Currently I am editing a new book by Sampreet Mana, and when I saw his Peacock, I knew I wanted to test-fold it:

As a kid, one of the first models I committed to memory was Adolfo Cerceda’s Peacock, folded from a 2:1 rectangle.

Sampreet’s design starts as a square, and you begin with the head plume, then form the rest of the model around this. I followed one of the suggested paper recommendations (50cm Damul Kraft), but wish I had a better colour (ideally blue/green) – I may source more appropriately coloured paper and re-fold this – we shall see how time works out.

With supercomplex models, my fold philosophy is “fold until you finish or fail” – knowing full well that either way I am learning – every fold teaches you something.

There are LOTS of complex steps, and some really interesting manipulations that isolate the tail, elongate the body and separate wings, lefts etc – I am really impressed with the structure of the model. The resultant model eats paper like crazy, but most of the bulk ends up in the middle of the body, giving it a natural weight and thickness and making final shaping and layer stabilization easier.

The tail (much like Kamiya’s Lyre Bird) is patterned via a Miura Ori style corrugation – this adds poseable structure and visual interest – it is also sensitively colour changed to provide visually striking display in the final model.

There is lots to love about this design – the tail and wing structure is lovely, legs thin and poseable and the head is detailed and regal. Sadly, the tiny toes and spindly legs mean it is not self-standing. That said I would re-fold it with nicer colour paper and add wire armatures up the legs and solve that problem easily.

Sampreet Mana’s forthcoming book is full of wonderful models, many containing his signature colour-changed eyes. He has a definite style, and his designs are really accessible to a range of abilities, but the paper choice for each model needs careful consideration.