown to produce ‘masterful and inspiring examples, Haw long will this take—éays, months, ye Fach person is different and each project has its own unique demands, The real value lies in the journey, and the quality of your experience will be evident, Be patient, and your efforts will be capped with success. TECHNIQUES Why does my model look different than yours? My students have asked mie this ‘question many times. Part of the answer is experience, and the ether partie Vision. The added skill obiained from experience is sumimed up in one word: technique, Being an crigami artist requires that you perfect many different skill, from folding to designing. As you gain more experience and develop your skills, our ‘origami models will improve, As with any art, it ig essential to learn the basics first. Without good folding skills, an artist cannot contra the communication of that [ developed prove useful when I create new origami art designs. When you look at a piece of origami art, ask your: ner’s message clear? Does the folder understand this creature or How does the choice of paper complement the worl How has the execu tion of the folds, the choice of the model, the color and texture of the paper. its his or her ideas. The clever technical s ize, nd its overall appearance affected me?” You will soon see that ittakes bath technique and vision to make art. Once you develop your folding technique. you will be able to explore the art of origami A REVIEW OF THE BASICS Before I discuss the advanced techniques used to create the projects in this book: it's important that you are well acquainted with bs folding techniques. Here's a quick review Folding Paper Neatly The frst and most important technique in origami isto move the paper comeety So many people begin by flding a paper crane, only tobe discouraged by sloppy pains, «bent beak, or white showing in the middle ofthe wings. Much ofthis ie sesolved by taking care to place the paper propery hefore creasing the fel. Good eyesight helps, and forming the fold, then bumishing the creases with a bone folder tool or the back ofa thumbnail often anakes all the difference: Generally fold the paper away from you, andl crease the fold from the center to onesie, then rom the center tothe other side. Is also important to place the crease exaclly where it goes before burishing it into place, Make sure you have good lighting, and nnd your head over the model to look straight down on the edges of the layers, Parallax wl throw you of The process of folding a piece of paper begins with making a bend. As you decrease the radius of the curve ofthe bend, your commitment tothe placement ofthe create intensifies. You must check the positon ofthe edges, making adjusts ‘ments 26 you continue to latte the bend. Some fads require that you Focus on the placement of the crease, not the placement of the edges of the ‘example, when folding steps 14 to 16 of the Cardinal, oy it ol———novanceo onvcamt TECHNIQUES "decrease the radius ofthe bend while closely adjusting the rll ofthe flap until the "crease intersects the exact corner of the paper. Folding on a Table or Hard Surface The best way to form a sharp crease is to burish the fold with the back of your ae thumbnail against a hard surface, such as a table, a board, or a hardcover book, Foldbehind Folding paper upon a tablecloth won't work well. The use of a supporting surface | {s most useful where a clean, precise geometric look is desited. This is essential | for paper airplanes and crigami puzzles. A folding tool, such as a bone folder or Feldand unfold the back of spoon, is helpful where tough, heavy papers must be creased firmly, and to save wear and tear on your nails when folding numerous origami models, ies Holding and Foiding Poper in the Air “urnpapes over ‘We offen teach origami in schools and large assemblies, and so it is important for tus to hold our paper up in the air so all can sce cach folding step. Invariably, we wy see students hold their paper in the air, too, so we tell them to use the table, and Repeat behing 7 Cease Line ‘explain that we are holding the paper in the air to make it easier to see. Folding in Inside-reverse-fold the airis challenging to the beginner and we discourage it at these public events > When students are sure oftheir skills, however, they will find that folding off the Fush orpull Outsice-reverse-fold table is essential to most intermediate techniques, such as inside and outside reverse folding, and sinking, and advanced techniques, such as wet-folding, There is « dancelike choreography that is possible only when the paper is Supported just Squash Fold by your hands, Reading Origami Diagrams (Origami digarams are easy to follow ifyou know the language. Mountain folds are Petal Fold | Rabbit Ear indicated with dots between the dashes, Valley fold lines have only d: complex maneuvers are often shown by several mountain and valley folds, The Dest clue is to look to the next drawing to