392: “Snapper” Yew
Ladies and Gentleffolk, can I introduce to you Master Bartok Yew, “Snapper” to his closest acquaintances
“Snapper” is one of the first ever tourist gnomes, traveling far and wide. His memory is probably the third worst ever recorded and so always travels with his camera (hence the nickname which describes his habits of continually happy-snapping
Young Bartok was folded in Yorkshire, from a square of wrapping paper left over from … Well … Wrapping. He was achieved with no glue or other aid, but I did add a button to keep his jacket closed tidily (dress sense he picked up from Pierre, a distant relative).
The camera is an invention and, given more time and paper would be much more stable. Together he looks like a real tourist
…and I should know what a tourist looks like, I have been spending 6 weeks being one.
Bartok was last seen mooching around in Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, probably sponging off some unsuspecting family for board and lodging. We hope his well and does not run out o ffilm any time soon.
391: Pierre Mâché en Francais
….Puis je vous présenter Monsier Pierre Mâché, my first internationally folded gnome:
You see, we are currently in Paris, on a vacation that has been in the planning stages for years, and we had an astonishing meal at a local restaurant Les Enfants Perdus, and I noticed they topped their tables with a square of sueded cream colored paper.
In my best French, I asked pour Le paper sur la table and they gave me a fresh one to fold. The paper was stiff but really strong, so I was able to model this guy a lot more than I usually can, or maybe I am just getting better.
I like how his posture worked out, he definitely looks French and is gesturing as if to express exasperation that he cannot understand us odd Australians, we get that a lot.
We will leave him as a gift to our hosts here in Paris, the apartment we have rented from them is wonderful, very well appointed, comfortable and essential to us keeping going each busy day.
Au revoir Paris, our first visit has been magical
390: Flying wallaby
As a travelling Australian, the “flying kangaroo” is something I wish I could afford to travel using, but we are using the the “flying wallaby”:
I decided that trying to memorise a kangaroo fold would be a good idea for an aussie abroad, and what better than the kangaroo by Robert Lang from the book “Origami Zoo”.
On making, then re-making it I am convinced that this model is much more like a wallaby than a roo, but it is a lovely form none the less.
I can now fold this from memory, but it is very dense and requires thin paper else it gets bunchy early. Will practise it and hopefully, leave a stream of them all over Europe.
389: Kusudama Dafina
I saw Tadashi Mori demonstrating a Kawasaki Rose-based modular and thought I would give it a whirl:
Having failed miserably every other attempt to fold a Kawasaki Rose, I was chuffed to succeed this time.
I want to say I will fold this again – it took an age and although I was impressed with the rose, the modular attachments (tabs and pockets) did not positively hold it together (I cheated in the end and stapled them together).
Each rose is a masterpiece of box pleating prep work followed by a beautiful spiral collapse. Happy to be finished it tho.
388: The Lion King
…now many of you know I am travelling overseas real soon. Whilst in London, we decided to take our pick of shows playing at London’s West End, and decided on “The Lion King”:
I then got part way through the fold and posed a development shot on Fakebook for people to try and guess what the model would end up as. I am pleased to say that Janet C was the successful guesser.
This model is lovely – a real mask, folded with a larger bit of paper it would be a person-sized thingy, neato with design details. Designed by Victoria Serova (with instructions in Russian which made it an interesting challenge), it has a lovely 3D muzzle, sleepy feline eyes and potential for modelling a lovely mane.
Next time I fold this I think I will rough up the mane a little, still, very happy with this as a first fold.
387: Happy Wedding Anniversary
April 2, a special day that Jo and I celebrate our Wedding anniversary:
So I thought a schmaltzy, sentimental origami card was in order, so fashioned an origami “valentine” designed by Robert Lang (from “Origami Design Secrets”, a fantastic book). I had not tried this model and wondered how it was possible to sculpt both arrow and heart from the one square of paper – lovely design. I then added a pair of interlocking rings designed by Jeremy Schafer and voila.
Some shiny cardstock, a printed parchment inner with verse and greeting and it is done.
Much to celebrate, some of that celebration will be done overseas. Win Win.
386: Dimple Ball
Looking for a neat, colourful use for a batch of poor quality origami paper I had, I stumbled across a modular dimpled sphere:
The paper cracked and spilt in ugly ways, so I had a good wrestle to actually construct this. Interestingly, when complete it became quite rigid and strong but prior to the last few modules were wrangled into place, it was floppy and kept unfolding inconveniently.
The result is spherical, with lovely pentagonal dimples, with modules centred in fives, meeting in threes – lovely application of maths.
I must look for modules that differ in the basic 32 module sphere, and also for one whose modules are more positively connected. This one is, however, randomly beautiful.