Boston Origami

Blue whale

2011-06-04T18:51:00.003-04:00

I love this whale. The design comes from Sok Song's new book Crease + Fold.

I started with a piece of art paper cut down to a 6" square. It shrank down to form about a 3" long mini-whale.

This is yet another piece of art folded in lovely Cafe Zing (free plug). The green patch on the table is clearly some sort of plankton ol' mini-whale here hasn't gotten around to devouring yet.

Wha hoppen?

2009-12-13T16:27:00.003-05:00

My, that certainly was a long two weeks, wasn't it?

I apologize to my faithful readers, um, reader (you know who you are). Basically, my life went kind of kerflooie this summer and I found that I no longer had the time or equipment to devote to this blog. Sorry about that.

Well, things have cleared up some, and Boston Origami will make its triumphant return soon. I won't be sticking to the old weekly schedule, however. Instead, I'll have updates whenever I have something interesting I want to show -- I'm guessing once every 2 or 3 weeks.

So thanks to everyone who continues to read. I hope you enjoy these upcoming posts.

Pardon the interruption...

2009-04-20T12:00:00.003-04:00

My apologies, but Boston Origami is going on a 2-week hiatus. Due to unforseen weddings and holidays (okay, they were foreseen weddings and holidays... I just didn't plan well) my queue of origami pictures is empty. This blog will return on May 4 with something special.

The secret of the small dish

2009-04-13T12:00:00.000-04:00

So what exactly is this "secret" we made reference to last week? Look and see, gentle viewer, and all will be revealed...

Here we see the "small dish" from last week, as well as a mirror-image version. (Why a mirror-image version? That's part of the secret, folks.)

Here we see the same two dishes, each with three "flaps" extended. The flaps are normally inserted into the base of the bowl as part of the locking mechanism. However, they can be extended...

...and combined! We are now privy to the secret: the small dish can be combined with it's mirror-image counterpart to create this geometric figure, known as a regular icosahedron. (A regular icosahedron is a solid figure that consists of 20 identical triangles. Geeks like me will also recognize it as a d20.) Such shapes have been studied by mathematicians for thousands of years, and are favorite subjects for unit origami designers.

The icosahedron was constructed from 12 sheets of 5-7/8" square origami paper and stands roughly 5" tall. It was designed by Tomoko Fuse; a folding pattern for it may be found in her book Unit Origami. (Just like last week, huh?)

Rice bowls

2009-04-06T12:00:00.000-04:00

Here we have a pair of rice bowls. These bowls are examples of "modular" or "unit origami", a style of origami in which many identical units are created and locked together via folding alone to create the final model. Two different (but similar) kinds of units were used in the creation of these bowls; each bowl consists of 3 of the first kind and 3 of the second kind.

Astute viewers may notice that the bowls are similar in pattern. They are actually from the same pattern; slight changes in the shaping folds of the units account for the difference in shape. The bowl on the left is clearly triangular. The bowl on the right is referred to by its designer as a "small dish" and has special properties. What are these properties? They will be revealed in next week's post.

Notice the interior spiral pattern of the bowls.

Each rice bowl was created from 6 sheets of 5-7/8" square origami paper. Each is approximately 2-1/2" deep and 5" to 5-1/4" wide. The bowls were designed by Tomoko Fuse. The folding pattern for both may be found in her book Unit Origami.

Let That Be Your Last Battlefield

2009-03-30T12:00:00.000-04:00

And now, the classic Star Trek episode "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield", re-created with paper cranes.

*sniff* So sad.

The Kirk and Spock cranes are traditional models folded from 4-1/2" squares of standard origami paper. The Lokai and Bele cranes are variations of the traditional model, folded from 5-7/8" squares. (The variation "shrinks" the paper somewhat, making them roughly equivalent to a 4-1/8" square.) The cranes measure 3-1/8" to 3-3/4" from beak to tail, owing to variations in pose as well as paper size. Folding sequences for the traditional model may be found pretty much anywhere; a good folding sequence for the variation may be found at Origami Club under the heading "traditional".

Photography courtest of Danielle Osterweil.

Chickens

2009-03-23T12:00:00.002-04:00

Ah, what have we here? Some sort of moonlight tryst?

These chickens are based on a very fun and simple model by Kunihiko Kasahara. Easy enough for beginners, but elegant and evocative.

Which one is the rooster? Which one is the hen? Can you tell? One of the joys of origami is in making subtle adjustments to the pattern. In this case, slight variations in the shaping of the back, tail, and underside create subtle differences in the completed model. Learning these adjustments and variantions is the first step towards origami design.

And now... cyborg rooster.*

"I'm looking for Sarah Connor."