see the resulting shape shes. More Basic Folds. Here's a quick review of the basic folds with which you should be familiax Fage to Crease Most folds are created by lining up edges, or placing an edge on a crease, then decreasing the bend until the two planes are flat. The beginner will often use visual signals to decide when the edge lines up. More advanced folders will align edges by fecling for the alignment. As you look carefully before placing the crease, be sure to bend your hesd aver the alignment so that you can look straight across the ‘wo edges of paper, perpendicular to the table. A folder who does this realizes that ‘every sheet of paper has a thickness, Understanding and accounting for that third dimension is helpful when planning to eliminate gaps after reversing certail ereases. Wet folders using thicker papers tend to learn this quickly. Inside Reverse Fold ‘When you pull a point between the outer layers of paper, you often turn a portion ‘of mountain fold intoa valley fold, This maneuvers called the inside reverse fold: v7ADVANCED ORIGAM! Outside Reverse Fold ‘When you pull paper buck over itself to enclose the other two layers of paper, yoy ‘also turn the tip ofthe paper over, showing the other side. This maneuver is calteg the outside reverse fold Robbit Ear ‘When you pull n paper from two directions and are left with excess that sticks yp {s called a rabbit ear. 4 the midle, the maneu Squash Fold When you raise a multilayered flap perpendicular tothe table anid the remaining paper, open the layers, and then press the center mounitain fold flat to the table, this is called a squash fold Petol Fold When you pull «point across the other layers of paper, lengthening the form by are making a petal fold bringing in paper from the sides to cover the top, yo Sink When you reverse the mountains and valleys that form a point or peak. in order tocteate an indented form, this maneuver is called a sink. crimp When you grasp a folded piece of paper and insert a symmetrical, mirtorimage Pair of mountain and valley folds on either side of the central mountain fold, the ‘entral mountain fold turns direction due to a maneuver called a crim ADVANCED FOLDS The advanced folding techniques used for the projects in this book include curved foldSand wet folding. These techniques take time to master, but they are crucial to creating complex models Curved Folds Folds do not have to follow straight ines. Sure, straight folds are easy, Since two Points define line, two land marks on an origami model often describe a great place to make fold. Why make a curved fold? There ah technological, the other i acsthetic. A curved fold fold is nothing more than the spine of a hook, wh Glose about the spine line. curved fold is a tension compreseion cacy 5 Wa veand tak. itdemands that the apr espond dscnhon Meee ea sole: appetiance, and throns a sofier shadow. For these reasons, net clos off finish their models with a ser Bere on aed ‘uh longer than all ofthe straight folds leading up to the himstang og Te ake ced fll trace nach wits our umband ine ge in Curves may be gentle or sharp they may be sinussidn ee dimensionality and a Wyrcal, animate re two reasons; one part is locks its own shape, A straight lere pages are five to open and les of curved folds, a process that can take ps I. Curved creases can add ‘quality to the sculpture, 18 TecHmiaves ‘wet-Folding \Wet-folding allows the paper to keep its integrity since the fibers will bend and not break, as they do in dry folding, And the models stay folded after they dry. Heavy papers that could otherwise not be used can be wet-folded, because once they are wet, they become flexible and compressible Wet folding changes everything. The paper fibers swell, often in one direc- n the other (see the Grain section on page a5). This throws off the point-matchers—dry folders who align every crease by matching points, The wet-folder locates the crease, not the points: there isa difference. The advent of tion more th wetfolding brought about a new style of origami art. Wet-folded origamt fish now appear to be swimming, thanks to the graceful curves possible in the fins and other folds. Wet folded origami flowers seem to be growing, and butterflies no longer look like pin-mounted specimens in a museum box. ver since | began folding my own handmade papers and other soft, Asian papers, I realized that I needed to back:coat, and or add size to them to make them stiffer. had leaned about cooking starch paste for ather art projects, but since my family was in the construction business, I had methylcellulose wallpaper paste readily available, It did not require cooking, and when it dried, it was invisible. J ried it, and methylcellulose proved ideal for my origami art. When I folded my ing with machine-made crepe orchid for the first time, in 1973. I was experim paper. I realized that I needed to add both water to fold ét, and size to keep ft in shape after it dried, Instead