Nesting cranes

Today's post shows a variant of origami called renzuru or sembazuru (literally, "one thousand cranes"), which involves cutting a rectangle or square into a series of smaller, connected squares. The completed model, "nesting cranes" depicts two cranes side-by-side, sharing a nest. (They also share a wing, but hey, you have to make sacrifices for the one you love.)

The above model was constructed from a 6"x3" rectangle. A partial cut was made in the rectangle at the midway point, dividing it into two 3" squares. The cut was made only about 2" deep, so the squares shared a connection. Each square was folded into an individual crane, and the whole model posed and finished.

Office frog

Here we see the office frog in its native habitat -- the office. The office frog is a traditional model folded from a 4"x6" index card. (They had 4"x6" index cards in ancient Japan? Just go with it.) Folding directions can be found in many places -- searching the Internet for "index card frog" will bring up some good links.

The office frog is springy and can be made to jump by pressing down on its rear end and releasing.

Candy dish

No, this is not the maw of a primordial carnivorous plant. It's actually a lovely candy dish! (Or maybe that's what it wants you to think. Reach in for the candy... and snap!)

My friends Zadam and Zann took a nice trip to Taiwan and Japan this summer. On the way back, they brought me back some beautiful origami paper from Tokyo. This dish was folded from one of the sheets.

The dish is folded from a single square of 5 7/8" paper. It is 5 7/8" from point to point, with a 2 1/4" square base. The dish is 1" deep. This model is adapted from a design by Mitsué Nakano; directions may be found in Kunihiko Kasahara's Origami Omnibus.

Solid Li'l Dragon

Yes, by popular* demand, Boston Origami is back! You remember our friend, the Happy Li'l Dragon. This creature is two-toned, not by design, but by accident. Traditionally, origami paper is colored only on one side, and models only use this side of the paper. (I don't know why.) Some models very cleverly use the white side of the paper to make a two-toned effect. Some, like this one, are two-toned because that's the only way the designer could get it to work.

Last week, I put my mind to a puzzle. Is it at all possible to make the Happy Li'l Dragon solid-toned?


Yes, apparently. This Solid Li'l Dragon contains quite a few more folds than his predecessor, but follows essentially the same pattern. Those folds consume more of the paper, however -- he is about 20% shorter than the two-toned dragon above. Unfortunately, much of that extra paper ends up in the head, making it very thick and difficult to fold.


* You know who you are.

A quick update

Hi all. No, I haven't forgotten about this blog. I've been very busy with work in the past few weeks, so I've had difficulty finding time to post updates. In addition, I have been spending a lot of quality time with my camera, and I'm pretty unsatisfied with most of the pictures I have waiting in the queue. (You can see the fruits of my labor via the "Wayne's Flickr site" link in the sidebar.) So anyway, don't despair... Boston Origami will return very soon, and with far, far better looking photographs.

Moneybird

Today's model is the ever-popular dollar bill peacock. This is a fun model to make, although some of the finer details are rather difficult to do -- the head and legs become pretty thick with layers. It's a fun trick at parties, though.

The dollar bill peacock was designed by Adolfo Cerceda. Folding instructions may be found in Practical Origami by Rick Beech.

Silver and gold cube

This is the silver and gold cube (aka the "Burl Ives cube") which currently resides at my friend Kate's house. This lovely modular design consists of 12 identical units fitted together into a cube and takes advantage of the dual-sidedness of origami paper, incorporating the reverse side into the pattern.

My first attempt at this design was affectionately called the "skunk box"; it was black with white stripes. Alas, it did not survive moving day, perishing along with some of my other, fragile, possessions.

The silver and gold box is notable because I did not use two-sided silver-and-gold foil paper. (I now own such paper, but that is beside the point.) I was pretty set on the color scheme, so I actually made 12 separate units consisting of 1 sheet of gold foil placed atop 1 sheet of silver foil very carefully folded together as if it was one piece. (A saner person would have glued the sheets together.) So this piece is ultimately constructed of a hefty 24 sheets of paper.

This cube was designed by Lewis Simon. A folding sequence for it may be found in Practical Origami by Rick Beech.

Industrial crane

I love paper. I love the feel of paper. I love the smell of paper. I even love the sound of paper, when I riffle* through an old book or wave a large piece of cardstock through the air.