"Ain't nobody here but us chickens!"

The rooster and hen were made from standard 5-7/8" red origami paper. The cyborg was made from 5-7/8" square gold and red foil paper. Each stands about 2-5/8" tall and is roughly 4-1/4" long (minus tail, in the cyborg's case). Folding patterns for a basic hen and rooster can be found in Kasahara's Origami Omnibus.

* Please, no "Robot Chicken" jokes.

Two cranes in flight

2009-03-16T12:00:00.004-04:00

Today we have two cranes in flight, modeled here by the amazing Alex and Jason.

The orange crane on the left is a clever model from the "technical school", based on John Montroll's "five-sided square". (Best name ever.) It is essentially a five-limbed version of the traditional flapping bird, with some extra shaping and detailing. And yes, it flaps.

The purple crane on the right is belongs to the more "traditional school", and is incredibly elegant and fun to fold. Whereas the orange crane has two distinct, defined legs, the purple crane has a single rear flap, folded in such a way to suggest the existence of two separate legs. I find this very clever and aesthetically pleasing.

The orange crane was folded from a 9-3/4" square of standard origami paper. It measures 5-5/8" from beak to foot. The model was designed by Robert J. Lang, and folding instructions may be found in his book Origami in Action. The purple crane was folded from a 5-7/8" square of standard origami paper and measures 5" from beak to foot. This crane was designed by Kunihiko Kasahara, and folding instructions may be found in his book Origami Omnibus.

Pteranodon

2009-03-09T12:00:00.000-04:00

It's a lovely day in the Mesozoic Era. The sun is shining... it's a beautiful day... and then all of a sudden... pterodactyl attack!

Caw!

This Pteranodon, photographed soaring above the coniferous forests of the late Cretaceous Period, is actually a sophisticated adaptation of the traditional flapping bird model, as featured in last week's post. The wings of the traditional model are reshaped; the tail and head are split into feet, beak, and crest, and voila! Although the modifications might seem severe, they don't alter the underlying structure of the model. Thus, the flapping action is preserved; tugging the beastie's feet produces a terrific prehistoric flap.

This model was designed by Robert J. Lang and folded from a 7" square of standard origami paper. It measures 3-1/4" from snout to rump, with a 5-3/8" wingspan. Folding instructions may be found in Lang's excellent book Origami Design Secrets.

Flapping birds

2009-03-02T12:00:00.002-05:00

Flap. Flap. Flap.

Today's post features three bird models that flap when you tug on them. Specifically, it features photos of these birds. I suppose it would have made more sense to take videos of them flapping, but hey.

The topmost bird is a traditional model based on the bird base. The bird on the left is a modern creation by Samuel Randlett, based on the waterbomb base. It has a much smoother action than the traditional model. The bird on the right is a variation of Randlett's bird by Paul Jackson.

The traditional bird has a property known as one-sidedness. In layman's terms, the entire outside of the model is derived from only one side of the paper. (Most origami paper is colored or patterned on one side, and white on the other. You will note that the model is completely patterned -- the white side of the paper is completely hidden.) The other two birds do not posess the one-sidedness property; in each model you can see the both the upper (patterned) and lower (solid colored) sides of the paper.

You will notice that the traditional bird is significantly smaller than the other two. This is a side-effect of the one-sidedness property: the usable surface area of the paper is reduced by a factor of 50%.

All three birds were folded from 5-7/8" squares of origami paper. The traditional model uses a standard patterned paper. The other models use pattern/solid duo paper. The traditional bird measures 4-3/8" from beak to tail-tip, with 3" tall wings. Randlett's and Jackson's birds both measure 5-1/2" from beak to tail-tip, with 3-1/8" tall wings.

Folding instructions for the traditional bird may be found in many books and on many websites; Origami USA offers some. Instructions for Randlett's bird may be found in Origami in Action by Robert J. Lang. Instructions for Jackson's variant may be found in Practical Origami by Rick Beech.

Be sure to check back next week, when we will take a look at another flapping beast.

Wriggling lizard

2009-02-23T12:00:00.002-05:00

This handsome fellow looks like he crawled straight out of the American southwest. Actually, he was designed by Japanese folder Tomoko Fuse. This lizard is a multi-sheet model with a very clever locking system between the body segments, allowing the monster to move and bend somewhat realistically. It's fun to grab it by the tail, give it a good shake, and watch it wiggle!

For this model, I ended up using card stock. Paper would work well for a posed model, but I really really wanted to grab it by the tail and shake, so I figured I needed something a bit sturdier than normal. For anyone following in my steps, I highly recommend the use of a bone folder or other folding tool.

