The Long Narrow Leaf

Braiding Makigami
 Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

Table of Contents

The Copyright Barrier 5

Braiding Makigami 9

Introducing Glow-Fold 16

Folding the Long Narrow Leaf 17

Design Considerations for the Long Narrow Leaf 24

Web-Enabled!
Click on any highlighted item or
text in this document and you will
be taken to a link on the web.

Origami Bonsai® is a registered trademark of Benjamin John Coleman

You are free to adapt and share Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume
2 Issue 4 as long as you attribute the material you use to Benjamin John
Coleman. Glow-Fold is a patented technique and must be licensed
separately. Contact Ben@Benagami.com for details.

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 Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

Origami Bonsai Resources on the Web

Click on the thumbnail to be taken to the corresponding web site.

www.OrigamiBonsai.org
Origamibonsai.org has tips, books you can buy, free
folding videos, photos of Origami Bonsai created all by
people living all over the world, and lots more.

www.Scribd.com/Benagami
You'll find Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine here along
with less expensive electronic versions of Advanced
Origami Bonsai and Origami Bonsai Accessories.

FaceBook
When you become a "fan" of Origami Bonsai on
FaceBook you will be notified when new issues of this
magazine are released. You'll also find craft show
schedules where Origami Bonsai artists will be present,
along with other announcements.

www.YouTube.com/OrigamiBonsaiForum
A lot of Origami Bonsai folding videos.

www.Etsy.com
Search "origami bonsai" and "makigami accessories" to
see lists of items for sale in these categories from artists
and craftspeople around the globe.

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 Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

Origami Bonsai Books and Instant Flowers

Click the thumbnail to order or preview.

The first book in the Origami Bonsai (2010, Tuttle

Publishing) series is available at bookstores worldwide.
This book teaches how to fold the basic flower form
from which many varieties of flower can be folded.
Comes with folding videos on DVD. 112 pages.

Advanced Origami Bonsai teaches how to make

branches from newspaper paper using the Makigami
technique. Also teaches how to create intricate branch
networks for Origami Bonsai sculptures. 182 pages on
DVD or through Scribd.com.

Origami Bonsai Accessories teaches how to make

durable Makigami jewelry, accessories, bangles, planters
and other items. Concepts presented can be applied to
other crafts, hobbies, and art forms. Make virtually
anything from paper. 152 pages on DVD or through
Scribd.com.

Origami Bonsai Instant Flowers are the first mass

produced origami flower in the world! They fold
instantly into 12 flower varieties with videos on YouTube
to guide you. Each package comes with 6 red, 3 blue and
3 yellow instant flowers.

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 Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

The Copyright Barrier

Mary buys a book and learns how to make sculptures. Betty sees her sculpture
and offers to buy it. Is Mary violating the book's copyright by selling Betty her art
work?

This article discusses the relevance of copyright law as it would be applied to a book which
teaches someone how to create something. Some areas of copyright are clear; for example,
everyone would agree that scanning and electronically distributing a copyrighted book would
be a violation. Other areas are not so clear. The question posed above is an example of a grey
area within the law. A grey area is a topic for which there is no clear resolution.

Before copyright law existed, work created by an author could easily be taken over by
unscrupulous publishers and individuals. If a writer approached a publishing house with a new

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 Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

book, the publishing house could publish it without paying or acknowledging the author. To
make matters worse, other individuals could claim they were the originators of the work. The
fact that there are doubts about whether Shakespeare really wrote Hamlet is testament to the
need for copyright law.

Copyright provides the copyright holders

with an assurance that their innovative
work won't be duplicated, usurped, or
transferred without proper attribution and
compensation. This allows them to share
work that would otherwise be kept
confidential. Copyright law facilitates
access, while at the same time protecting
the rights of the copyright holder. New
markets get created, thus stimulating
economic activity. It is this resultant
economic activity that represents the grey
area.

One answer to the question posed at the

beginning of this article can be easily
obtained. Does the original copyright in
the book allow readers to sell their work
based on the book? Many books clearly
define what rights the reader has with
regards to their work, and will stipulate
these, usually within the first few pages of the publication. But if the book just says "copyright
2010," does Mary have the right to sell something she created based on the book?

According to Kevin A. Thompson, an attorney with Davis McGrath LLC in Chicago, USA, Mary
needs to get permission. "If it were a play, and someone performed it, for profit, then they
would need permission. The same is true for a diagram (in an origami book) and the resulting
folded piece. It's a derivative work from the diagram. So they should get your permission if the
work is being sold," Thompson said.

But it seems there is not a consensus of opinion, because attorney Rachel Stillwell of Gladstone
Michel Weisberg Willner and Sloane, ALC, Marina Del Rey, USA stated "While a diagram can be
protected under the copyright act, infringement of the copyright in such a diagram can occur in

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the form of copying only if what is copied is the diagram itself rather than the idea conveyed in
the diagram."

