The Origami Forum

hello, I'm here new, I wanted to ask if Kraft paper good is for compex origamis , for example Ancient dragon , phoenix , eagle .... I'm not a beginner, I have already made origami ancient dragon and the other complex model , but it not beautiful, because i made it with print paper , A3.
i m 14 and i dont have money for Tissue foil or Lokta , one sheet is 4 dollar .
therefore i ask if you have a tip for me how I could make a paper itself, or should I buy kraft paper,
sorry for my english.
thank you in advance.


Nevzet Nuhic,14,Germany.

you can buy "kraft," but recognize that this is a very nonspecific term, and involves trial and error, as not all "kraft" paper is the same. i.e., you buy some kraft, try it, and see if it suits your need. the one thing to realize is that no paper is "perfect," and usually there is some "cheating" you see in those photos on flickr (glue, wire, etc., etc.).

that said, lokta is not a suitable choice anyway, as it's too thick, and the largest size is ~ 50" square. so unless you join several sheets together, it won't fly.

tissue foil is actually the cheapest alternative. you can make a large sheet of tissue foil yourself. though it is inexpensive, it is labor intensive.

As a budget solution I sometimes back Kraftpaper with a transparant self adhesive foil. In Dutch it is called "Boeklon". I was not able to find an English translation for you. It is like the transparant foil stuff you put on your windows to prevent people from looking into your livingroom etc. It is mostly used to protect the covers of books. The transparant foil does make the paper stiffer so a folding bone is recommended. It can also be used to combine multiple sheets into one bigger sheet.
As I said, a budget solution.