Folder's Block

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Nepafarius
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Folder's Block

Post by Nepafarius »

So I can't seem to fold anything anymore. My last two successful models were a tooth on a placque, the result of which I was none too fond, and a pelican which was a half failure as I could make the model with legs as I intended.

My folding style utilizes doodling, messing with paper until a desired result springs to life. This, and my personal style, have had varying success (as you can see for yourself in my gallery).

My interest in origami ebbs and flows, as other interests (anime, let's plays, writing, and work) take the forefront. But I've never had a problem jumping back into origami, and making models I was satisfied with.

This month's challenge pulled me back in, and gave me that desire to create something new, but I've tried multiple times this month to make something, and each time it falls short, circa my 2009 models (aka atrocious).

I think I've reached an end to my creative abilities in origami, or I have reached the plateau of my current abilities, and need to study into origami for the first time, something I do not have time for, nor really desire for fear of being overly influenced by the mechanical and uniform designs that pervade modern origami.
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valerite
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Re: Folder's Block

Post by valerite »

Hmmm

I have a list a mile long of things I want to design, and wish I could spend all day doing nothing but origami (and eating), but I'm too busy during the semester to actually fold anything

You seem to have plenty of time, but don't have want to fold anything.

Heres how I like to think of Ideas and insperation

1: orchids. Go to orchidspieces.com for thousands of instant ideas (i have a list of orchids ive selected from a-c that look acceptable for folding if you want it). the site is in alphebetical order, and nicely designed.

2: zoology books. Look closley at animals that haven't been folded before, or look challenging, like having a colour change. Also, if you have a sudden idea of how to do a structure for part of the model, draw it out or fold ut and then confugure the rest of the model around that. the head is usually beat

3: convention books. Look at models you don't like and improve them. (easier than desinging a whole new model) Whats the point of folding something that's been done before if it's not different or better?

4: and most importantly, fold from books again. when i'm out of Ideas for structures and solutions to problems in a model, I fold whatever looks apealing from old tendeidan books, r.j.l books, even satoshi kamyia if i'm up to it.
OrigamiSwan
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Re: Folder's Block

Post by OrigamiSwan »

I used to fold every day, but I'm just not that inspired anymore. I generally fold a model until the base, and then throw it out.
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Sunburst
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Re: Folder's Block

Post by Sunburst »

I think it's normal to get that folder's block from time to time. You can't have crazy inspiration all the time. Maybe give it time and see if you get inspired by something? or you just might need to acquire more techniques to fold what you want, like you said.

One thing I did when I got the folder's block, though, was to revisit and improve my old models. That turned out quite well, as one subject can always be represented differently.
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ShuaiJanaiDesu
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Re: Folder's Block

Post by ShuaiJanaiDesu »

I think everyone else pointed out what I was going to say :P haha
valerite wrote: 2: zoology books. Look closley at animals that haven't been folded before, or look challenging, like having a colour change. Also, if you have a sudden idea of how to do a structure for part of the model, draw it out or fold ut and then confugure the rest of the model around that. the head is usually beat
I tend to like to design/fold things with interesting features. My most recent origami was a shark and my focus was to fold its teeth as simple as possible.
valerite wrote: 4: and most importantly, fold from books again. when i'm out of Ideas for structures and solutions to problems in a model, I fold whatever looks apealing from old tendeidan books, r.j.l books, even satoshi kamyia if i'm up to it.
If you don't feel like designing something new, you might want to re-fold something. It could be models from renowned folders like Lang, Kamiya, etc. or maybe you've designed something before that was fun to fold.
Sunburst wrote:I think it's normal to get that folder's block from time to time. You can't have crazy inspiration all the time. Maybe give it time and see if you get inspired by something? or you just might need to acquire more techniques to fold what you want, like you said.

One thing I did when I got the folder's block, though, was to revisit and improve my old models. That turned out quite well, as one subject can always be represented differently.
If you don't feel like folding anything, then you should take some time off. Marathon some Anime series you've been wanting to watch, go write a story, take a walk outside in the fresh air, or maybe just sleep. (I like sleeping :D )

After you take some time off, you might have some new ideas for models. You might pick up some of your old incomplete models and have a different view of folding a certain part.

Last thing (that may or may not help) is look at other peoples works. I often go to Flickr to look at other people's origami. I also check Youtube and NicoNico since there are some people who posts videos of their models. I also go to the Japanese Origami forum page (http://kiranai.sakura.ne.jp/ong/) to check out their origami. (currently 2015/4/1 it leads to an April fool's Origami Watch page. lol)
*I say this might help because it could encourage you to fold something, but at the same time, it might also discourage you since everybody else's works looks so nice :( (<- this happens to me sometimes)
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