of moistening and surface-sizing the entire piece of crepe paper [which would have destroyed the creping) I dry-folded the model, but applied methylcellulose strategically to stiffen the lip and petals and to hold other then I have referred to this method as “folding mplex designs that use layers together as I folded it, Sin with live paste,” and I use it for folding insects and other c very thin papers requiring added stiffness, yentle curves and expressive, sculprural folds characterize Soft, rounded many of today’s excellent wet-folded models. Wet-folding requires paper with supple, long, strong fibers. Wer-folding enables the papers’ fibers to be bent, not broken, upon folding. This allows the artist to tackle complex designs that often require multiple folds along the same line, or intersecting at the same point. Dry: folding these complex models would not be possible without breaking through the paper at key intersections. After being wetsfolded, the subsequently dried model will retain its shape, a property particularly cherished by the serious origami art collector. Wet-folding will allow you to make use of a greater range of art papers that would be too thick to fold dry: Wet-folded paper is heavier and rather soft. You should rarely burnish wet papet with the back of your thumbnail, since wet paper is prone to bruising, While vwet-folding large paper in the alr, you must use gravity to its best advantage, folding downward from the top; leting the hanging portions of the paper guide Your fingers to their target. Wetting the paper with water can be done in several ways, but the water must always be added to both sides of the sheet to mitigate curling of the paper. Water may be sprayed with a plant mister. You can also brush the water on with a damp cloth or sponge. 19‘ADVANCED ORIGAM! TEcHMIQuES Be sure to apply water evenly across the sheet and allow the water 19 by absorbed iro the paper completely Use the least amount of water possible tg rmatecal has a slippery feel, just abit lighter than honey, (He careful not to spill papershould be imp and cool othe touch, but it should no look vet! Add ype this onthe floor, since itis extremely lippery) ci. ‘ eater as needed while folding, A small sft punt brush or the corner ofa rags, | itil oe i oe i useful for tis purpose. } about internal size anymore, since it seems ' Cardina) ix probably best folded dry. you need ‘Preparing Your Poper or Wet-Folding per The surface propertics you want For your paper will be dic cg ifn (eristies of the model. A hard, leathery creature, such 2s a bat, requires « stiffer such as methyleelh fiber and plenty of sizing. A fuzzy mammal, such as « litle pigh Applying Size to P at by the Wetfolding is often easier when the sheet is conditioned wi Before you wet the paper, cut it perfectly square, (After ssuume its original dimensions) will seat the model dries, it will sofier fiber, such as cotton, with its fuzzier texture and warmth. Folding can by tough on the sutface ofthe paper and most wet-folders prefer to use a size ube ‘ani/paste. When itis wet, it is slippery and protective; when it dries, it seems fo vanish completely. The most popular mediums used are wheat paste or methylceliulose. Starch Paste Archival starch paste can be made from cornstarch, potato starch, or whest starch Begin by boiling water in the low hamber of a double boiler. Add cold water to the upper chamber, measuring five times as much wat volume). Add all the starch to sion. Continue heating and mii for about a starch cooks, ft thickens like pudding and begin io clear. When it cools, t thickens mere Some artisans develop a rinalistic approach to pr wheat starch, It isa food source for some creatures soi you are not careful with the pucityof the water the percentage of starch, the temperature, or other factors, microbial growth ean furstarch into sugar allow tto ferment, and the mixture ca e ever futhe contaminated. Acidic impurities are almost slways harmful tothe qualities ofthe Paper: For these reasons, we prefer to use lab-grade methyleelulo 1. Mattils and supplies needed for adding Suface size 2. Molsten the paper with wate, font and back, Using Methylelhilose is readily available shortcut 10 the traditional wheat paste to paper: hand:-puny spray mister, methylcellulose ponder the nest spay setting on a spray mister. Gently spread the Used by Yoshizawa and oher paper arts Its refined and pure co tee cata wide brush, bowl, paper. droplets with a tight saeep ofa wide, fne-bistied brush (some: aging and purification steps are unnecessary. Most paint and wallpaper shops carry cried methylcellulose fe se a songe or damp cloth): be sure not to abrade the paper when itis wet. Allow enough time for the maisture to Metbyicellulose: Preparing zo percent methyl migrate throughout the paper. We offen prepare a batch of methylcellulose b lose in solution (by volume) hy gently adding a ounces of methylcellulose powder (using aliquid measuring