Paper advice for a beginner please

[sandy5280]

I just finished my first trials of taping four 250 cm sheets of Kami paper together. I was working on a Songbird by Robert Lang. The first time I used a single ply of what we call "Scotch" tape, which is clear cellophane tape. Unfortunately, the tape tore on a fold.

I covered the Scotch tape on another sheet with a layer of "artists' "tape, which is a heavier, matte white tape.

I was satisfied with the result.

Next time I am going to try two layers of Scotch tape.

Sandy

[phillipcurl]

@gadrick94:
If you want the book, get the 35cm tant one. Tant is a nice paper, but it rips rather easily which gets annoying when folding more complex models. Some cheap alternatives that work nice are double tissue, there are multiple guides online to making that. Nicolas' terry tissue is also great for complex models. If you have never bought paper from his shop, maybe try ordering a discovery pack (if they are for sale as a single piece)

good luck!

[sandy5280]

On Sara Adams' wonderful site "Happy Folding", there is a chart of many different papers describing and comparing them:

http://www.happyfolding.com/paper-reviews_introduction

I hope you find this useful.

Sandy

[franz]

Thank you, everyone. I find this discussion of specific paper and sources very helpful.
Franz, I am experimenting with taping four squares together. What kind of tape do you use?
Sandy

hi,

I think you would say "sellotape": a clear tape:
https://www.google.com/search?q=sellota ... 80&bih=647

here is austria "tixo" is common:
https://www.google.com/search?q=sellota ... o&tbm=isch

"scotch tape" seems to be the same:
https://www.google.at/search?q=scotch&s ... e&tbm=isch

I needed some tries (one or two) to find the best way for taping them together:
1. I lay two squares on the table, having an exactly contact on one edge; maybe I fix them with some weight or so that they can´t slip
2. stick them together with the tape on the edge they do have "in common"
3. now you do have two squares: glued together in the middle and with two "long edges"
4. I take the sellotape and "glue it" on one of the long edges: I glue only half of the sellotape to the paper, the other half is so to say "glued on the table"
5. then I take this construction and turn it over
6. now you do have half of the sellotape (of step 4), where you can glue the other 2 squares to.
7. first the square 3
8. then the square 4
9. now I use the sellotape for glueing square 3 and 4 together (like step 1)

done
2.

[sandy5280]

Franz-

Thank you for the excellent and clear instructions! Sometimes there are so many ways to do such seemingly simple things.

[Cat.]

I've had a go at a couple if things with the brown paper from the post office that Edg suggested and I think it worked pretty well (for me anyway). This is my first attempt at the bear from Origami Zoo, made from a 25 cm x 15 cm rectangle:


The paper's quite thick, and I'm not sure it'll be so good for the insects in the book (maybe some thinner wrapping paper for them, if I manage to make them at all...), but it's better than what I was using and a lot easier to cut neatly than baking paper, so will keep me happy for a while

[sandy5280]

Nice job, Cat. I especially like the paws.

[Cat.]

Thanks