Deceptively simple, this exercise in pre-folding followed by a magical collapse results in an interesting box/table/container…thing:
I like the design, geometry, clever self-locking but am not sure a paper container is the best thing to light up incense in.
A nice simple model to finish the month with – thanks @ackygirl for the loan of the book this comes from.
I was lent a book (thanks @ackygirl, must remember to return it) that contains some designs I have been meaning to try – the Rhino looked impossible:
The head of this beastie has some 15 layers of paper in it, bending it puts stress on photocopy paper (it began to split up neat the ears) but I like the body formation, it has the cutest little hooves and tail. The body armor looks right (as my feeble memory allows me to remember the last one I saw at Western Plains Zoo).
I was mightily pleased when this model worked first-fold, as there is a bit of guesswork needed to get the proportions right – it looks rhino-y tho so I am happy with the first fold.
Now I first found a partially incomplete PDF of this model and thought that it, for the most part made sense:
Little did I realise that the important parts (head, legs, abdomen) were not actually explained so I … improvised. It is an ingenious re-working of the frog base – the same one that I taught my tutor group, with some twisting and tweaking to make extra limbs – nice to remember when next I feel inventive.
Mightily pleased with the result but it is some serious paper torture – A4 page twisted, crimped and bent down to make a model that is barely 5cm long – my reference pad (underneath) is sideways to display the model.
I like it – realistic enough to make my daughter jump (she is afraid of them) so that says something at least.
I like this fold, the eyes, winds, body shape all work, not bad for a first fold:
Why an Owl? Well, being surrounded by so many wonderful (and wise) QSITE members past, present and future reminded me of the wisdom we all rely on – to me, wisdom is an owl (tissue thin justification I know but there you go). Also, against all wisdom, QSITE have me on their board again, editor of their Journal – silly fools, surely they have learned better by now?
Now according to the design I was working to, this should look a LOT like a monkey:
Sure it has 4 legs, a tail and a curious pot-belly, but it is monkeyish as a biro is blue-whale-ish.
After what seemed like an age, and some serious paper torture, I am not entirely sure this is not almost completely unlike any monkey I have ever seen (and yes, i have been bitten by one in Kuala Lumpur) … anyways, I tried – they cannot all be gems.
Thanks Harry for the suggestion, have a try for yourselves: monkey
I have lots of designs for birds, but up until now not one that I was happy enough to call a duck – this one is lovely:
It has a nice plump (roastable) body, cute tail, nicely mallard-y head and bill.
You can try it too: duck
A pig is such an interesting (and apparently intelligent) animal, pity it exists for nothing else but food. This model, designed by Quentin Trollip (love that name) is adorable:
From shout to tail, all details are there, including beautifully dainty trotters (with cleft hoof, thank you fingernails) and a plump delicious looking hind-leg.
Why a pig? Well, we are having roast pork for dinner, so it only seemed fit to honour the animal whose murdered bits we shall consume later tonight (with gusto and gravy).
You should try this – it is relatively easy (apart from 3 snarly sinks in the head): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEh5jDf0ViA
Helping out a mate today, got inspired to try some box pleating to duplicate his mode of transport, relatively happy with the results:
The wheels (front and back) worked out fairly nicely, seat is functional (but does not look very comfortable – with some more paper torture I am sure I could pad both) and the handle at the back needs work – not bad for a first fold however
A simple model, nice and demonstrative of the actual animal it models, a dragonfly has characteristic wings and abdomen:
I like this model, it is a relief from the usual paper torture, hope you like it too.
…now I was watching a show on SBS2 last night on T-Rex, and there were a bunch of academics arguing whether it was a predator or a scavenger:
It was curious, because they were arguing so passionately about such flimsy incomplete fossil records.
I would like to settle it once and for all: T-Rex was snarly enough to eat WHAT EVER IT WANTED. OK? Scientific communities can now relax, because if the mood takes it it can snap at a passing morsel, but I am sure if it stumbled accross another animals kill no one was going to argue when it pushed to the front of the dinner queue.
