Where to start???

General discussion about Origami, Papers, Diagramming, ...
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dragonmage
Newbie
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Joined: November 20th, 2015, 8:57 am

Where to start???

Post by dragonmage »

So, im new to origami and i dont know where to start, i have done the crane and a f15 but nothing more advanced then that, i want to learn how people create new origamis like charizard and things like that just by looking at a picture of them, i have watched many videos but i just dont get it. help?
Baltorigamist
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Re: Where to start???

Post by Baltorigamist »

All you really need to design origami models is experience. That not only involves folding more complex models but also studying crease patterns to see how various parts fit together.
Robert Lang has a book called Origami Design Secrets that has helped me monumentally with my own designs. So I would suggest buying that and giving it a read or three.

If you're still lost, there are several people here (including me) who will be happy to help you. (:
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HankSimon
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Re: Where to start???

Post by HankSimon »

An informal way to design is to modify something that you know how to fold. The crane is based on the bird base .... Look up "Flapping Bird" diagrams and videos, and see how the crane is 'modified' so that the wings can flap. On a simpler scale, what happens if you fold a head on the tail flap, resulting in TWO heads.

Or what happens if rather than a simple square, you start by folding all four corners to the center, so that you have a smaller square ... with four flaps that you might use for other parts, such as legs.

You might also look at the differences among folding a whale from a fish base, a crane from a bird base, a frog from a frog base, and a fortune teller from a blintz base.

Robert Lang's Origami Design Secrets provides a detailed, organized method for understanding these ideas and extending them. The book may not be easy to go through, but neither is Origami. However, the book is clear and comprehensive, so read it slowly, patiently, and with persistence, and you can learn Design techniques, which will also improve your understanding and folding of Origami models.
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