spoon), to 20 ounc (liguid measure). Sprinkle the powder slowly onto the surfa You mix the water with the methylcellulose using of water of the water, as stirring spatula, with a brisk ‘ining action. Be sure to scrape dawn the edges to keep the expandin Wetted, The process is faster if you use a ble oe more air bubbles Using either method, aliow the humps of polymer dissolve, easier to work with olution to sit for atleast a day or two, tole Astist-quality methylcellulose than the kind sok in wallpape Stores, This mixture of viscous‘ADYANCED O8/GAM Tecuniaues: ‘Back-Cooting Two Sheets Together ‘When you find a nice piece of paper that is too Hghtweight oF to folding, it is necessary to back it with stiffer or stronger paper. We use lulose or wheat paste to bond the two sheets back to back. Follow th bback-coat two sheets of paper together. 3, Bush the so percent methylcellulose gel onto the paper ‘Spread evenly from the center tothe edges. The methylcellulose ill penetrate the papor and adhere to the glass or plastic a back-coat two sheets toxether, you'l need the tools shown hete: starch of nethylcellulose powder; bow! and wet brush to 2. To begin, cut the backing paper about an inch larger than the prepered peste; spray mister; wid, dry brush for smoothing; dalicate paper. Moisten eath side oF each zheet witha fine Irie (not shown), A large plywood beard (nat show) wil be used mist of water. Make sure they have expanded fully ] to support the back-coated sheet sit dies; you can als se Decide which sides of the paper you want to shaw, foam core or stif plastic for “Movie prepralion to dy hay. One cost is usualy suthcien, 5. Peel thes butallew each coat to dry f addtional coets ace desired, aed peer The paper wil b fold when it feels ike leather 4 4, Using a wide, soft, dry brush, apply the second sheet onto the: tue ayer. Note the use of 2 woaden slat to contol the upper, free edge ofthe black paper as iti being lowered, Use a second, ent, wide dry brush to brush away any air pockets, working from the center to the edge, Be sure nat to get paste on the biust 3. Smooth the water droplets with a wide, soft brush, working only from the center tot ges. Coat the backing paper th methy cellulose or paste inthe same wa), brushing From the center to the edges,ADYANCED ORIGAMI 5. Ate te si bibles ae bused ou use the ist 6. aya sal stp of paper across th glued marin oma Fst bush carl pp) aot ier fase the fteor "oUt Tris mouth wi speed he renal lao rah oft back raper (isi shoving ofthe died set rom tho eying board Dey ages ef he ood ppc cli cl dhl adi 7 Turthe wet composite over onto the surface ofa board for svg. Use a clean, dry, wide brush (or the dry brush you Dreiously used) to smesth out ary ar pockets and ensure good 8. Nter the bbetveen the drying boara composites dy, carefully insert shaip kal and the paper at the mouth, Slice the oie around the margin to release it from the diying board, ‘contact atthe margins ofthe vet assembly, 9.The died "duo pa AMfed “duo” papers now ready for timming and wet folding. Fy) ABOUT PAPER art takes more than perfecting folding techniques; a¢ | said in’ os vision, An important part of achieving yout vision Creating origa the last chapter, it also ta is selecting the right paper for your model. Selecting the ideal paper comple nents your origami project. There is @ great sense of satisfaction and triumph when you find the perfect paper. Although there are many hand papermakers around, most of them have other purposes and other types of customers in mind. Maybe your needs and goals will coincide with theirs, but with the complex model you have in mind, the chances of that happening are indeed. re. This is why we make our own origami papers, and we encourage you to do he same. At the end of this book, you will find a section on how to make your own paper. Though much time and effort is involved, the results ean be stune ng, But whether you create your own paper or not, its still important 0 be aware of paper composition and available commercial papers. PAPER QUALITIES We deal with paper every day, but few paperfolding enthusiasts understand nough about the composition and manufacturing process of paper to know which paper is best for a particular project. Most folders use whatever paper is cadily available, such as office pap thin, brightly ust use , wrapping paper, oF thos i paper.” Many believe that you mu ‘origami paper” if you are doing o focus on the att. Use real artiste’ materials, So-called “origami paper” is an inex the casual hobbyist, crafter, and mi, When you are making origami art, pensive craftsupply item designed to sat gradeschooler. It is not formulated to be a lasting material for high-end, museum-quality paper art. Similarly, rarely will a hobbyist or origami crafter choose paper larger than a ro-inch (25-cm) square, Paper is by far the most limiting of the many limitations to good origami, yet the folders nearly always san ex-chef, Ike