I like this model (think Jurassic Park just before the first victim, a lawyer, was taken, angry rexy) – it is fairly simple, but the posture is lovely, and the appendages are in the right place and relatively correct in proportion.You can have a go at it yourself: tyrannosaurus
…there are lots of patterns for Frogs, most even look frog-like but this one designed by Colin Weber is charmingly sitting atop a lily pad – made with one square of paper you massage enough paper towards a corner to then form the froggy bits – very clever:
Why a frog? Well, it is my Sister-in-Law’s Birthday today, she loves all things French (and would move there to live in a flash), so I thought something a little froggy would be appropriate as a present for her – Happy Birthday Sue! It is also my Nephew Andrew’s Birthday, and he is IN Paris atm, so a double froggy celebration for him as well.
You can have a go at making this model yourself: http://dev.origami.com/images_pdf/frogonlilypad.pdf however I think there are a few mistakes in the diagram, I found flaps where there should not be and no flaps where there should have been, thankfully it was possible to get creative and work around if you keep your eye on the final model.
Now generally my students rock. Often they do really cool things and this bunch of Year 12s seem to enjoy, from time to time, homebake.
I was approached, post Australia Day, and canvassed as to whether it would be ok to bring Pavlova to share in our double IPT … silly question really:
We as a group ate dessert in the lab, it was very cool (many thanks James and Joe) – they organised fruit (strawberries, blueberries and passionfruit), cream, the works – wow!
This is my attempt to modify a twist-flower into the swirls of meringue that is a Pavlova – I fully realise I FAILED to recreate the magnificence that was morning tea today – the intention was there however (I have been sick, it was late, I was tired). I sort of thought the things on top would look a little like fruit (strawberries) but there was something lost between idea and realisation – they cannot all be gems I suppose.
Not to put a damper on the gesture – I thought it was awesome, those guys rock! (all of my students do)
This fish, designed by Davor Vinko has the most splendid eyes, and a nice 3D body, most impressed.
Why a fish? Well, it is the School Swimming Carnival today and I am at home being beaten up by a middle ear infection so I thought I would get as close to the spirit of the event whilst staying quiet and dry.
You can have a go at this model yourself, it is actually pretty easy once you get the 1/6ths sorted out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUcp0EiZ2xU
Robert J Lang is a living treasure in the origami world for many reasons. He is a mathematician, artist and seeming magician (for he can do with paper the seemingly impossible) but more importantly he specialises in realistic Origami models.
It is my Mother-in-law’s birthday today and I thought I would attempt a hideously difficult model of Lang’s which attempts to accurately represent a bloom from an orchid called a “Phalaenopsis” as a suitable birthday present.
These lush beauties have 5 petals, often frilly or oddly beautiful throats or slippers at the nectary.
All my reading and advice to folders suggested the model was not for the faint-hearted and boy, was that understating it – so many folds, so much folding, pre-folding and unfolding then bending into new shapes.
I am amazed the photocopy paper I am using actually did not tear or just disintegrate. This model would benefit from a “wet fold” where you wet the paper as you fold it, the shapes are softer and hold when the model dries.
I must admit to being completely chuffed and proud I could actually make this model, first time fold, and love how beautiful the end result is.
It is amazing that it started as a plain square cut from an A4 page, it ended up so organic with such bulk of paper tucked, crimped, sunk, and pleated in exotic ways.
I must try to find some of Robert Lang’s books – they are considered “bibles” of form, technique and contain so many iconic models.
You can have a go yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-UPR_HIyQo
Sometimes simple designs are beautiful – this rowboat, whilst folding-wise is not challenging, it is proportioned correctly and perfectly seaworthy, with a neat stern and a nicely locked bow
Why a rowboat? Well, I figured the Victorians could use it in the light of floods they are having right now – gotta love a sunburnt country – hot, bushfires, floods and cyclones (not to mention the wildlife) – wouldn’t live anywhere else for quids.
Thanks @ackygirl for the loan of the book with this in it, I like it, a lot (at 8 folds total it is such a nice respite from the complex models of late)
