Origami

Origami is the art and technique of folding paper to create beautiful two- and three-dimensional shapes. The word "origami" comes from Japan, but people all around the world have enjoyed folding paper for centuries. The goal of origami is to turn a flat square sheet of paper into a finished sculpture just by folding it, without using cuts, glue, or markings.

One of the most famous origami creations is the Japanese paper crane. Origami can be very simple or extremely detailed, depending on the design. Even though origami started a long time ago, during the Edo period in Japan, people today still use its 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 people of all ages.

Etymology

The word "origami" comes from two smaller words: "ori," which means to fold, and "kami," which means paper. In the past, different names were used for folding paper for fun, such as "orikata" or "origata." Today, many countries use the word origami, but 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 rich traditions in Europe, China, and Japan. These traditions developed mostly separately until the 20th century. In Japan, special folded paper was used for religious ceremonies and gifts, creating beautiful shapes for festivals and weddings.

By the 1800s, people in Japan began folding paper just for fun, creating animals and other shapes. Books with folding instructions appeared, showing how to make many different designs. In the 1900s, artists like Akira Yoshizawa invented new ways to fold paper, making the art even more exciting. Today, origami is studied not just for art, but also for science and mathematics, with artists creating amazing new designs using computers and new folding methods.

Techniques and materials

Main article: Yoshizawa–Randlett system

Origami, the art of paper folding, uses many basic techniques to create beautiful shapes. These include simple folds like valley and mountain folds, as well as special bases such as the bird base, which helps 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, which 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 includes many different styles and techniques. One popular type is action origami, where the folded paper can move. These designs might fly, inflate, or move parts when you touch them. For example, some origami birds can flap their wings, and other models might have parts that move when you pull a tab.

Main article: Modular origami

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

Main article: Wet-folding

Wet-folding is a technique where you lightly dampen the paper before folding. This helps create smooth curves and more natural shapes, perfect 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 created to make origami easier for beginners or people who have trouble with complex folds.

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

Main article: Kirigami

Kirigami is the art of folding paper that also includes cutting. While traditional origami never uses cuts, 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 into matching shapes.

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, it is important to give credit to the artist who created the design. This shows respect and helps others know where the idea came from. Some artists want to keep their designs for themselves, but it can be hard to enforce this.

In Japan, a court decided that the way to fold origami is like a simple idea, not something that can 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, but in Japan it has had other meanings too. For example, it was used for special papers that came with important items like swords, showing they were real and of good quality.

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

In popular culture

Origami has appeared in many fun stories and shows. In the TV show House of Cards, a character starts making origami animals and gives them to a friend’s children. In Blade Runner, a special character folds origami, and one of his creations is very important to the story. The children’s book The Strange Case of Origami Yoda features a character who makes an origami puppet of Yoda from Star Wars to give advice to classmates. The book even includes instructions for readers to make their own origami Yoda.

Origami also plays a big role in the science fiction story “Ghostweight”. In this tale, origami helps tell a story about history and memory. There are also special weapons in the story that unfold from flat shapes into amazing forms. The game Paper Mario: The Origami King, released in 2020 for the Nintendo Switch, lets players explore a world where characters are turned into origami creatures.