These are the folds I know I know...

Duck Diagrams

2006-07-01T09:50:00.000-04:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a long time, but things have been really busy. However, I did find some time to sketch up some diagrams for the Prison Break Duck (well, "Crane" as later declared in the series). For the original post, click here.

This is my backwards engineering of the model from screen captures from the tv show.

You can find the diagrams here (thanks to a friend for hosting it).

The diagrams are done as line art, so the PDF file size is really small, but it prints really well. If the PDF pages look rough to you on the screen, enable "Smooth line art" in your Adobe Reader (or Acrobat) preferences under the "Page Display" or category. The PDF will print out with clean lines even if you don't enable the setting.

Keep in mind, the PDF is my first try at drawing diagrams for something that isn't a super simple model.

Let me know if you have any questions or corrections by posting comments to this entry. Even let me know how successful you are at folding from the diagrams.

Coyote - Montroll

2006-05-18T12:23:00.000-04:00

This is Coyote from John Montroll's North American Animals In Origami (1995).

The model holds together well, and stands nicely. I'm not quite sure about the proportions of it though, as the front legs are far heavier than the rear ones. Are coyotes really that front heavy?

Still, in spite of the undesirable proportions, the model stands rather dignified and its head has a perky appearance provided by the tall ears.

The model is folded from a standard 15cm square sheet of Origami paper.

Bird of Peace - Shafer

2006-05-16T12:31:00.000-04:00

This is a Bird of Peace Pop-Up card by Jeremy Shafer. The model is published in Origami to Astonish and Amuse (2001), but you can also find a PDF of the instructions on his barf site here.

The model is folded from a custom base, with the bird body made from a kind of mini Bird base. The model definitely makes nice use of the colour difference between sides of a sheet of Origami paper. I folded the model from a standard 15cm sheet of Origami paper.

The card makes a nice little add-on to a gift for someone, and looks great when left open for display.

The instructions also include a variation of the card, whereby instead of a bird inside the card there is a heart.

Frog - Yoshizawa

2006-05-15T12:37:00.000-04:00

This is Frog by Akira Yoshizawa from his work, Creative Origami (year unknown). I don't have the words to describe the greatness that is Akira Yoshizawa, and thanks to the New York Times, I don't have to. You can read Yoshizawa's two-page obituary here.

I picked up the book this model came from because after Yoshizawa passed away, I realized that I wanted to try again to make models by him. Freefolding models has never been a strong suit for me, but I'm getting better at it and I think that you'll see more of them folded by me in the future. It was this book that made me want to try Momotani's Rabbit that has some freefolding.

Sadly, I don't do this model justice. But that's the difficulty with models designed by Yoshizawa. They're deceptively simple, and yet they require such a creative touch that you have to add something of yourself to them to get them to come out right. It's not at all just a matter of angle bisecting folds. You can view models actually folded by him displayed at Yurindo Bookstore here.

If I remember correctly, I folded the model from something that resembled a Waterbomb base. You're supposed to shape the head so it's a frog face, but it just didn't work for me. Some day I'll get it right! The model was folded from a standard 15cm sheet of Origami paper.

I've had a hard time finding books by Akira Yoshizawa, so this is my only one. If you do find one somewhere, be sure to treasure it.

Eagle - Lang

2006-05-14T19:40:00.000-04:00

This is Eagle from Robert Lang's The Complete Book of Origami: Step-by-Step Instructions in Over 1000 Diagrams (1988).

The model is folded from an isosceles triangle that is really just half a square cut from corner to corner. Its base is sort of like half a frog base, but then stretched similar to a stretched bird base.

The triangle was cut from a standard 15cm square sheet of Origami paper, drawn from corner to corner.

The model ends up very small, and because of its proportions I think it ends up looking a little hawk-like.

Rabbit - Nishikawa

2006-05-05T08:37:00.000-04:00

This is Rabbit by Seiji Nishikawa from the book Works of Seiji Nishikawa (2003). This is a Gallery OrigamiHouse publication and they are always great quality manufactured books.

The model is very cute. Nishikawa has a nice way of creating cartoon like animals out of paper that just scream adorable. Like his Panda, this model was folded out of two 15cm square sheets of Origami paper; one for the head and one for the body.

The head of the model is a little difficult to perch correctly on the body, but it's possible to do it without any adhesive substance. The model stands very well and has such a cute pose.

Diagrams for this model were also published in Origami Tanteidan Magazine issue 50.

