Exploring the wealth of designs Akira Yoshizawa left us with, I sumbled across this delightful snail:
Simple yet the very essence of the critter – much modelling potential also, as the shell could be coiled, the foot textured etc.
Sometimes simple is necessary – busy day, lots of other folding going on, you get that.
Akira Yoshizawa continues to surprise and delight – his folds are simple, elegant and have much modelling potential:
This is one of a series of person studies, and is a novel use of the frog base.
Busy day, lots to do, much being put off, you get that.
I like a figurative compound model, and when it is designed by a master like Akira Yoshizawa then it feels like a privilege to fold it:
This is one of his monkeys, in two pieces – I love the pose, the simple but expressive face, posture and all – very clever.
Made with 2 bird bases, then each part diverging in method yet strangely symmetric, coalescing into a top and tail that then slots together.
This is a lot like the more complex “swivel monkey” which I will torture myself with later, for my first fold I am happy with this result. Taken from “Creative Origami”, a masterwork entirely in Japanese, most models have no landmarks, you fold them by eye, making each fold unique and allowing the folder to add their own character – nice.
There is great beauty in simplicity sometimes:
With relatively few folds, few landmarks, you form the suggestion of character as much by what you leave out as what you fold in – I like this model a lot.
Lovely ears and expressive wings that are posable, lovely fat tummy makes this little model a gem.
Why a bat – did I mention that MARKING makes me batty? Well it does, beyond measure and I have had a hellish few days racing to meet a deadline meaning that I MUST mark on my holidays (doesn’t seem fair, does it) – never mind. I love deadlines, particularly the sound they make as they whoosh by.
There is great skill in using few folds to suggest the form of a complex creature – few mastered it like Akira Yoshizawa:
I like this fold – deceptively simple, most folds are made without landmarks (ie. you use judgment and “eye” to work out where to fold) and the resultant form is simple yet charming.
I will fold this again – the body has so much potential but I like the minimalistic form also – it’s not easy being green.