touse a cooking analogy: You can't make whole-grain flour. Get blame themselves! an exquisite angel food cake if you only have egg yolks a ients!" Become familiar with paper types and qualities. Try to piece of paper, oF what makes a certain Kind of the right ingre understand what makes a go paper 1 selecting paper for your origami Here are some thing: for your proje Grain The majority of fibers in a paper with “grain! lie in the same direction, Hold a all piece of the paper horizontally by one edge, then hold it by an adjacent edge, You will see that it droops more when held in one orientation because the fibers we generally aligned parallel to the greatest bend. (Think of the way that grass beach mats roll easily with the “grain.") Grain is ertically important a wetfolding.ADVANCED ORIGAMI Nulose fibers swell, they grow wider, not Tonge, just as a cactus, when expand wider not alr Imagine what ths does toa perfectly cut quate ‘piece of paper wih pronounced grain when you wet it before folding Paper Strength Paper strength is one ofthe most enucial elements in complex origami art, Paper Sirength is related to fiber choice, length, suppleness, and the characteristics achieved in the beating process, The ideal paper will have a high resistance to ‘bursting and tearing, Paper strength can be rated when the paper is wet, and again when the paper is dry: ‘The extreme technical demands of today’s super-complex origami designs have also pushed the strength limits of readily available papers. Now our papers must be formulated to take numerous, in come not only fiom felding multiple layers. multiple time: artists are constantly turning portions of their models inside out for clever color. change effects, Add to that the fact ‘models are “action models” with movement that often stresses the p creases. In addition, now that the powerful and important technique of wet folding has gained worldwide popularity, paper must even be stronger. cate creases. These additional stresses but modern origami several of today's most popular origa Fiber Choice and Blends ‘The source ofthe fiber dictates the qualities of the paper. Today, many communi ties recycle paper, and much of th extremely short and weak. Wit fiber would be useless. The origami artist has a wide variety of fiber sources to consider, and each one has its strengths and weaknesses, ‘The most common paper fiber used in our archival papers is abaca fiber is processed so much that it becornes out special chemical binding agents, rnuch of the fiber is from a plant in the banana family (Musa texts), and is prized for its long, strong, relatively hard fibers. It may be the strongest known plant fiber! Cotton is atthe other end of the spectrurn, yielding a sof, fuzzy fiber that wicks moisture easily, making it one of the most desirable fibers to use in clothing, especialy in humid, tropical climates. Other common plants used for hand papermaking include ax (linen), kozo (mulberry), and hemp, These fibers can be beaten to varying degrees, and blended in countless ways to produce a mind-boggling spec trum of handmade papers suitable for wetfolding, (See page 1 paper fibers ) for more on CHOOSING THE RIGHT PAPER Realize that mastering 2ny origami model requires a serious commitment on your Part and that you may fold the model many sketch, or rough draft, need not be expensive, tolls of inexpensive, thin tr times. The paper you choose for a We often work out designs on large ig OF drafting thumbnail stock, called butterpapet ue-backed foil (see page 30) st complex origami designers. We also go through acti paper’—paper that approximates the characteristics of huge amount of 4 26 ‘ABOUT PAPER Here is an example of a preliminary attempt, or practice piece, of my Big ‘Brown Bat in commercial paper (red) ‘before folding itn the higher-qu handmade paper (brown) the desired finished piece, but this paper may be “seconds,” or machine-made paper readily available in art supply stores. You can purchase wide rolls of Fadeless™" brand ‘which is colored on one side and white on the other. It is ideal for practice—a “dress rehearsal” that will allow you to explore your model ina larger scale than the sculpture you eventually desire h for just the correct paper he correct choice When leaming a complex origami model, the se for the final piece may take some time, Narrow your search by starting a collection of labeled scraps or samples, noting on each yout likes and ng and practice leads up to the big nd the perfect paper to ‘execute your flawless rendition of that rascal skurik in your backyard! Also keep in mind that after investing years of effort designing and executing modern origami masterpiece, you want it to last, s0 the paper must be acid.free, or “archival,” Can you afford to take the chance of producing a piece of fine art, dislikes, successes or failures. All this seat ‘moment when you finally possess the skills, the vision. using papers of unknown fiber