But, y'know... sometimes you want something more than just paper.

The medium for this piece is some nifty aluminum wire mesh I picked up from my local art-n-craft store. It's normally used as a framework for sculpting, so it's cuttable and bendable but stiff. This piece was originally formed from a 6" square of the stuff. It is 5 1/4" long with a 5 5/8" wingspan.

As will all the other photos on this site, you may click on it to display a larger version. Be advised, however, that this image is considerably larger than normal -- I loved the intricacies of the mesh that were caught by the camera, and I hated to shrink the file.

* Yeah, it's not a real word. You know what I mean.

Purple swirly box

I made this box for my friend Jenny (as opposed to Jen, Jen, Jen, Jennifer, and Jen). I ended up folding this box outside Cafe Zing. It was the first nice weather of the year, and I sat beneath a blossoming cherry tree. Every time the wind blew, I was showered with a cascade of petals.

This is one of a series of boxes by Tomoko Fuse that are very fun to fold. The base consists of four units that sort of resemble wings folded flat (not really, but that's the only way I can think to describe them) linked together in a hollow ring. Once assembled into the ring, the "wings" are lowered and flattened into a surprisingly solid base.


This box was folded from 8 sheets of standard 5 7/8" origami paper. The finished box is 3 3/8" square and 1 3/4" deep. Folding instructions may be found in Fuse's Origami Boxes.

Hot and cool cubes

The hot and cool cubes were fun models to make. When I make a box, I usually pick out the colors I want to use first and then decide on the design. With other types of unit origami, however, I generally choose my design first and then decide on the colors. In this case, I decided I wanted to make two interlocking cubes and then decided to do them in hot and warm colors. It was an easy decision. I like using the six primary and secondary colors all together (as seen in earlier posts), and the three-dimensional symmetry of the cube model lends itself well to using three colors apiece. I think the decision to divide the colors into hot and cold (instead of some other, arbitrary divisions) was an unconscious desire to maximize contrast between the two cubes.

The units (and interlocking cubes themselves) were designed by Tomoko Fuse. Folding patterns for them may be found in her excellent book Unit Origami.

Northern cardinal

Spring has finally arrived in Boston! The end of April was cold and wet, but today the sun is blooming, the flowers are singing, and the birds are shining high in the sky. Or something like that. Anyway, here's a bird.

The northern cardinal is a mid-size songbird common to the eastern United States (and elsewhere) notable for its bright red plumage and crest. It is also the state bird of Ohio (the heart of it all), which makes it inherently cool. You can attract cardinals to your yard with sunflower seeds.

But enough about real cardinals, what about paper ones? This model was designed by Michael G. LaFosse, and is probably my favorite of his. It is simple enough that a relative beginner can fold it, and it looks great! This model was folded from 1 square of 5 7/8" red/black duo origami paper (giving it a realistic coloration), and measures 5 3/4" in length. Directions for this model may be found in LaFosse's excellent book Advanced Origami.

Tudor rose

During the fifteenth century, England was torn asunder by two rival families vying for the throne: the Yorks (whose badge was a white rose) and the Lancasters (whose badge was a red rose). The two feuding clans were finally united (sort of) in the person of Henry Tudor, who rose to the throse as Henry VII of England. To celebrate the end of the conflict, he combined the badges of the two noble houses into a single device, the Tudor Rose, which continues to be an emblem of the royal house of the United Kindom to this very day. (This is a very simplified view by a not-English-person. To learn what really happened during the Wars of the Roses, visit your local library.)

Kunihiko Kasahara has created a lovely wild rose pattern. Early on, I discovered that it was possible to place a half-size rose within a larger one. (This is my "design" contribution.) By placing a white rose inside a red rose, I achieved the anglophile origmi enthusiast's dream: a Tudor Rose.

This model was created from a 5 7/8" square of red, a 3" square of white, and a 3" square of green standard origami paper. The rose is 3 1/8" in diameter with a leaf of similar length. The pattern for the rose is found in Kasahara's masterwork, Origami Omnibus. The leaf was designed by Gay Merrill Gross; a pattern for it may be found in Michael J. LaFosse's "Origami Flowers" kit.

Truncated tetrahedron

I am passionate about mathematics. I believe this is one of the reasons I was so irresistably drawn to origami; it is a very mathematical art. There is beauty not only in the final form, but in the analysis of the shape, the creases, the angles... discovering the relationship between simple lines and the final opus.