Horse - Montroll (Myth)

2006-05-04T08:29:00.000-04:00

This is the Horse from John Montroll's Mythological Creatures and the Chinese Zodiac in Origami (1996). The model is very different from my favourite horse, but I still like it.

The model was folded from a custom base, which was unusual for Montroll at the time and shows an interesting departure for him. Montroll has mentioned in his books that he doesn't (or at least didn't back then) design models, but instead modifies and grafts on folds from various ideas and other models. That is a totally valid technique for creating new models, and perhaps requires even more innovation and creativity. It makes me wonder how he came up with this horse design.

This horse is a little heavy on the layers in the front chest/legs of the of model, and a little light on the back. But the model holds together well, and stands nicely. The model was folded from a 15cm square of Aqua Blue Origami paper.

Yoda - O'Hanlon

2006-05-03T12:33:00.000-04:00

This is Yoda by Dr Stephen O'Hanlon. You can view a PDF of the instructions of the model here, compliments of his personal web site.

This is a very good early attempt at Yoda. Although the proportions are off (he's a little tall and thin) I like the model. It's folded from a blitz with the flaps rabbit-eared. Then a mountain kite fold creates the head and what will become the arms and legs.

The model doesn't really freestand well when made from a 15cm sheet of Origami paper as seen here. But I think if I folded from something larger, I could shape out the body and he'd stand okay. The model also could work well as a finger puppet.

I did play around with the design a bit once, and ended up with a shorter version with much bigger ears. He ended up looking like a Gremlin (well, the Gizmo pre-Gremlin Mogwai), which now makes me think that might be something fun to try making.

Maestro Yoda - Caboblanco

2006-05-02T22:50:00.000-04:00

Here are the Brothers Yoda :)

Okay, they're not brothers, but Yoda could have had a twin, no? This model is called Maestro Yoda, and was designed by Javier Caboblanco. You can find a PDF of the instructions for this model here, compliments of the Asociación Española de Papiroflexia.

It is the easiest Origami version of Yoda out there, and I think equally the cutest. The model uses two sheets of paper, one for the head and one for the body. In this case, that works perfectly, because you can give Yoda a nice green skin tone and make sure his robes are a good desert brown.

The head of the model is folded from a Bird base, with his ears what would normally be the head and tale of a traditional crane. You're supposed to crease his face onto the paper, but that doesn't work well with paper the size I used so I just sort of left it up to your imagination. I think you could draw on a cute Yoda face though, if you're so inclined.

The body of the model just sort of folds the head into it securely, so no glue or tape is needed. There are some basic crimp folds to make the arms/sleeves.

I folded these two Yodas each from two sheets of 7.5cm square Origami paper (essentially one sheet of 15cm square paper cut into quarters). There is supposed to be a paper cane (or walking stick) made from a third piece of paper, but I decided to leave that out.

Just think, now you can make unlimited Yodas!

There are two more Yodas I'll be posting on this site, so watch for them!

Star of Peace - Shafer

2006-05-01T22:38:00.000-04:00

This model is called Star of Peace, by Jeremy Shafer. It's from his book Origami to Astonish and Amuse (2001). I bought the book sort of on a whim, thinking it might be interesting, and was totally blown away by its contents.

First off, the book just looks great. I don't know what kind of paper and ink/toner they used, but it has got such a great look and feels so good to the touch that it's something that is just a joy to work from. As far as its contents go, you'll find some unique models in there that you just can't believe he came up with. Watch this blog for them in the future. Check out www.barf.cc for some sample diagrams of things in the book (or things that didn't quite make it in).

This model definately falls into the "astonish" category. You might not believe it, but it's actually folded from a single sheet of paper, with no cutting or tearing! I folded it from a 25cm square sheet of paper backed gold foil. I folded the model, and I'm still amazed at its construction. Somehow, he was able to create four mini Preliminary bases that have enough freedom in each of them to fold a traditional crane out of. If you look closely, you can see that each of the cranes are connected to the base by the one wing and one side of the body.

You really do have to use foil for this one if you're folding it this size, because he hides a lot of extra paper inside the neck and tale of each of those cranes. You can fold the base into whatever you want, and he suggests inflating it into a box-like shape. I had a hard time with that though, since foil is tough to fold back on the creases cleanly (I tried and that's why it looks a little rough). Instead, I opted for a kind of star shape base. He also suggests that you could fold the base into a large crane, with the baby cranes all over it. I would like to attempt that one next time.