This model was designed by Tomoko Fuse and is constructed from 12 5" squares of green card stock. The completed model measures a bit over 19" long. Folding instructions may be found in Rick Beech's Practical Origami.

Leafy box

2009-02-16T12:00:00.003-05:00

My friend Liz is moving away. *sniff, sob* So I made her a box.

The leafy box is almost exactly the same design as the purple swirly box, but made with different paper. It's very thin and delicate -- almost translucent -- with small leaves embedded throughout. I picked this paper up (as a huge sheet) and sliced it down to a manageable size.

The box is made from 8 units, each made from a 6" square of paper. I didn't have a chance to measure it before I gave it away, but ideally the lid should be 3-3/16" square. (In reality it's probably closer to 3-3/8".) The design is by Tomoko Fuse, and may be found in her book Origami Boxes.

Valentine

2009-02-09T12:00:00.003-05:00

I found my ruler. Specifically, I found it under my foot, in two pieces. Ah, well.

This week's model is a little somethin'-somethin' for the lovers. Aw, yeah.

This Valentine was a pretty fun model to make. It actually starts life as a traditional (but versatile) bird base. Two flaps become the top of the heart (front and back), and two flaps become the arrow. The flaps are largely consumed by the folding. My first attempt at this model was with a standard 5-7/8" square of origami paper. It very quickly became too small to fold.

This model was folded from a 13-3/4" square of red origami paper. The completed Valentine is almost 9-1/2" from arrow tip to arrow tail. (I made a new ruler!) The model was designed by Robert J. Lang. Folding instructions may be found in his book Origami Design Secrets.

Hina dolls

2009-02-02T12:00:00.003-05:00

Here we see Mr. and Mrs. Samurai at home.

These traditional hina dolls are two-piece models, designed once again by Jun Maekawa. (Hey, it's a long book.) They are a lot of fun to make, although they tend to get thick and stiff near the end of the folding sequence, making them somewhat difficult to stand. The costumes are completely separate from the dolls, meaning it is possible to make additional costumes for them. For instance, here we see Mr. and Mrs. Samurai at the discotheque.

(Yes. I know. I not only made paper dolls, I made different outfits for the paper dolls. I don't care, I'm still macho.)

The dolls themselves are each made from a 5-7/8" square of black origami paper. The home costumes are each made from a 5-7/8" square of patterned origami paper. The party outfits are each made from a piece of shiny wrapping paper cut into a 6" square. The completed models are approximately 2" tall. (Yup, still no ruler.) The folding patterns for these dolls may be found in Maekawa's book Genuine Origami.

Sheep

2009-01-26T12:00:00.002-05:00

Baa.

This is a nice ram model designed by Jun Maekawa. My interpretation of it is unfortunately somewhat goat-like, but I hope you get the general idea.

This goat -- sheep, I mean sheep -- was made from a 10" square of standard origami paper. The final model is approximately 3" long. (I can't find my ruler.) The folding pattern may be found in Maekawa's book Genuine Origami.

Three-headed crane

2009-01-19T12:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome,. and happy 2009! We start out the year with a traditional standby, the three-headed crane.

Actually, three-headed cranes are not in any way traditional. This model is by Jun Maekawa, designed to illustrate certain aspects of technical folding. My favorite part of this model, however, is actually an intermediary stage -- a six-pointed analogue of the traditional bird base. Using this base, I have created my own (slight) variations on Maekawa's model.

Phoenix.

Triple crane.

Folding instructions for the three-headed crane may be found in Maekawa's excellent book Genuine Origami.

Nesting cranes

2008-11-24T13:54:00.005-05:00

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

2008-10-28T14:56:00.003-04:00

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

2008-10-07T12:00:00.005-04:00

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

2008-09-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

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

2008-07-08T18:35:00.003-04:00

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

2008-06-16T15:00:00.003-04:00

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

2008-06-09T15:00:00.001-04:00

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

2008-06-03T14:49:00.002-04:00

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

2008-05-19T15:00:00.001-04:00

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

2008-05-12T15:23:00.004-04:00

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

2008-05-05T15:00:00.001-04:00

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

2008-04-28T15:33:00.005-04:00

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

2008-04-21T15:32:00.006-04:00

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

2008-04-14T16:30:00.005-04:00

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

2008-04-07T14:49:00.005-04:00

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

2008-03-31T15:14:00.004-04:00

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

2008-03-17T15:51:00.005-04:00

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

2008-03-10T17:05:00.006-04:00

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

2008-03-04T10:35:00.009-05:00

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

2008-02-26T17:14:00.009-05:00

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

2008-02-22T13:47:00.005-05:00

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

2008-02-17T19:02:00.010-05:00

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

2008-02-16T22:32:00.002-05:00

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.