The Origami Forum

Hi, i was hoping someone could help me with the crease pattern for Robert Langs Water Strider

http://www.langorigami.com/art/gallery/ ... er_strider

This is my first attempt at crease patterns, but after checking out his website I fell inlove with this. So i was hoping someone could please help me with it.

Well, ok...

First, this is a box-pleated cp. That means it has an underlying grid structure you have to find out and fold first.
See it?


I think it could be 34x34, but i have got no ruler right now, so i'm not 100% sure.

Second, you have to find the reference points that define the main creases. In easyer cps like this one its mostly possible to find them without additional software. However you could try out Robert Langs "Reference Finder" it's downloadable on his homepage. To me puzzeling out the reference points is the first "riddle" sometimes its hard, but after i found every point i am as satisfied like after having collapsed the base :p

When you have all the points and creases collapse the cp as indicated. In most cases the first creases (seen from the edge of the paper) are mountain folds. In this cp you are lucky. Lang marked valley/mountain folds.

After collapsing you've got the base. depending on the design you will have some work to do from here. that means stretching legs appart and shaping. i think in langs designs its mostly shaping. the number of steps after the base depend on the designer....

enjoy your water strider...
good luck chuck

max

Thanks for the fast reply, most appreciated, im still trying out the cp now. I did download the reference finder before, but wasn't quite sure how it all worked, so i left it. With a design like this any idea how it would normally take to solve? If anyone else has some helpful advice please reply, i am most detirmined to make this.

Max wrote: When you have all the points and creases collapse the cp as indicated. In most cases the first creases (seen from the edge of the paper) are mountain folds. In this cp you are lucky. Lang marked valley/mountain folds.

Just out of curiosity, how exactly is it possible to have 2 adjecent valley folds right next to each other, in a boxpleated structure? I tried solving a different CP by Lang, and that really bothered me, because it just didn't make any sense.

For this model it seems that the corners are folded inwards on the creases shown below, before making the other creases.



That also explains the "double valley", first you valley the corner inwards and then you valley through both layers together.

Also, I've counted a 36x36 grid (which is far more comfortable to make than a 34x34 grid )

Ahh, that would make sense! So you have to create a hexagon before collapsing it. Now I get it. Thanks for the info, Daydreamer.

Daydreamer wrote:For this model it seems that the corners are folded inwards on the creases shown below, before making the other creases.



That also explains the "double valley", first you valley the corner inwards and then you valley through both layers together.

Also, I've counted a 36x36 grid (which is far more comfortable to make than a 34x34 grid )

I think there is a misake on the CP, but I might be wrong.
See where the blue lines reach the top edges, and on either side is a mountain and valley fold? On the bottom edge, the blue lines are between two creases of the same direction.

Thanks for recounting the grid, daydreamer *g*

Yup, that's true, JeossMayhem, the valley folds just outside of the blue creases at the bottom should be mountain folds.

Considering that this is a Lang model requiring very thin paper, it might not be such a bad idea to just cut along the blue lines since it's excess paper anyway. That way you'd be able to get the legs much thinner.

Thanks to everyone that replied, hopefully get it finished by tommorow, dosen't seem that hard so far. Thanks daydreamer for the advice, I cut them off.

Iv'e followed the pattern and got it to a star shape but don't quite know how to collapse it to it's base, could someone guide me along the correct steps please.

Edit: I can post pictures of these later when i get my brothers phone.

After trying again, iv'e decided to scap making this, it's just to immensely hard for someone who hasn't made a crease pattern before, are there any that you could recommend for a beginner like me?

There is a Crease Pattern FAQ, marked as a Sticky Thread.
It provides you with all information you need to get started with CPs.

Are you sure you want to give up, Jonathan?
'Cause I could make you some photo diagrams on how to collapse it and shape it. If you'd like.

ftangdude55 wrote:Are you sure you want to give up, Jonathan?
'Cause I could make you some photo diagrams on how to collapse it and shape it. If you'd like.

Yes please do! I haven't made one thing from Robert Lang's site, so that would be a big help! Thanks ftangdude55!