I also think it would be interesting to try other models instead of cranes from the mini Preliminary bases. I'll have to come up with something to post here.

K9 - Flett

2006-04-29T10:04:00.000-04:00

In honour of K9's return to Doctor Who in the new episode entitled School Reunion today on the BBC, I decided to try and make a little Origami K9. He's folded from a Bird base, and isn't all that detailed. But still, he's a first attempt and I wanted to post something.

You can't really tell from the photo, but the sides of him are an isosceles trapezoid.

I know I can come up with a better K9 with some planning, so keeping watching my blog.

Husky - Montroll

2006-04-28T08:10:00.000-04:00

This is Husky, a dog from John Montroll's Origami Sculptures (1989). I never feel I get this model quite right, but that's because dogs are challenging models to fold. Even more challenging is trying to get a specific breed right!

While the Dachshund seems a perfect representation, Husky I'm not so sure about. Even so, I still like the Husky model. It's folded from yet another variation of Montroll's dog base. This time, you fold a horizontally symmetrical version of the base, so that the part that is to become the head and tail are the same size. I'd really like to try and use this variation of the dog base to make something else, as it's unusual and I'm sure there is something it's just perfect for.

The model in the photos is folded from a standard sheet of 15cm square Origami paper.

Unicorn - Momotani

2006-04-27T08:20:00.000-04:00

This is Unicorn from Shin Origami Rando: Doubutsu no Origami (New Origami Land: Origami Animal Vol. 11) by Yoshihide Momotani, published in 2001. The book is written in Japanese, but the diagrams are very good so no English is needed.

This model is folded from a standard Fish base. I was very surprised about the base used, because I don't usually see animals folded from that base. I think it works fairly well. Origami unicorns are tough to get the proportions right for some reason, and often don't look very horse-like. I think this one looks a little more goat-like than a horse, but you be the judge.

The model holds together very well, and won't unfold over time. Event though the back legs are just pinched to make them, they still seem to hold up the model very well and stay together.

I really do like the horn on the head, as for unicorns, that is a tough thing to get right. The horn has a very sharp and solid appearance, and is pointed at the correct angle.

I've thought about trying to round the trunk of the model to make it less 2D, but I there isn't really enough paper there to make it work (the trunk would be really skinny and it would look like a emaciated unicorn/goat thing).

I folded the model from a standard 15cm square sheet of pink Origami paper.

Frog with Toes - Montroll

2006-04-26T00:20:00.000-04:00

This is Frog with Toes from John Montroll's Animal Origami for the Enthusiast (1985). In the first three photos, the model is folded from a 25cm square sheet of Origami paper.

This model has long been a favourite of mine. There is a simpler version of the frog without toes, that I can make in under 10 minutes. It was this model pictured here though, with all of its
detail, that solidified my love of Origami in my youth. I vividly remember seeing this frog in a photo on the cover of the book in the shop at the Ontario Science Centre and knew I just had to fold it. It was so hard waiting hours to get home before I could make my first folding attempt.

For me, this was the first model that had everything the creature should have. It had eyes, a full mouth, and three webbed toes on each foot! I was in Origami bliss.

The basic architecture of the model is one half Waterbomb base, and one half blitzed Preliminary base. It was so simple I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it. The back legs are folded very similarly to the traditional frog I'm sure many of you have made.

The toes though, start off before any of the rest of the model is folded. The edges of the paper are folded in to create mini Preliminary bases on each corner, so the three toes are created before any of the rest of the model is folded at all.

In the last two photos, the model is folded from a 15cm square sheet of paper backed green foil. While it's tougher to fold the model out of the smaller paper, it turns out very well; even when not made from foil.

Rabbit - Momotani

2006-04-25T12:21:00.000-04:00

This is Rabbit from Shin Origami Rando: Doubutsu no Origami (New Origami Land: Origami Animal Vol. 11) by Yoshihide Momotani, published in 2001.

The book has some really cute animals, with some really original proportions and architecture. I definately want to obtain some more books by Momotani, including one called "Cute Origami" (so the models in it must be cute too, wink wink).

I found that I didn't get this rabbit folded right until the fourth try. You have to eye the proportions when you fold the model, with very few marking folds to help you along the way. But folding that way a good thing to know how to do, and this is a great model to practice it on. And since you'll get two rabbits out of one square of Origami paper, you'll have plenty of paper to get this model right.

