Thanks for the suggestion Simon, this little “Reaper” does not look so grim:
A relatively simple fold, few features, suggestive of form, I like it. Looks a little like a Dementor from Harry Potter’s world (except it is carrying a worrying scythe).
Why a Grim Reaper? One computer dies, another is built to replace it, the process is not always painless – you get that.
So our school did a fundraiser today – crazy tie day (yeah, I know it sounds a little lame to pay to wear a novelty tie, but it is for charity):
I decided to interpret that non-traditionally, so made a TIE FIGHTER, from Star Wars (cue sfx: pew pew pew!) … well, I thought it was cute anyways.
After looking at reference footage, and the model (which is fairly faithful) I am left wondering how the floop these things were supposed to fly – Science Fiction expects a lot of us sometimes.
You can have a go also: Tie Fighter
Looking for something that was quick, as I was out for most of the day, I came across a rather charming Scottie Dog:
This model by Neil Elias looks more like a pug puppy, but it could have been how I folded it – cute as a puppy, sitting, in profile however.
Prepare to be AMAZED – even after 3 hours folding I am!
This is a hedgehog, well in truth the “baby hedgehog” – it has 5 rows of spines (as opposed to the “mother” which has 9). I remember seeing hedgehogs in New Zealand (yes, I grew up there for a while) – shy little creatures you only usually met when you ran them over, sadly. This model is not unlike an echidna, and in truth I fashioned a head that was more echidna-like merely because the instructions stopped with a step “make the head” but no ideas as to how.
I have not worked on a model that resolves, on the fiddliest folds to 64ths until now, it is exhausting. I should have realised that it was going to be tricky when Joisel himself stopped explaining a stage (formation of the first row of spines) saying it was difficult but here is what it should look like when you have finished – lol. I also discovered that Joisel’s favourite paper folding tool – a Japanese chopstick, was needed to combat the fat fingers that would otherwise mangle fiddly pleating.
Eric Joisel was a master of paper folding, arguably the worlds most accomplished folder of human characters. Some of his work defies reality and the techniques he pioneered for paper sculpture are forever his legacy to the origami community. I hope he is smiling at this model, I am so chuffed I managed to achieve it.
You can find the instructions for this and 10 other Joisel Models at his tribute website: http://www.ericjoisel.com/ps.html Good luck, you will need it.
You may applaud now.
Although the wing-span of this model is quite large, for an A4 square-based model, the formation of the body using this paper was torturous at best.
I am very happy, as a first-fold, to get something even vaguely butterfly shaped from this complex design. Having folded it once, I think I could do it much better now I know what goes where.
Robert lang is a master, even though I think this butterfly looks more like a moth (particularly the body placement), it has 2 spikey antennae and a meaty body that seem quite natural.
I sat for 1/4 hour just trying to collapse the base, the valley and mountain folds seemed not to make sense until, when ready to hand in the towel and admit defeat it just sort of… worked. Photocopy paper is lousy as a medium for these types of models, it is just too coarse and there were many moments when bending the model that I fully expected the paper to give. Anyway, 78 down, only 287 to go….
Robins and Wrens are lovely little birds, stickey-uppey tail, tiny and delicate:
Quite happy with this model, taken from “More Origami” by Robert Harbin, a book I bought years ago.
This is a fairly manageable manipulation of the bird base but the legs are so tortuously thin that I had to help it stand up with a couple of blutac blobs under the feet, soz.
The luck of the Irish be with you:
A four leafed clover I thought was appropriate for St Patrick’s Day – pity it is not green, could do with a pint of Guinness right about now, or maybe that is just a load of blarney.
This cute model is actually in 2 pieces – the clover leaf and a stand that tucks into it’s underside – I like it.
You can try to make one for yourself – all simple folds: shamrock
Now Jo is researching Castles, we aim to stay in one when in England next year (for my Long Service Leave) and it occurred to me that a knight in armor was possible:
I would like to pretend this was my first-fold – in truth however, it is the first SUCCESSFUL attempt after long abandoning it as a younger Origamist. I have less than fond memories of this model – it is from the book “More Origami” by Robert Harbin, a fold I never prior was able to achieve – I had given it up as “too hard”. Interestingly, when I tried it today it seemed easy – my skill level must have improved I guess.
I admire this model, a Neil Elias classic, because the arms seemingly come out of nowhere, you crimp a flat flap and suddenly you have elbows, arms and hands – neat. It is also free-standing also which is nice.
I realised I have not done many fish as of yet, so this little beauty will suffice as a piscean addition to the growing collection:
It is a Carp, but has shark-like lines also – good strong pectoral fins, delicious looking dorsal fin and strong tail flukes, with a little more paper mangling I am sure I could craft a lovely wobbeygong or gummy shark. I am happy with my first fold however.
With all that is going on around us – CARPe-Deium 😛
You can have a try for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgeD2uGQqPA
Unusually for me, I have not featured cow-like models yet. This is strange given my predilection for all things that MOO, so to redress this, I have started with the least cow-like models I have:
I am really happy with the head of this model – nice and 3d, horns, big soft nose, the ears are a little low but overall the head is a highlight – this is a particular miracle as the instructions are most unclear how to form it, so I sort of improvised.
The body is clumsy, sadly, the legs thick and stocky and the body out of proportion, nevertheless it is cow-ish and a suitable first moo.
You too can have a go at this model – see if you can improve upon it: bull
Apparently it is “Bacon Week” – why was I not told? I find out on Thursday that it has been bacon week and all this time I could have been celebrating bacon-goodness
This is a little wild boar – I quite like the stance, the ears and the fact it also has tusks – it came from one of my Japanese origami books so do not know the designer, sorry.
I have a bunch of other pigs, more some other month.
(I made it to 70, yay me)
Now I read, after the fact, that the Space Shuttle “Discovery” landed for the last time, and I gather it will not go up again.
I quite like this model, fairly simple folds but the shape relies on shaping and puckering in places to indicate lines – neat indeed.
You too can have a go: http://www.nickrobinson.info/origami/diagrams/shuttle1.htm
Looking for something simple for a change, I stumbled across this little stegosaurus:
There is much to like about this little fellow – plates across the back, head with enough paper (if the moder were bigger) to get eye expressions, and cutey little feet.
Built like a Sherman tank, these guys sadly had a brain the size of a walnut – I know that feeling sometimes.
You can have a go at this one also: stegosaurus
I have grown these, but the blooms of the cultivars I am familiar with are really tiny yellow leopard spotted flowers – I misjudged the scale (seems a full square from an A4 makes quite a sizeable bloom)
A delicate, spidery flower, with a well developed nectary and some interesting folds – if I was to fold it again I have learned what does what so I think the second+ fold would be much better
You too can have a go – it is not that difficult: goldenslipperorchid
Ingenious folds that create waterproof containers are interesting:
Massaging the edges to the top and finishing them off decoratively so they lock and stay together is an art, this little vase is a beauty, apart from the whole 1/3rd 1/6th thing necessary to initially pleat the structure. 
I cheated, did a square in quarters and cut off one quarter on 2 sides to leave thirds – am sure there is a method to precisely fold thirds though. I could imagine this in tissue-foil with camellia blossoms – a pretty bit of geometric paper torture – see if you can follow along.
Taken from a book I bought in Japan, no idea what it is called, sorry as it is all in Japanese.