content, with questionable coloring agents or of doubtful quality? And so we seek archival qualities in the paper—not only so the colors will not fade, but so the sculpture will not disintegrate into dust from an acid attack, Perhaps there were great origami works in ages past that for one rea- son or another did not survive to the present: When you take proper cate in mal ing your own paper, you can be sue that your art will last for generations. That the best reason for mal ‘out own paper. If you are not inclined to make your own paper for your origami art, you will need to look beyond the traditional packs sold as origami paper, seeking other 270 papers ore made for different purposes, 4 papers is aailable today, some of which are suitable for jargon can sometimes be confusing. Here's a simple guide yy md paperhas become a catch-all ategory for office and letter paper some. times containing some amount of cotton rag. “Bond” paper was formerly used to print stocks, bonds, and legal documents, but we now call neatly al office poner “bond.” When an idea comes to mind, most people grab the closest piece OF paper, which is ustally office bond. This paper is ideal for folding paper aigplanes. Ibis rigid and smooth, and it takes s crease well, Bord is a good al Purpose paper for designing and practicing most simple to intermediate brigami designs. High-quality bond is perfect for origami envelopes and fancily folded leters. Large sheets of bond may be cut from rolls, available at dratting Supply and some art stores. It is not suitable for complex miniatures. Only the best, acid-fee, 100 percent rag varieties are suitable for pe Golors are limited. Kraft paper is brown siock (w rpamed for the Kraft papermaking process, which revolutionized commodity papermaking for cardboard boxes, bags, industrial containers, and strong economical wrappings. Kraft papers arc inexpensive and are commonly sold on manent pieces ually unbleached) with longer fibers. It is rolls, so large complex works are most easily explored using Kraft paper. at Origamido, we have rolls of Kraft paper in nearly a dozen colors, and often fold party hats from it. The relative thickness is low, since the papers are ofter atleast 46 inches (91.5 cm] wide. On the downside, these colors fade quickly, and Kraft paper looks old after a short time in strong light. It is not suitable for complex Bris or pennant. pices, (The alte process, the cher omitodity papermaking process is chemically harsher but it produces a brighta pulp, easier to bleach and best.) — Kami means “paper” of any kind in J dnd in Japanese. As an origami term it fs modem. Popular in English-speaking countries, it is used to indicate most common types of orga paper. used for origami experimentation and era Purposes. Standard packs have from twenty to forty colors, packaged in sizes Tanging from to 14 inches (4 195.5 em), : ; oa bee Tefers to any of thousands of kinds of handmade Japanese caper. Itmay be printed or plain, thick or thi s Sacailins ta 4 in, crisp or soft. Since these hand: Exepiees are offen made in sina batches, 7 lots, wih ingredients tha va €3th owing season, the changes in condone techniques, ahd Personnel compound to yield diferent qualities and characterieucs, Cons ‘quently, specific types of handmade ae discontinued, or off-quality, acteristics, Conse: oe a are unobtainable, out-of stack, 1 can afford it, purchase and oe favorite and trusted kinds. Avoid those kinds made with wood z= ferants or colored with poor: ee ea ‘imitations—eyen from Japan. Poor.quality dyes, Beware of machine-made u S5yw and Chirigamt papers are decorative, usually from kozo (mulberry) fiber, with bit o ae grands of underbesten fibers, These papers make great Ui fldersince ed famed pape ant, but the inclusions often fasta pathafyourercag) ist bs do nt fold well imagine rezdbiok inthe The chunks of bark oF fibers never seem to stay out of your tore @ good way when you need to fold the paper, despite your best bits even pop out of the edges of your mountain creases! ‘Gampi papers are glossy, somewhat translucent, made from st from plants in the Daphne genus. These papers are available in many sizes and thicknesses. They are splendid for folding origami plants and flowers. Buy natal heets and color them yourself. You. will need to back-ceat or surface-size these papers for most or Rice paper is of not made from ric fo not know the truth about it yet. When you encounter the term in poper but 1 de your search, ask questions about the origin and the fiber content; if you do not fet an informed answer and you do not know what you have there, avoid the igami projects, wet or dry. fien used to refer to any Oriental, often white, thin paper. [tis ‘e! There are many theories as to the origin of the word rice per for serious work. Pape unen isa general name for silicscreen:printed decorative papers. Wedding favors, party decorations, and colorcoordinated gift boxes folded from Yuzen are quite