The model is folded from a 2:1 rectangle, cut as half of a 15cm square of Origami paper. It ends up very small, and cute! I've already given the earlier versions away, so no photos are here; but even though they were a kind of freakish menagerie of misproportion, they were still cute perched together in their rabbit sort of way (so don't get discouraged if your models don't come out right).

In the last photo, I have a larger version of the rabbit folded from two sheets of 15cm square Origami paper. For most models made from a 2:1 rectangle you can't use two separate sheets to fold them, but for this one the front and back parts of the model are pretty isolated. It was no problem to join the two part way through the steps. What do you think of it?

Tyrannosaurus - Montroll

2006-04-24T08:57:00.000-04:00

This is Tyrannosaurus from John Montroll's Animal Origami for the Enthusiast (1985).

The model is folded from a standard Bird base, and is something that can be folded fairly quickly. The model has a nice balance between detail and time taken to fold, making it a good model to fold for the little ones in your life.

This model shown here was folded from a standard 15cm square sheet of Origami paper. The book also has a Brontosaurus in it that I'll be posting soon.

Elephants - Kawahata

2006-04-23T18:25:00.000-04:00

These are some cute and relatively easy elephants from Fumiaki Kawahata's Origami Sekai no Yasei Dobutsu (Wild Animals of the World) published in 1996.

The models are folded from a custom base that mostly just starts from having both edges folded to the center to make a rectangle with flaps. The legs are essentially large pleat folds.

The pink elephant is folded from a standard 15cm square sheet of Origami paper. The blue elephant is folded from a 25cm square sheet of Origami paper.

I think these elephants are really cute, and work best as a pair. Later on, I'll be posting a more complex model known as the Kawahata Elephant, so watch for that!

Pig - Tuyen

2006-04-22T19:30:00.000-04:00

This is Pig, from Wild Origami: Amazing Animals You Can Make (1996) by P.D. Tuyen. I got the book for only a few dollars used, not knowing what to expect from it at all. Little did I realize that Tuyen creates his animals from his own bases, and some are pretty darned neat.

Pig is folded from Tuyen's Basic Form III base, which is similar to the classic Frog base, but a little less so and with one full Preliminary base grafted onto it. This leaves the model with more flaps than it needs to make the pig out of, but I think it that just adds decorative value to it.

Struthiomimus - Montroll

2006-04-21T10:31:00.000-04:00

This is Struthiomimus by John Montroll from his Prehistoric Origami (1989). Say that three times fast! STRUTH-ee-oh-MEEM-us. The name means "Ostrich Mimic".

Not much to say about this model, except that although it looks great, it doesn't freestand well. I had to lean it up against the wall to pose it. I was able to balance it a few times on the feet, but it wasn't stable. Perhaps I just need to fold it differently.

The model was folded from a single sheet of 15cm square Origami paper.

This book was one of the first Origami books dedicated just to Dinosaurs. It might even be the first, but I can't say definitively so.

Without much more to say, I guess just enjoy the photos :)

Panda - Nishikawa

2006-04-20T10:11:00.000-04:00

This is Panda from Works of Seiji Nishikawa (2003). The book is published by Gallery OrigamiHouse and is written in Japanese and English. The diagrams are very well drawn, and the paper, toner, and binding used make the book beautiful. There are also full colour photographs of the models in the first few pages.

The model is folded from two (yes two, I feel no shame) sheets of 15cm square Origami paper, each one side white and one side black. Origami purism, with one sheet and no cutting, is really just something that took hold over the last 20 years. You'll find many models in classic books that require some cutting or multiple sheets. Personally, I prefer folding models from a single sheet, because of the greater challenge, as well as the magic and wonder that comes from it. However, some models such as this Panda are just too cute not to make. And you will see other models in the future on this blog that totally warrant two sheets of paper and deserve to be admired anyway.

For this model, the head is a single sheet of paper and the body another. I used a little bit of scotch tape to hold the head in place on the body. What a cute expression on his face!

Nishikawa has some really great cartoon-like models in the book, that have such lovely proportions that I'm sure you'll see many of them in this blog in the months to come.

Rhinoceros - Montroll

2006-04-19T10:28:00.000-04:00

This is Rhinoceros from Origami Sculptures (1989) by John Montroll. The model is folded from a custom base, with a medium-sized preliminary base grafted onto it.

I was really impressed with this model when I first folded it, because of the high level of detail in the head. The horns and ears really make the model appealing.