Others have also notices the relationship between mathematics and origami and used it to create interesting works. In particular, the creation of mathematical structures known as polyhedra can be created in a very natural way by use of unit origami.

This model (or technically, the skeleton of this model) is a semiregular polyhedron known as a truncated tetrahedron -- that is, a solid figure made up of 4 hexagons and 4 triangles. It was designed by Tomoko Fuse and consists of 18 separate, identical units folded from 3" x 6" rectangles. The paper is some sort of Italian print that I purchased and cut into the appropriate size. I was not able to measure it, but my detailed analysis of the fold pattern and structure indicates that it should be about 4 7/8" tall. Did I mention that I am passionate about mathematics?

This model is shown in its native habitat: on top of one of Zing!'s coffee makers. Folding instructions may be found in Fuse's book Unit Polyhedron Origami.

Color wheel box

When planning this box for my friend Jen (one of my friends Jen, actually), I asked her for her favorite color. After quite a bit of thought, she responded, "All of them." Thus, the color wheel box was born!

This box is one of the more complex box designs of Tomoko Fuse. The majority of her boxes consist of 8 units, and she has created hexagonal boxes out of as few as 4 units -- this box consists of 12 units. The biggest advantage of having so many units is the ability to use many colors, creating a nice rainbow effect. In addition, it's one of the more solid and heavy boxes I've made.

The exteriors and interiors of both lid and base can be seen in the photos below. I especially love the patterns created in the interiors of both components.

This box was constructed from 12 sheets of standard 5" origami paper of 6 distinct colors. The assembled box is 3 1/4" wide side-to-side (3 1/2" corner-to-corner) and 1 5/8" deep. the design is available in Fuse's book Origami Boxes.

Dragon Hatchling

Peep!

We finish up Dragon Week -- er, Dragon Month, I guess -- with this baby dragon hatching from its egg.

About a year ago I received a fun kit from my buddy Mike entitled "Make Your Own paper Dragons", by Sean Brand and Ivan Hissey. The kit consists of instructions for drawing, painting, and folding dragons, accompanied by a small pait kit and some origami paper. This charming model (by Nick Robinson) was contained within.

The model was folded from a 5 7/8" square of red/yellow duo paper. The egg measures about 3 1/8" wide.

Why a yellow egg? I thought it looked cool. A second hatchling, emerging from a white egg, may be seen below. Which do you like better, yellow or white?

Happy Li'l Dragon

Rowr!

This clever fellow swooping in from the sky is Lassie (short for "Velassieraptor"), one of a collection of hideous beasts given a good home by my friend Marci. The design is my own, developed one afternoon when I tried to see how much of the KNL dragon I could fold from memory. (Answer: not that much.)

As with my shrimp design, the happy li'l dragon has not been published anywhere, although I plan to do so at some point. The head is a traditional fish base grafted onto the body of a traditional crane. Lassie was folded from a 7" square of dark green/light green duo paper. He (she?) measures 5" from snout to tail and has a 3 1/4" wingspan.

KNL Dragon

RUUUOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRGH!

This happy fellow is the Kasahara-Neale-Lang Dragon. We see him in his native habitat, hunting for prey along the fertile plains beneath the majestic Orange Couch Mountains.

This beast is an adaptation of dragons by Kunihiko Kasahara and Robert Neale by Robert J. Lang. In Lang's own words:

...some years ago a composite (multisheet) origami model had become quite popular by combining the head from a dragon by Kunihiko Kasahara (itself a three-piece composite model) with the body, wings, legs, and tail of a simple one-sheet dragon by Robert Neale.... The combination became known as the Kasahara-Neale Dragon.

Lang uses a technique called grafting to create the critter with a single sheet of paper. Essentially, a large bird base and a small bird base are embedded in a larger square of paper, such that both bird bases touch at one point. The extra paper is used to give the dragon larger wings that the original. Unfortunately, it also produces a strange two-toned effect, but with the right paper, this isn't a problem.

This model was created from a square of 13 3/4" standard origami paper. The completed model is 8" from snout to tail, with a wingspan of 6". Diagrams and folding directions may be found in Origami Design Secrets by Robert J. Lang.