To resolve her dilemma with certainty, Mary will need to ask for permission. This creates a
barrier between Mary and a market for her work. By the time Mary obtains permission from
the author, her market, Betty, will probably be gone. And if the author is dead, Mary might
never resolve her predicament.

"Some companies choose to publish their work under a Creative Commons license,"
(www.CreativeCommons.org) stated Sarah Feingold, an attorney who specializes in intellectual
property rights and author of Copyright for Artists. "You can choose to allow people to make
commercial use of your work with attribution." Feingold should know. She also works with
www.Etsy.com, a major outlet for handmade arts and crafts. "Some other companies also
have disclaimer language accompanying patterns and art, either with Creative Commons
symbols or with text."

Creative Commons is a not for profit corporation that facilitates the sharing of copyrighted
material. They do this by allowing authors, artists, and other creative people to specify what
attributes within a copyright they wish to protect. By using a creative commons copyright
artists can specify how their work gets used by others. This is an important advance in
copyright protection as it allows other artists to build upon the work of others without worrying
about whether they're violating copyright. It could be argued that Creative Commons
copyrights open new markets and stimulate economic activity.

To further stimulate those markets, Creative Commons has a search engine on their web site so
you can search for art, photos, videos, music, or just about anything else you might want to
incorporate into your work. When you find something you want to use, you just read the
Creative Commons license associated with it, comply, and you don't have to worry about
copyright infringement. The site, the licenses, and the search engine are all free. It is an
amazing resource.

You will notice that the copyright at the beginning of this month's issue is different. It is a
Creative Commons copyright. I wish I had known about Creative Commons before the Origami
Bonsai series of books were published. Sadly, the copyright inside my books is the old standard.
If I haven't made myself clear in the past, I shall now. I grant my readers the right to sell their
sculptures based on my publications.

Regards,

Benjamin John Coleman

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Origami Bonsai Electronic MagazineOrigami Bonsai
- Volume 2 Electronic
Issue 3 Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1 June 1, 2010

Makigami Accessories are durable, wearable and biodegradable. To see a list of

Makigami accessories available on Etsy, Click here.

Origami Bonsai artists and craftspeople, make sure to include the keywords "makigami" and "accessories" when posting your work to Etsy
so it will be included when readers click this advertisement.

8 www.OrigamiBonsai.org
 Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

Braiding Makigami

The other day I asked my niece if she would

teach me how to braid. I've wanted to
investigate braiding Makigami for some time,
and she agreed to teach me. I rolled three
narrow strips, and then she attempted to
braid them. She was successful. We molded
her work and allowed it to cure. The finished
bracelet, with only three narrow strands of
Makigami, was more flexible than I had
envisioned.

I decided a six strip braid would be

more appropriate. Initial results were
mixed. I didn't know how to braid, and
I struggled to keep up with a video
tutorial on braiding (here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22
p3wIHLupc ). I was successful,
although my finished work bore the
marks of an inexperienced craftsman.
Because I had tried, failed, and tried
again repeatedly with the same set of
strips, the Makigami flaked and some
areas were delaminating. But I knew
that with experience this could be
resolved, and became excited at the
potential.

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 Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

My next attempt involved a

different technique which required
five Makigami strips. The resultant
braid is quite beautiful. What I find
of particular interest is the visual
effect tapered Makigami strips add
to the complex beauty of the braid.
I think this bracelet is exquisite.
The combination of the complex
braid and tapering strips is
wonderful. My inexperience at
braiding is still visible in the small
flakes of paper which can be seen.
I trimmed them off, and the
finished bracelet is pictured below. I painted it with in a faux walnut finish (Origami Bonsai Accessories
P. 70, and a final coat of black).

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How to Make a Braided Teardrop Makigami Assembly

1. Roll five dual-tapered Makigami

strips (using recipe 3 on P. 141 of
Origami Bonsai Accessories).

2. insert one end of each strip into a clip.

3. Braid the strips (watch this video to learn

how to braid).

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4. Combine the loose ends. Pinch and knead

the loose ends so the paper fibers combine a
bit (see step 8 to understand why).

5. Shape the braided strips and insert the

ends into a clothespin. You can do more
shaping. Try flattening, widening, and/or
narrowing the braid.

6. Allow the strips to cure. I put mine on the

dashboard of my 1993 Chevy which was
parked in the sun. They cured in three hours.

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7. Important: Drill first, trim second. Drill a

tiny hole for a necklace or earring finding.
Also remove any delaminated or flaking
Makigami with a razor blade.

8. Trim excess Makigami from the area

around the hole you drilled in Step 6.

9. Paint your braided Makigami strips with a

finish (see Origami Bonsai Accessories for
more detail).

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10. Glue Origami Bonsai flowers to the

braided Makigami teardrop. Also add
findings for earrings and a strap for
pendants.

