The Origami Forum

Challenge for May 2020

Materials OLD and/or NEW

The good news is that you can submit any original design created during the month of May. The only limit is that the method of construction must be primarily folding.

The bad news is that I am asking you to seek out a material to realize your design that you have not used as a medium for origami folds.

In terms of OLD material, look for anything that can be recycled, including packaging materials, old wrapping paper, or old t-shirts.

When considering NEW materials just look for using a material that you have not used before such as unusual forms of paper, plastic, fabric or even siding material found in a Hardware store (most are open for business as being considered essential). My particular favorite unusual material would be Cellophane – If you have never tried this give it a try.

Perhaps you could even link the item you create to the material – such as folding an origami cow out of a milk carton. However, this is NOT a requirement for this challenge.

Interesting topic. If you do use a material like cloth are stitches allowed to hold a crease that would normally hold on its own with paper?

Letterfold from recycled materials by Grace Matthews, on Flickr

This is a letterfold which looks like a traditional tato, however it does not open in a spiral, but rather like a book. Folding with the plastic bags was interesting as the lock which is quite tight with the paper does not hold well at all with the plastic.

No limits, so as long as you spend more time folding than stitching, you are good to go.

Here are a couple of ideas for folding with plastics like plastic bags, cellophane, et al. Plastics take a little bit more convincing to stay in place, so I do two things especially with cellophane where you might have trouble seeing where the fold is made, so I place the plastic or cellophane between thin sheets of paper like a sandwich and fold all layers together, then press the fold over night with as much weight as you can stack on top of the folded creation. Once the fold has been pressed for a sufficient time unfold all and refold the plastic (or cellophane) and press the fold a second time. I have also used these techniques with clear sheets of plastic used for overhead transparencies - I often use a clear material for a see through or window.
Then there is always something usually forbidden like using tape, which if you want to stretch a concept is simply a "folded rectangle"? If this make you uncomfortable, then use removable tape as a temporary hold until the material gets a better established crease. While I avoid using permanent tape, I have used removable tape as a temporary holder until the creases are set.
Another trick is to layer materials so two sheets of materials become one. I have used both removable and permanent stick vinyl on paper or card stock when I want a waterproof fold (as long as the vinyl side is the only side that touches the water). I used this process to make folded plant that grew (floated up) when real water was added. The combination is a bit thick but folds quite well.
You can sometime fold another sheet around the desired design as a holder. I have used this technique to create a series of "Fold Only" pop-ups. The holder become the card for the popup.
Finally, I have invented a lot of "Hidden folded locks" that attach, ring or suspend a parts together.
sometimes these are segments of single square or may be an additional rectangle folded. These become essential when creating designs with multiple independently moving parts or parts that must rotate independently like wheels. They are often quite useful in keeping folds in place.

Thank you for the tips Firstfold. I have a model that I want to fold out of a more flexible material, as such I am looking forward to experimenting with different materials.

What if you already tried all possible and impossible materials out there, from thin cellophane to thick plastic materials, from pure aluminium to wonton dough, from clay to fabric, from organic things like leaves to thin kombucha scoby... are you allowed to retake one that you did try in the past?

There must be something you have not tired to fold with. I have been folding for over 55 years and am discovering things in hardware stores that I did not know existed. Maybe you could combine things in a new way. Maybe you could change the nature of objects with paints or other liquids to soften, harden or crackle.
If nothing comes to mind pick the media you think others are most unlikely to use, I do not want to put any firm limits on anything. If all else fails, fold the unexpected from the unexpected. Maybe there is a combination of things you have not tried yet even if you have used each part individually in a design attempt (or success).

Regarding the use of old materials, as firstfold mentioned, I thought "recycled art" could help you as inspiration: https://blog.artsper.com/en/get-inspire ... ycled-art/

If you chose recycled art in order to participate in the challenge, how would you make a recycled art origami work?


Now, bear in mind you DON'T have to make art (whatever "art" means") for this challenge. Maybe you prefer making a practical, a decorative, or a scale model. How would you make it using an old or even a new material?

Continuing with reusing materials, you could get some ideas from other origamists. I've seen others fold: towels, cloth napkins, face masks, the paperboard tube inside toilet paper rolls, paper cups, and Tetra Briks. I think it's amazing that they've used 3D object to make origami instead of a flat sheet !

How would you do it? What would you make with one of those objects or with a different used object?

Plastic Squirrel by floppyscarf0109

Hello, my first post on this forum!

I made a simple squirrel out of the kirkland plastic water bottle labels since I had so many rolling around. I stuck 2 of the labels together so that it wouldn't just unfold itself, still had to press books on top of it though.

Yay! Welcome to the forum ScaFS and good luck with your submission .

Thank you very much, and I look forward to learning more about origami here with everyone else!

One question ScaFS since you're new here, are you clear about the honor and responsibility you would acquire if you win the challenge?

What????

OrigamiasaEnthusiast wrote:What????

Hi OrigamiasaEnthusiast . To whom are you asking and what exactly are you asking?