Crane comparison

Here we have three crane-like birds. The orange bird on the left is the simple crane, or orizuru. The green bird in the center is the "crane with folded wings", or orihazuru. The blue bird on the left is not technically a crane; it is the traditional "flapping bird" -- unlike the other two, it will flap somewhat convincingly when the holder tugs on the bases of the neck and tail.

Given the similarity of all three models, it should come as no shock that the folding patterns are all remarkably similar. Each model was created from a 5 7/8" square of standard origami paper folded into a standard bird base -- variations in the final folds account for the differences in each model.

Instructions for folding the crane and flapping bird can be found in many beginner origami books or online. Instructions for the crane with folded wings appear to be more elusive -- one source is Origami Made Easy by Kunihiko Kasahara.

Shrimp mk. 3

This shrimp ("Shrimp mark 3"... you don't want to see marks 1 and 2) was my first original design. I'm very pleased with it, although there are some improvements I eventually would like to make, particularly around the head and antennae. It is unusual in that the folder starts with a triangle (a 45-45-90 triangle, specifically) rather than a square, folded into half of a bird base. (Conceptually, picture folding a square of paper into a bird base, unfolding it, cutting the square down one diagonal, and refolding one of the resulting triangles along the existing creases.) The crease pattern and folding sequence are currently unpublished, although I do plan to publish both eventually.

I am particularly pleased with how well the tail came out. (You can see a close-up below.) As I was designing this model, one of my roommates brought out a bucket of shrimp tails ("don't ask," he said) so I could get a good idea of what they actually look like.

This shrimp was folded from one half of a 9 3/4" square of standard origami paper. The shrimp body is 6" long (uncurled) with 1 1/4" long antennae. The whole model is 6 1/2" from antenna to tail.

Springtime comes early this year

Fellas. If you're looking to impress that special someone (or trying to convince someone to be that special someone), this is a great model to make her. It's relatively simple to make, and creates quite an impression.

This composite model benefits from serendipity: the vase was designed by Toshie Takahama, and the tulip was designed quite independently by Kunihiko Kasahara. An anonymous folder ended up combining the two.

The vase is made from a 5 7/8" square of duo origami paper (Fold'ems "Peony" paper, to be specific). The tulip stem is made from a 5 7/8" square of standard greed origami paper, and the blossom is made from a 3" square of light pink/hot pink duo paper. The designs for all three parts may be found in Practical Origami by Rick Beech.

Zing butterfly

I do much, if not most, of my folding at Cafe Zing. The staff has gotten to know me quite well, mainly because I can't be bothered to bring any of my creations home with me, so the baristas end up with them.

Last week, I entered Zing to discover an addition to their menu.

One of my butterflies was nestled contently among the foliage. It's not real foliage, but then, it's not a real butterfly, so it all works out.

This butterfly is one of my favorite designs. It was created by Michael G. LaFosse, from his book Advanced Origami. I folded it from a 5 7/8" square of standard origami paper, resulting in a model with about a 3 3/4" wingspan (4 1/4" if you squash the wings down flat).

One difference between this model and LaFosse's design: LaFosse gives instructions for folding the head into something more recognizable. Unfortunately, I find that I am not talented enough to fold it using this size of paper, so the completed model gives sort of the impression of a butterfly head, as opposed to something that looks more real.

Octagonal box

This box is a going-away present I made for my friend Rachel, who is moving to California in a couple of weeks. She is actually the person who gave me the idea to post pictures of my origami on the Web, so it's only right that her present be the first picture.

This is a composite or "unit origami" model. The lid and base are each made from four sheets of standard origami paper cut to 4" squares. When assembled, the lid is a bit over 3 1/4" from side to side, and the base is a bit smaller. The white portions of the box are the undersides of the paper.

This design is by my favorite designer, Tomoko Fuse, from her book Fabulous Origami Boxes (truth in advertising). The lid (but not the base) also appear in her book Origami Boxes.

In the pictures below you can see the assembled box, the exteriors of both lid and base, and the interiors of both lid and base.

Allow me to introduce myself

Hello to anyone who may be reading this. My name is Wayne, and I am a software engineer from Boston who spends a lot of time engaging in the ancient art of origami. I'll use this space to periodically post pictures of some things I've made.

I don't claim to be a particularly accomplished folder or photographer, but I hope you'll enjoy my photos.