Few things can compare to the biological miracle that allows a caterpillar to become a chrysalis, inside of which it’s body chemistry and morphology transitions from grub to soup to butterfly:
Few models try to capture the whole journey. This set, designed by Fernando Gilgado is an exception. Continue reading
What a wonderful bird is a Pelican, whose beak can hold more than it’s belly can:
We saw lots of pelicans when on holiday up the mid-north coast in the holidays just ended. Majestic gregarious birds that seem to be an odd sum of parts. Continue reading
For some reason the republic of Australia still has ties to a monarchy that is completely irrelevant to us but somehow, ultimately, still controls aspects of our government:
I decided to celebrate the public holiday (yay, I accept the holiday, just reject the reason) by folding a crown. Continue reading
First day of the new month, one superstition seems to be to say “White Rabbits” as the first thing you say that day – not sure why:
This is Fernando Castellanos’ rabbit, taken from DOT2, and it seems, designed to be folded on a MUCH larger sheet of paper than this. Continue reading
Cruising through my copy of Drawing Origami (Tome 1), I noticed a bunch of folds from there that I had not yet tried:
This little fellow is a bi-colour owl designed by Juan Hibou. Owls seem popular in origami design and this one cleverly manages layers and colours. Continue reading
“The Lady of the Lake,… [angels sing] …her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. [singing stops] THAT is why I’m your king!”:
“Listen, strange women, lyin’ in ponds, distributin’ swords is no basis for a system of government. SUPREME executive power derives from a mandate of the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.”
“Shut up!”
“You can’t expect to wield supreme executive power, just ’cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!” Continue reading
After re-subscribing to JOAS, in record time my back-issues of the Tanteidan magazine arrived and along with one of them, a really challenging diagram:
About 170 steps, extreme paper torture and, as a project, something truly terrifying but I knew I needed to try it. Continue reading
Recently I had the privilege to see Humpback Whales lounging and playing in Hervey Bay:
I was determined to fold a Humpback, but only really found one designer that had designed something that even remotely looks like a Humpback. Highly tapered body, hooked dorsal fin, soft bellows-like throat, tail fluke – this model has it all.
Made for duo paper, this model has white bits in roughly the right places but none on the underside of the tail, oddly. Continue reading
I am finally back up to date with my 365 project after an unavoidable hiatus. This fold is taken from “Drawing Origami – Tome 2”, a charming figurative representation of a dragonfly:
I like that the designer has distilled the essence of the critter down into it’s most recognisable features – body, head and wings. I decided to fold this using a square of Japanese Foil, I think that highlights the body nicely (although it makes it hellishly difficult to photograph). Continue reading
Amazed as I was with the postal response rate from Origamishop.com in France, my “Drawing Origami Tome 2” hardcover arrived before I got back from holidays. It is full of models for me to try, this is the first one in the book:
A simple bat, made for duo paper, it looks a little more like the “bat signal” from classic batman days, but is none the less cute. Continue reading
Being a bit of a closet Biology nerd, when you see a design that combines love of folding with something biologically interesting you jump at the chance to fold it:
This modular is made up of a bunch of bent arrow-shaped modules that slip together in 2 strands that then, rather satisfyingly, intertwine in much the same way as worms do when they are mating. Continue reading
For purists, today marks the Spring Solstice, the “official” first day of spring (as per lunar cycles). 
As a member of OUSA, I was asked to participate in the “Annual Gift”, which consists of contributing a fold to be used as a Xmas tree decoration at The American Museum of Natural History. Apparently this has become something of a tradition. Continue reading
Browsing through Eduardo Clemente’s “Papiroflexia”, I am amazed at how prolific a designer he was, and how many variations on models he published:
This is Pez#3 – a rather handsome fish with lovely colour changes. Continue reading
Having recently realised I had forgotten to re-subscribe to JOAS, I hurriedly did so then went on holidays, fully expecting the back-issues of Tanteidan to not arrive for weeks:
Due to the miracles of Australia post (or was that Japanese post and a courier?) they arrived while I was away, fortunately kept dry in my mailbox. Continue reading
PART 2: THE LLAMA, LIVE FROM GOLDERS GREEN
The llama is a quadruped
which lives in big rivers like the Amazon.
It has two ears,
a heart,
a forehead,
and a beak for eating honey,
but it is provided with fins for swimming.
Llamas are bigger than frogs. Continue reading