I think that this is Montroll's best Rhinoceros, though I find the front and back legs don't line up well when made from standard-sized Origami paper. I folded the model (in the photos) from a single 15cm square sheet of Origami paper, with one side pink and the other side white. I think the model would turn out better from 25cm paper, but the one here gets a lot of "oh it's so cute" exclamations because of its small stature.

Centaur - Montroll

2006-04-18T09:10:00.000-04:00

This is Centaur from Mythical Creatures and The Chinese Zodiac (1996) by John Montroll. He's an interesting little model, in that it's hard to do human figures and horse figures, so combining the two must have been a challenging design.

I folded the model from a single 15cm square of Origami paper, and I think that was a little on the small side as the folds start to get thick with all of the layers.

The book has an interesting three-headed dragon from a waterbomb base that I'll have to get a photo of so I can post a blog entry for it.

Violinist - Lang

2006-04-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

This is Violinist by Robert Lang, from The Complete Book of Origami: Step-by-Step Instructions in Over 1000 Diagrams (1988). The book is considered a classic in Origami, and has continued to remain in print unchanged. I purchased it from the World's Biggest Bookstore in Toronto back in 1989, and was instantly amazed by the high level of detail of its models. Because many of the models are made from unusual shapes with unusual angles (I swear one model requires a protractor) to this day I still haven't folded everything from it. However, despite the unusual difficulty, these models are original and well worth folding!

This model is from Chapter 5: Action Folds. The chapter contains models that move when you push and pull. This model actually plays violin when you pull the head from the hip.

The model is folded from a 1:1.414 proportioned rectangle. Of course, measuring such a rectangle is difficult, so with this model (and others) I found a way to let the folds determine the exact proportions I needed. Start with a slightly taller landscape rectangle than needed, and then in steps 3 and 4, use the valley/kite fold to determine how much of the bottom edge you need to cut off the paper (because when you're done, the corner will neatly line up with the crease in the diagram). That procedure works every time. For this model, I cut a 25cm square of Origami paper to the correct size, and then folded it with the coloured side in.

Elasmasaurus - Kawahata

2006-04-16T16:59:00.000-04:00

This is Elasmasaurus by Fumiaki Kawahata. For current printings, the model is from his Origami Dinosaurs 2, but I folded it from an earlier printing of Origami Dinosaurs 1 that contains a different selection of models.

The model is made from a basic kite fold, but is really original from that point on.

Elasmasaurus is one of the longest models I've ever seen, and has great balance. Since most people have never heard of an Elasmasaurus, when I fold one for someone I sometimes call this model "Nessy" after the Lock Ness Monster.

The model is folded from a single 15cm square sheet of Origami paper. As you can see from the photos, the layers of folds are very thick in the neck and it starts to buckle when you shape it. However, I think that thickness actually makes it easier to create a nice curve that will hold indefinitely.

Turtle - Crawford

2006-04-15T12:24:00.000-04:00

This is Pat Crawford's Turtle from Origami 3 (1972) by Robert Harbin. This was the first Origami turtle I ever learned how to fold, and for some time it was the only turtle I knew how to fold. It's folded from a blitzed preliminary base.

This model appears on the cover of the book, but in that photo it's made from textured paper. I think because of the smooth regions of the finshed product, textured paper would have been a better choice than the paper I used. The one here was folded from a single 15cm sheet of standard Origami paper.

Polar Bear - Kawahata

2006-04-14T09:37:00.001-04:00

This is the Polar Bear from Fumiaki Kawahata's Origami Sekai no Yasei Dobutsu (Wild Animals of the World) published in Japanese in 1996.

This is a surprisingly easy animal to fold, from its own custom base. And yet it really captures what a bear should look like, in more than just a minimalist way. I've folded far more complex bears that don't have the same character or resemblance to a bear as this model does.

The model is folded from a single 15cm sheet of white origami paper. I've also made the model from light brown paper, and it turns out very well.

Klingon Bird of Prey - Pang

2006-04-13T09:26:00.000-04:00

Okay, time to mix a couple things I really like. Science-fiction and Origami! Inherent geeky-ness aside, this is one really cool model. It's a Klingon Bird of Prey ship from Star Trek. The model is by Andrew Pang from The Paper Universe (2000).

I totally wish I'd known how to make this model back when I was a kid, because I could have had so much fun with a fleet of them. I folded it from a single sheet of 15cm square paper-backed gold foil. When it's that size, you really need to use foil to hold it together. I've made some of them from paper-backed green foil that also turn out well (the ship is a most often a greenish colour in the movies and television series).

