The Origami Forum

HEY EVERYONE

I wanna get some ideas about what exactly people like about cool looking digital diagrams. Halle has an awesome article in Spanish (pp. 24 - 36) about his own ideas of what diagrams should have in order to look awesome; it's in 4 Esquinas No. 11. In my humble opinion he's one of the people that make the coolest looking digital diagrams ever. In the magazine you can also check out his diagrams of Riki Saito's Mr. Puppet (pp. 37 - 42).

http://www.origami-shop.com/en/free-ori ... -2576.html

I REALLY would like to know, in your own opinion who else makes super attractive digital diagrams? I would also appreciate it if you would show me an example of his or her diagrams, obviously if it isn't illegal to do so. I don't need to check out the whole diagrams just enough to understand what's special about them. Still, if you can only provide me names of the diagrammers and diagrams I'll appreciate it a lot


Please help me out... thanks in advance!

Check out Bernie Peyton's book. Eco Origami.

Thanks a lot roodborst. I'll try to check them out.

Did Bernie Peyton diagram his own models or who diagrammed them? I would really appreciate it if you also told me what, in your own opinion, makes those diagrams look so cool .

Peyton is famous for doing his own careful, detailed diagrams. I believe he is a Ph.D. biologist (?), and uses his experience as part of the design process.

He took a really long time making the diagram. Especially the final model drawing look as nice as "normal" drawings. I'm using my mobile now so I can't add a link. Maybe on origamishop you can get a prewiew of the book.

On a side note. He has some weird diagrams/ folding sequences. He is a biologist and studies bears and other animals in nature. His model require lots of shaping, and look excellent. Very original style.

Thanks a lot for your comments roodborst and Hank Simon

The following is for all the fellow members of the forum:

Halle mentions in his article that when diagrams are being viewed in the computer instead of being printed, diagrammers could really get creative with their diagrams since there isn't a cost restriction regarding printing. Yet, what I've started to notice is that basically no one really gets that creative, for example like a graphic designer would, when making their own diagrams. From conversations with him, he mentions that most diagrammers are totally worried about making the diagrams easy to understand, but they end up only worrying about that and not about making them the most appealing diagrams ever. Know what I mean?

What do you think about that?

Personally, I'd always choose clarity over aesthetics for instructional diagrams of any kind. That being said, it's always nice to have some little personal touches/comments from the creator...I guess it helps build a sense of connection to them while your folding their creation, if that makes sense. The problem with trying to make diagrams visually appealing is what's appealing to one person may not be for another...there's no accounting for taste! This can be as basic as colour choice. For instance, I find the brown of the diagrams in Robert Langs ODS gives a kind of dated feel, but that's just me (though it doesn't detract from the excellence of the book!)

Thanks Edg!

So what do the rest of you think about Halle's ideas?

I really wanna know !

I don't make cool digital diagrams, just the standard kind. But with modern capabilities in mind, I make guides that combine photodiagrams and illustrations, with maybe a few CPs thrown in. Each step is given a full-screen image, and so it's not practical for bookbinding, however it communicates a lot more information than just diagramming (and takes less time!)
I think any model can be made instructable this way, even really collapse-heavy and 3D ones.

Thanks Kareshi!

I checked your diagrams-photo-diagrams of the Jack-o'-lantern and of the Shark jaws. Are those examples of what you meant? The photos of the paper and the board with your notes are pretty original

That makes me think: I'm surprised we don't see more "mixed" diagrams using both traditional diagrams and photos...

Fernando Gilgado has some awesome looking diagrams on his flickr.