popular. We rarely use printed paper for animal or plant subjects, unless the pattemn is integral to the message. Ifthe pattem would detract from the form and Substance of the model, do not use it. Like most Asian papers, Yuzen is soft and lthlike. Back coat or surface-size if necessary. .e paper. These peaceful depictions of rural CChiyogami is decorated Japané life and pastoral settings grace Asian-th rt, but they make elegant wrapping decorations, envelopes, and med parties. Rarely would we use them for origam! backgrounds. Paper money is widely used for origami projec ofdesigns. The U.S. dollar is the most popular for these purposes, butother kinds, each with their own specific dimensions, have their following, Thick but strong, these papers are suitable for simple to intermediate folding. Do not hesitate to techniques! Use nev bills where possible. Pattern, shape, and There are many hundreds employ wer-folding color all figure into the final product If'you enjoy paper, you will enjoy the adventure of discovering rare fibers and exotic blends, Learn as much as you can about each of the papers you like to work with, Purchase extra sheets when leaming about a new paper Keep samples and alert to new kinds, and do not hesitate to experiment! we sheet is cheap compared to other materials employed in many other atts. Keep in mind that learning about the vast world of paper requires a serious, deliberate effort. Do not be discouraged. tn short buy and try, but be willing to learn from failure by keeping good notes. record your results, Be ever The cost of even an expt CUSTOMIZING COMMERCIAL PAPERS Ifyou don't want to make your own origami paper from scratch, and if you're tunable to find papers that satisfy your needs, there are ways of customizing paper to use in folding, We've alteady discussed backccoating two sheets together and adding size to a sheet of paper (pages 2t-24) a8 ways to prepare paper for wet= folding, ‘These techniques can also be used in preparing paper for dry-folding. Here are some other ways you can create customized paper.ADVANCED ORIGAN 1. Tobond tissue pape to fll, you" need these tools; wooden 2. Fold the tissue paper over the iat or done!, commercial or handmade tissu paper, spray ade: tolock and register them Firly together $e aluminum fil. wide, cry brush for smoothing. 4. Use a wide tush to smooth the fll evenly onto the glued Paper surface. Use a wooden slat or do 3. Apply 2 thin cost of spray aches YOU have adequate ventiction and may also use age sti Me tothe paper Be sure that flow the ceuion er Control the free edge of the (ol but take care not orp the paper) 0 Papen 4 sheet oftiss ‘ished, trimmed tissue flitissue composite, ready for folding, Adding Surface Color to a Sheet of Paper For some models, simply adding a certain color greatly enhances the overall look of the inished product. When you can’t find duo paper available in the colors you want, i+ ring the back of a sheet yourselfis an easy solution, 1. To add surface color to paper, you'll need these supplies: liguld angie polymer ‘emulsion (blending Muid media, artist’ acre paints (tubes), wide Brush, bowl, 10 percent methylcellulose gel emulsion Gn bowl), and paper. A plant mister and glass may also be useful. 2ProjectsDesigned by Michael G. LaFosse_ color origami papers of sheets of red/black paper: You also make your own duo paper the techniques described in thi This crested, brightly colored finch is a favorite that ut a backyard bird feeder hopes to attract. chosen it as their state bird, Th it every person putting No wonder seven states have is model shows a modern design using the older origami style Of creating fiat profiles f famitiar objects. The beautiful Jere hanony of shapes and proportions makes ths model elegant, yet deceptively: Sophisticated. The mode! also reduces the Subject toa Pa hg Leute Tie design tales cvantage’of two toned, or aUth Paper that is allred on one side, al black on the ce rsequence i direct, economical teresting, a E28 Yothgeles was smiten withthe cartincL. ember beg: 089 My Darents fora plastic cardinal model Kit that | could assemble and Crane Ganysell They dd not buy ie forme, but shone aftervard, Santa Claus did. | tried for several Years to design a fitting origami rendition of rrelavorite bid, but didnot succeed unt Richens ‘asked me to determine sein marks on my Mourning Dove oo ha Mone Otigamido Studio) though tmever Mneurting Dove, curing the process | adh tabi head and explored the oppor change, My vision for dimensional bird, just Painted as satisfying to 9¢b5 Like a has an honest qual 3. Turn over The folding process ‘and enjoyable, id teach it to beginners ished land markir scover the j the potential to reshape nities to accomplish a color neat cardinal years ago was for fully three "ke the plastic model that Thad glued together and Child, The resulting flat fold is Guite a departure, yet just as 6..0pe eae recite and understand, it though itis folded flat hat everybody can city, even ty inits simp 4, Fold each halfof the folded edge to ‘meet at he crease. 