Although I've never made any larger versions, I've seen photos of larger ships made of paper that appear to hold together well. The model is folded from a standard bird base, and it's so straightforward that I asked myself why I never thought of it before (I'm sure many people have thought that too for it).

One problem with the model though, is that there are no clear guidelines for folding the neck and the wing guns. So you're entirely left up to your own sense of proportion. As a result, every single one I make ends up different (I can't even use others as a guide, given the unique nature of the folds). I think this is the best one I've done though, so that's why I chose its photo.

If you're interested in trying something from the book, sample instructions for a Star Trek Voyager starship are available here.

Duck - Fox's Prison Break

2006-04-12T08:38:00.000-04:00

This is a Duck/Crane. Okay, so it's not an advanced model, but it did pose a challenge for me to figure out. Fox TV has a series called Prison Break, whereby the main character makes Origami Ducks (though he calls them Cranes for some reason, likely for the symbolic meaning) used for various purposes.

Using some photos fans captured from the series, I came up with various prototypes and ran them by my good friend Ann for review and useful suggestions about changes to make. Thanks Ann!

Together we eventually came up with a perfect replica of the model last fall while the series was still fresh and new enough to make the model "cool". Now I can recreate such exciting scenes from the tv series as floating the duck down streams, and leaving it as a calling card to shady types.

Much later on, when browsing through my books, I found a swan model by Kunihiko Kasahara that is very similar in its base architecture to the duck. The model is in Creative Origami (1977). The model is 3. Swan on page 24. I probably did make that swan model over a decade ago, so I can't be certain some memory wasn't involved when interpreting the duck.

The duck is folded from some regular lined notepad paper, cut into a 15cm square.

African Elephant - Montroll

2006-04-11T07:39:00.000-04:00

This is the African Elephant from John Montroll's African Animals in Origami (1992). The model is folded from a single 15cm square sheet of Origami paper, one side blue and the other side white.

This was one of the first elephants that I enjoyed making. I found a lot of elephants don't really look too much like the animal, but this one has a decent elephant likeness.

I bought the book when it was new, and it was probably the last Origami book I bought for several years afterward. I had sort of hit a dry spot with Origami at the time with what was available. I was pretty much limited by what was available in English because of local suppliers, and just wasn't feeling inspired. It wasn't until years later that internet commerce opened up enough to bring to me some really creative books from around the world.

Ostrich - Warner

2006-04-10T08:10:00.000-04:00

This is Bill Warner's Ostrich from Origami 4 (1977) by Robert Harbin. The model appears on the cover of most printings of the book. It's folded from a single 15cm square sheet of Origami paper.

The Ostrich is a surprisingly difficult model to fold. It's from a bird base with one half inverted for a white colour change. It was when I got to the point of forming the tail/plume that I ran into trouble, but surmounted.

The model is photographed inside a plastic hockey puck display case, because I wanted to show it standing up (the model doesn't stand on its own). The hockey puck cases are really good for displaying some models, as they make it easy for people to pick them up and handle them. The plastic though is a little too dull compared to other clear display cases.

Giraffe - Montroll

2006-04-09T11:22:00.000-04:00

This is the Giraffe from John Montroll's Animal Origami for the Enthusiast (1985). This is a great giraffe, but one that I find turns out best with 25cm square paper-backed foil. Here, I made it with a 15cm square of regular Origami paper, and as you can see the head starts to unfold. It's a solid model though, with much of the body locked/tucked in.

This giraffe was created long before Montroll came up with his dog base, but the similarities are striking. This model is very similar to his horse from Origami Sculptures published 4 years later. It looks so different because the proportions are different. The neck is far longer, and the body much shorter.

I had trouble getting good shots of this model with my camera. It might have been because of the yellow paper under the light I used. I'd like to take another shot at it, but with one made of paper-backed foil.

Even if I had made this model out of 25cm square paper, it would have held together better in the head. Still, hopefully you can see the great detail. The giraffe has ears and horns!

Horse - Montroll

2006-04-08T11:02:00.000-04:00

This Horse is from John Montroll's Origami Sculptures (1989). This is my all time favourite horse design, and I've folded it so often that I think everyone I know has seen one.

I don't know why I made this one from orange paper; I've never done that before. I usually make the model from brown, blue, pink, or yellow paper. But I was having an orange day, and I think it turned out okay.

The model is made from Montroll's standard dog base. It has a great 3D appearance, because the trunk is shaped, and the mane pleated.

