Origami

Origami is the art of folding paper to make beautiful shapes, both flat and three-dimensional. The word "origami" comes from Japan, but people all over the world have enjoyed folding paper for many years. The goal of origami is to turn a flat square piece of paper into a sculpture just by folding it. You do not use cuts, glue, or markings.

One of the most famous origami creations is the Japanese paper crane. Origami can be very simple or very detailed, depending on the design. Even though origami began a long time ago, during the Edo period in Japan, people today still use origami ideas in real-life things like medical stents and packaging.

Origami folders sometimes use a related term called kirigami for designs that include cuts. With just a few basic folds, people can make amazing shapes and animals from paper, making origami a fun and creative activity for everyone.

Etymology

The word "origami" comes from two smaller words: "ori," which means to fold, and "kami," which means paper. In the past, people used different names for folding paper, such as "orikata" or "origata." Today, many countries use the word origami. Some places have their own special words, like zhe zhi in China, jongi jeobgi in Korea, and papiroflexia in Spain.

History

Main article: History of origami

Origami, the art of paper folding, has long been enjoyed in Europe, China, and Japan. These traditions grew mostly separately until the 1900s. In Japan, folded paper was used for special events like festivals and weddings.

By the 1800s, people in Japan began folding paper just for fun, making animals and other shapes. Books with folding instructions appeared, showing how to make many different designs. In the 1900s, artists like Akira Yoshizawa created new ways to fold paper, making origami even more exciting. Today, origami is studied for art, science, and mathematics, with artists using computers to create new designs.

Techniques and materials

Main article: Yoshizawa–Randlett system

Origami is the art of folding paper to make beautiful shapes. It uses simple folds like valley and mountain folds. Special bases, such as the bird base, help make models like a flapping bird. Other common bases are the square base, fish base, waterbomb base, and frog base.

You can use many materials for origami, not just paper. Special origami paper, often called "kami," comes in squares of different sizes and can be colored or patterned. Regular copy paper works for simple models like a crane, while heavier paper is used for wet-folding. This makes models look more rounded and sturdy when dry. Traditional Japanese paper, called washi, is strong and made from plants like the gampi tree or paper mulberry. Other strong papers, such as unryu or lokta, are also used for detailed models. Even paper money can be folded into fun designs!

Some people like to use tools to help with folding, like a bone folder for sharp creases, paper clips to hold paper in place, or tweezers for tiny folds. A ruler and an embosser can also help mark creases on more complex designs.

Types

Main article: Action origami

Origami has many different styles. One popular type is action origami. In action origami, the folded paper can move. These designs might fly, inflate, or have parts that move when you touch them. For example, some origami birds can flap their wings.

Main article: Modular origami

Another style is modular origami. In modular origami, you fold several identical pieces of paper and then connect them to make a larger model. These pieces can be simple, but connecting them can be tricky. Modular origami often makes beautiful shapes, like balls made of many small folded pieces.

Main article: Wet-folding

Wet-folding is a way to fold paper after lightly wetting it. This helps create smooth curves and natural shapes, good for making realistic animals. The paper keeps its shape once it dries.

Main article: Pureland origami

Pureland origami uses only simple folds in straight lines. This style was made to help beginners or people who find complex folds difficult.

Origami tessellations are patterns that cover a flat surface without gaps. Artists use repeated folds to create beautiful, detailed designs. These patterns are popular and enjoyed by people around the world.

Main article: Kirigami

Kirigami is the art of folding paper that also includes cutting. While traditional origami never cuts the paper, some modern designs do, and these are called kirigami.

Strip folding combines folding with weaving. A well-known example is the Lucky Star, a folded star shape made from strips of paper.

Teabag folding is a fun way to turn small square pieces of paper, like tea bag wrappers, into 3D designs by folding them.

Mathematics and technical origami

Main article: Mathematics of paper folding

Origami is not just fun to fold; it also helps scientists and mathematicians solve tricky problems. For example, folding paper can help us understand how to make things like car airbags open quickly and safely. It can even help build parts for space satellites!

People have created special computer programs to help design new origami shapes. These programs let designers plan out their creations before they even start folding, making it easier to build complex models like animals or people with many details. Origami shows us how simple paper can be used to solve big, real-world problems.

Ethics and copyright

When people share origami designs online, they should give credit to the artist who made the design. This shows respect and helps others know where the idea came from. Some artists want to keep their designs private, but it can be hard to make sure everyone follows this.

In Japan, a court decided that the way to fold origami is like a simple idea that cannot be owned. This means someone can redraw folding instructions for a design, even if it looks similar, as long as they are just showing the basic steps. People can share or even sell these redrawn instructions without asking for permission because the steps are considered common knowledge.

Origami Authors and Creators

Origami in various meanings

Origami means folding paper to make shapes for fun. In Japan, it has had other meanings too. It was used for special papers that came with important items like swords. These papers showed the items were real and of good quality.

It was also an old way to write letters and important messages on folded paper. This was especially used for complaints or lists of gifts.

In popular culture

Origami appears in many fun stories and shows. In the TV show House of Cards, a character makes origami animals for a friend’s children. In Blade Runner, a special character folds origami, and one creation is important to the story. The children’s book The Strange Case of Origami Yoda has a character who makes an origami puppet of Yoda from Star Wars to help classmates. The book even shows how to make your own origami Yoda.

Origami is also important in the science fiction story “Ghostweight”. In this story, origami helps tell a tale about history and memory. The game Paper Mario: The Origami King, made in 2020 for the Nintendo Switch, lets players explore a world where characters become origami creatures.