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As you can see from the photograph, a little experience goes a long way. Once I got the hang of
braiding, a world of design opportunities seemed to open up.

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Introducing Glow-Fold

Glow-fold is a new diagramming technique I developed for a book I am in the process of

writing. I remember struggling with origami diagrams as a child. Often it was hard to discern
what effect a fold in one diagram had in the subsequent diagram, and it was often through trial
and error that I successfully completed models.

I recently had the opportunity to meet Vanessa Gould (creator of the movie Between the Folds);
I mentioned my new book project to her, and she stressed the need for clear diagrams. I
developed this method for diagramming based on our conversation. Perhaps it will take some
of the trial and error out of origami. I have since patented Glow-Fold.

Glow-Fold Example
Conventional Diagram Glow-Fold Diagram

Step 1

The first diagram shows a square of paper,

Glow-fold would enhance this diagram by
bisected by a dashed line, along with an
adding a semi-transparent glowing triangular
arcing line with an arrow at its tip denoting
area below the line to be folded.
the direction of the fold.

Step 2

Glow-fold adds a semi-transparent glow

In a subsequent diagram, the paper is
along the unfolded edges in the subsequent
shown as a triangle.
diagram.

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 Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

Folding the Long Narrow Leaf

Folding instructions for this leaf are

available in the following diagrams, or via a
video on YouTube. Click the image (right)
to watch the video instructions.

Click for folding video.

Step

1
Begin with the colored side of your square facing down.
Fold your square in half diagonally and then unfold it.

Step

Fold the right edge to the center as shown.

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 Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

Step

Fold the top edge to the center.

Step

4
Fold and then unfold the bottom edge up using the
left edge for alignment.

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 Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

Step

5
Fold and then unfold the left edge using the bottom
edge for alignment and then flip your paper.

Step

6
Fold and then unfold the bottom left corner up and
to the right and then flip your paper.

Step

7
Simultaneously fold both outside corners to the
center line as shown. The lower tip will move up to
the same point automatically.

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 Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

Step

8
Your model should look like this. Now we
zoom in on the area that will become the stem.

Step

9
Fold both of the bottom outside corners of the
upper pleat of paper to the center.

Step

10
Inside reverse fold the folds you made in
Step 9.

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Step

11
Fold the narrow tip of the uppermost layer
down and toward the left.

Step

12
Narrow the stem by folding
the outer corners to the
center.

Step

13
Fold the upper outside corner of the top layer
of paper down and to the right.

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Step

14
Your leaf should look like this. Fold the top edge
down and to the right to narrow the leaf.

Step

15

Fold the top edge down and to the right again to

further narrow your leaf.

Step

16
Fold the top two layers up and to the left,
then repeat steps 14 and 15 on the right-
hand edge of your leaf.

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Step

17
Your leaf should look like this.

Step

18
Pinch the stem with one hand
as you curl the other end of
the leaf.

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Design Considerations for the Long Narrow Leaf

Our arsenal of leaf styles has just grown

by one; the long narrow leaf. This leaf
shape is commonly found on
houseplants and often used in floral
arrangements of real flowers. I initially
thought that a narrow piece of paper
would be required to create this leaf.
However I am a fan of traditional
origami, and I developed a folding
pattern that can be completed with a
square piece of paper.

This long and narrow leaf will add some

drama to your projects. There are a few
issues that must be considered when
using this leaf style. Because the edges
are made up of six densely-folded layers
of paper, this is a heavy leaf. Both the
effects of gravity on the leaf stem and
the center of gravity of your sculpture
must be considered. With regards to
the stem, I suggest you connect the leaf
over a longer area of Makigami.

When it comes to center of gravity you

have two choices. The easiest choice is
to create a narrow sculpture, where the
center of gravity is directly over the
planter (pictured left). Another option
is to distribute the weight. Balance your
sculpture with weight and counter
weight; in other words, for every leaf
attached on one side, attach another on
the other side. If you choose to use this
method, every leaf on one side of your
sculpture should have a corresponding

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counter-weight-leaf on the other side of the sculpture. An example of this strategy is pictured
on the facing page.

Another issue unique to this leaf is it's tendency to unfold.. To ensure the leaf remains folded
it should be curled. The curl provides tension which should keep the layers of paper in place for
many years.

While curling the leaf helps us with the unfolding issue, it creates a new problem. Most
Origami Bonsai leaves are flat, and mostly two dimensional. They require little planning in
terms of depth. This leaf has depth which must be taken into account. I suspect building a wall
sculpture with these leaves would be quite challenging.

The two sculptures I created for this issue of the magazine were a lot of work, but you can see
the dramatic touch this curled leaf adds to their overall shape.

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Click Here to see a list of Origami Bonsai sculptures available on Etsy.

Origami Bonsai artists and craftspeople, make sure to include the keywords "origami" and "bonsai" when posting your work
to Etsy so it will be included when readers click this advertisement.

26