I think this horse has the best proportions out of any other, or at least for something that takes under 15 minutes to fold. It's one of those rare perfect models that is just a joy to fold, and I can't think of how to make it better. I folded the model from a standard 15cm square sheet of Origami paper.

Baby Dragon - Gray

2006-04-07T07:33:00.000-04:00

This is Alice Gray's Baby Dragon from Origami 4 by Robert Harbin.

I'm not sure why I like this model so much, (people I show it to don't) but I really do. It's just so unusual and creative. It's folded from a blitz with each flap rabbit-eared, then the whole thing rabbit-eared again on the other side, which seems so unnecessary and yet kind of works.

I really like how the head is so much larger in proportion than the body, with the front legs too long... like how you might imagine an under developed dragon would be.

Japanese Devil - Maekawa

2006-04-06T10:06:00.000-04:00

This is my interpretation of Jun Maekawa's Japanese Devil. I folded the model from diagrams drawn by Hugo Pereira, available in PDF from here. This model is folded from a single 25cm square sheet of paper with no cutting¹. It took me close to 4 hours to fold this model!

This model was originally published with partial diagrams in the book Viva! Origami (1983) by Kunihiko Kasahara and Jun Maekawa. This model (and others like it in the book) was very influential, because for the first time Origami models could have eyes, horns, a mouth with a tongue, and hands with 5 fingers; all with no cutting!

If I'd used foil-backed paper, the model's face would have held together better. I would like to use that next time, when I brave folding the model again. Also, with foil I'd be able to make the face vertical (as some versions of this model are), rather than horizontal. Though I do like the more beast-like dragon-esque appearance of the long horizontal mouth you see here. You can see some wearing of the corners of the model, because I had to re-fold areas to figure out the diagrams (the folds for the model are really tough to diagram).

This model really was a treat for me to fold, because I'd seen it in a copy of Viva! Origami at the Japanese Pavilion in Disney's Epcot Centre many (many!) years ago, and thought it beyond my ability (and likely at the time it was). I regret not purchasing the book back then, but I did buy two other fairly expensive books by Kasahara that day (from which I made many great models) so that is some comfort. Maybe some day the book will be back in print, and I'll be able to get a copy of it.

You can also find Hideo Komatu's diagrams of this model that were published in Origami Tanteidan Newsletter #56.

¹You should usually assume there is no cutting for any of the Origami models in this blog; but with the extraordinary level of detail for this model, I wanted to make that clear.

Bull 1 - Cerceda

2006-04-05T09:20:00.000-04:00

This Bull 1 is from Vicente Palacios' Fascinating Origami: 101 Models by Adolfo Cerceda (1984). Cerceda does some amazing things with the Bird base. I don't think I've ever seen someone so innovative with that base. Looking at this model, I'd never guess it was from a bird base.

The model is supposed to have hooves folded for the feet, but I thought it gave a much sharper appearance with the points left intact (as if he were ready to charge the matador).

I was surprised Cerceda chose to fold the top into the pocket of the model, rather than to try and sink it, but the asymmetry actually works in some way.

This model is folded from a single 15cm square sheet of Origami paper.

Dachshund - Montroll

2006-04-04T12:57:00.000-04:00

This is the Dachshund from John Montroll's Origami Sculptures (1989). This model is folded from a modification of Montroll's dog base, which is really a pretty versatile base. It's folded from a single 15cm square of Origami paper.

Oddly enough, sometimes I make a marking error when starting this model, and end up with a much longer dog than I'm supposed to, with smaller back legs. It's pretty funny, and I'm still not sure how that happens. I'll try and get a photo of that. Let me know if that ever happens to you.

My copy of the book is a first printing from Antroll Publishing Company, not Dover. I believe that was a self-published book by someone in Montroll's family, but I don't know why Dover wasn't publishing Montroll's books at the time (I have a similar printing for his Prehistoric Origami book). I picked up the book at a little independent bookstore when it was new, and was pretty excited at the time, since I had made such great use out of his classic Animal Origami for the Enthusiast book (which is still probably my all time favourite book, and the one I'd pick to take with me if I was only allowed to bring one Origami book with me to a desert island made of paper).

Jonah and the Whale - Elias

2006-04-03T14:48:00.000-04:00

This is Neil Elias' Jonah and the Whale from Origami 3 (1977) by Robert Harbin. The model is folded from a standard fish base, with a sink on both corners. I often call this model "Jonah in the Whale" because the idea of the model is for the viewer to open up the mouth of the whale to find Jonah inside (which is the real fun).