5. Fold the fee red edges tothe outside, folded red edges, Unf £8. Use the existing mountain and valley ceases to fold the top comerand. edges down. cated valley ceeses. 7, Perform the inca * Carefully note thet placement. Tum hs paper over, backside up. 35NORTH AMERICAN CAROIN, fepeat on the other sic 9. Your pape soul lok ie this. Fold the 10, Move te long, cut red edge tothe 111, Repeat on th top righ corner tothe lef. outside ed fold ecg. Insde-reverse fold the upper portion ofthis layer as you retum the comer to the right. The smal 18, Fold the cut edge tothe crease. 19. Using the existing crease, fld over 20. Fold the free square comers ofthe Repeat behind Repeat behind. hhead tothe middle ofthe folded edge. Fold the fee red and black corners ofthe tall over, covering the black paper completely, t1ease installed instep 7 wil ad this maneure -12.fold the tp comer behind. Watch the °° spat You ae actualy toggig the red ‘amend upside dawn ano overto the othe side. This il be the head 14, Fold corner tothe lett. Repeat behing. ; : P ; 22, Bing down the comers on the head. 13.Foldinhatt 21. Pull upon the back corner ofthe head (rest) and swivel he i ‘black paper at the front of the neck, changing the angle and dis: v x e-aapsat vehi 17, Unfold, front and back,ADVANCED OFIGAM! 23, Mount fold the bottom corer ins. 24, fold up the Dome fon ede of te head pape, aging tothe {tease Repeat Leip Fold up the bottom Font edge again long the ‘tease Repeat behind 25, Wounian-and valley fl the foto the head to frm the beak American Museum of Natural History in New York City, at the same time ; that | was visiting Lllan Oppenheimer’s Origami Center of America. We shared a subway trip ftom Lllian’s apartment to the museum, and inspired by Alice's vocation, | spontaneously folded an origami butterfly from a scrap of paper forher. Alice critiqued my creation, and lamented that it was not from a square, since the general feeling cmangst crigamists in the 970s was that all good origami must be from an uncut square. Since this design required o nonequilateral rectangle, | realized it was easy to start with a square, and simply fold one ormore of the edges inward. As a bonus, the extra paper falded inward atthe fist steps could be fashioned later to produce interesting shapes and patterns inthe final steps. This design 's actually a system of generating dozens of species of butterflies, simply by mixing and matching several possible options at ‘each of the first few steps, We have included this model to encourage : ‘creative play using origami, See ifyou can think through the final effect ing a particular change at an early step in the folding. 26.The fished North Amesican Cardinal. of mal‘Apvanceo of1GAM! PAPER SUGGESTIONS When using due pape the body il ‘be colored diferent than the wings ‘egy there are many duo Paper+ ‘prepared forthe origa hobby OU ‘can make your own duo papers by painting one cx both ies ofthe sheet ‘otha they ae diferent most ary paper ean be used asa base set Let yout imagination soar! You can rely OfIGAMI00 BUTTERFLY 9. Squash-fold the upper left and right ‘any coloring or decorating tecmiaues. thet you wists tie ye, SPORSE. SPS 4. gag ithe color desire forthe Stamp. penclorerayan..YOUCaN wines facing up Fold ha ecg to ede ven run paper through a color printer! cu Just make a colored area ina graphics paper over and repeat with acferent ‘ologthen cut outa square shape for folding Another method of making vo paper isto paste two diferent sheets together ifyou are making handmade paper you can form two sheets, eacha diteent color, anc press them togethe,backto-back When diy they will a duo set. Sections, being careful to make the sauesh ‘eases hitthe center fflded line made ide folded ede, 2: Fold eft and right edges tothe crease 8. Fold up the bottom c 8 10. Your paper wil ook Uke this, With the abdominal corner atthe bottom, move the top layers ofthe hind wings down, squash folding tne bottom comers oFboth wings. quarter donn from the Unfold inthe previnus step, application ard print. ip the printed 3. fold inal shortedes together. Squash eld the ttm corer, a! 6. Your paper should look tke ths, Tur ove 7. Sou fold the bottom carne, 12, Mountln fol the hind wing edges underto reveal the abdomen, Fold up the top layer ofthe forewings 4, Fold nal right-side double folded 11, Form a mountain crease edge acioss ites fa he let he middle ofa wing ard move it down ard, reshaping the forewing and defining «a separation between the forewings and hind wings. Repeat with the ather wing. If desired, turn the triangle of paperon exch hind wing inside out e is € 13, tnsde-reversesfols the inceated corners atthe separation 14, Clean up the hack si with the incl 1 foles. You canbe creative with the shapes ofthe top folds andthe midside= folds, point ofthe forewings and hind wings, Tur aver.