What I love about this model is that although there is apparent simplicity, it still provides Jonah with a surprising level of detail. He has a hat, clothing, and even a nose. Jonah is made from one tip of one of the long flaps of the base that has a colour change.

I'm really surprised that this model hasn't become a traditional favourite, but likely that's because Origami 3 has been out of print in English since the 70s, so most people wouldn't have access to the diagrams. Still, there are many used copies of the book available, and you should be able to find one for not too much money.

This model was folded from a single 15cm sheet of Origami paper, blue on one side, white on the other.

Pegasus - Montroll

2006-04-02T09:39:00.000-04:00

This is the Pegasus from John Montroll's Mythological Creatures and the Chinese Zodiac in Origami (1996). The paper I used to fold it was a little too small (15cm square) so the legs ended up with a very stubby, thick appearance. Still, the rest of it works out very well.

It's tough to design a model with two flaps large enough to make wings, without having too many layers in the body left over (which this model appears to have). Still, the thickness of the layers means that no shaping is needed to give the model a 3D appearance.

Due Cigni - Derudas

2006-04-01T13:58:00.000-05:00

This is Due Cigni (Dual Swan) by David Derudas. I don't believe this model has been published yet, but you can find a PDF of the diagrams here.

It uses an unusual modified fish base, with a colour change so that one of the swans is a different colour (using the white side of the paper).

People looking at this model often have a hard time believing that it's just a single sheet of paper, with no cutting. Think of the necks of the swans as being two tightly folded opposing corners of the paper, and that can help you see the layout.

The most challenging part of the model is getting the circular crimp folds right for the wings. I've never been the best at making free-hand crimp folds, so I tried this model to get some practice.

The model is folded from a standard 15cm x 15cm single sheet of Origami paper, manufactured by AITOH of South San Fancisco, CA, USA, and manufactured in Japan.

Swan - Kensner

2006-03-31T09:03:00.000-05:00

This is Gregory Kensner's Swan that was published in Robert Harbin's Origami 4 (1977). The book is very rare, and I don't have an original copy. Instead, I was able to purchase (quite inexpensively) a Hebrew copy from an online book retailer in Israel. There are over a hundred models in the book, and although the diagrams can be difficult to make out at times, it's still possible to fold from them without any English text (I don't know Hebrew).

The swan is curious for its time, because it doesn't use any kind of a traditional base, which was rare for birds back then. I really like the fin-like wings, and the strong sturdy frame. This model holds its shape well, and perches nicely.

The model is folded from a standard 15cm x 15cm single sheet of Origami paper, manufactured by The Japanese Paper Place in Toronto, ON, Canada.

As you can see from the photos, the paper gets quite thick when folding the head, but I think if you're strong enough to fold it without tearing or buckling too much, it's worth sticking with the 15cm square rather than going larger.

Gorilla - Kawahata

2006-03-30T13:06:00.000-05:00

This is the Gorilla from Fumiaki Kawahata's Origami Sekai no Yasei Dobutsu (Wild Animals of the World) published in 1996. Even though the book is in Japanese, the diagrams are excellently drawn, making text unnecessary.

Pretty much all of the detail in the folding is in the head. It uses sort of two mini half-prelimary bases, one on top of each other. The top corner of the smaller half-preliminary base makes the nose.

I find I can never quite get the arms right, as they're sort of an unusal rabbit-ear motion, but this is my best attempt.

I find if I get the angle right for the squash fold on the top of his head, it makes it look like he has shadows where his eyes should be, giving him an interesting expression.

The model is folded from a standard 15cm x 15cm single sheet of Origami paper, manufactured by The Japanese Paper Place in Toronto, ON, Canada. Because the model makes very good use of the regions on the paper, it ends up being a very large model.

Camels - Montroll

2006-03-29T11:01:00.000-05:00

These are two camels I folded from John Montroll's Origami Sculptures.

The Dromedary camel (one-humped) seems to have more folds, but is actually easier than the Bactrian camel (two-humped). That's because there is a challenging crimp fold used to make the two humps cleanly and close the model back up again.

The heads of the camels are identically folded in both models.

If you look closely, you can see the heads even include eyes under the brow.

The models are each folded from a standard 15cm x 15cm single sheet of Origami paper, manufactured by The Japanese Paper Place in Toronto, ON, Canada.