Upcoming and past Conventions

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steingar
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by steingar »

FrumiousBandersnatch wrote:It's fairly underwhelming if you aren't 12 or an old woman :-/
I would say it is probably useless for you, based on this comment. I suspect any gathering not focusing on the issue most interesting to you is underwhelming. For the rest of us, Origami Conventions are really cool, especially CenterFold. Regarding that last, I must admit to being just a bit biased.

Unfortunately, there are those so utterly myopic to not be able to recognize the excellence in models that are not sheathed in complexity.
FrumiousBandersnatch
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by FrumiousBandersnatch »

Again. I'm not talking about Centerfold. Maybe Centerfold is great. I'm talking about a convention that is attended by, and geared towards, groups that are not into what I'm into. Also, I'm sure I would have been less underwhelmed had I known what to expect, or had I not built it up to be something it was never going to be.

Also, I understand and appreciate models that are beautiful though simple. There simply were not any models like that. It was like a Harbin-fest.
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malachi
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by malachi »

I appreciate you humoring me. Your response does a much better job of outlining your critique of the OUSA convention because it actually explains your disappointment and your expectations. Thank you.

My point was that your original post not only failed to answer the question being posed, but it did not identify which convention(s) you were dissatisfied with, what your expectations were, and how your expectations were not met, you just painted all conventions with a very broad pair of generalizations that were not clear. I have no problem with people expressing an opinion, but I strongly prefer it to be articulated in an understandable way.

I am flattered that I have made such an impression on you.
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by FrumiousBandersnatch »

Less you and more that little avatar. And I always remember debts I owe, Malachi.

And my humblest of apologies. I was assuming that the way forums work was that when you reply, you are replying to some of the most recent posts, several of which referenced the OUSA convention. I will have to be more explicit in the future.
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origamiguy
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by origamiguy »

In my experience, the annual OUSA convention in NYC meets the stated mission of Origami USA
"...to share the joy and appreciation of paperfolding, preserve its history, nurture its growth, bring people together and encourage community among paperfolders."

If you want more you may need to try and reach out ahead of time to other folders you know here so you can be sure to meet them at the convention. I have to admit my first day at my first convention was kind of lonely. But the next day I made a point to talk to others, about folding, models, creators, books... instead of just taking classes. One great way to meet other folders is the late night folding. If you can't fid it, ASK someone to show you where it is. Most folders I have met are more than happy to help.
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bethnor
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by bethnor »

well, in fairness, there are definitely issues about teaching supercomplex models. which would probably be, in most instances, handing out the diagrams at the beginning and not much else. there's just not enough time. even if you are simply left to your own devices to finish, at a minimum this would take 2-3 h per folder, which just won't cut it.

lol, this thread is currently scoring 18/10 on the sarcasm meter.
Last edited by bethnor on May 24th, 2012, 4:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by FrumiousBandersnatch »

True on all counts, Bethnor.
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by bethnor »

i went to OUSA some years ago and quite enjoyed it. however, my travel expenses included a $40 bus ticket (round trip) and i crashed with a friend for free. much of my enjoyment i derived was from visiting NYC itself, and doing the sights and sounds. i do agree that someone looking to learn cool models may be in for a disappointment. i may do some throat clearing and emphasize that i have repeatedly expressed my irritation with kamiya-lang-et-al worship (some of kamiya's mammals, like his rabbit, have been downright shockingly average but still we get the "OMG WHERE IS THE CP?!!!"), and truly wish the community would pay more attention to the US's other great designers, like seth friedman, chad killeen, jared, juston, jon tucker, daniel brown, and joseph wu (some of them seem to have retired, even). and i would be the first to sign up for models by the forum's own grizzlyman/akugami, tssan's and his "curling method," anonymous person, or any of the other innumerable "simple but elegant," and designs that emphasize geometry and abstraction. but we should be honest and say those are not the models on offer from the OUSA. and that's okay. as an organization, it's still growing... the convention book has really only been consistently good within the past few years.

btw, as someone who has tanteidan convention starting at #2, that's also true of them. oddly enough, it started getting really fun when they started including more international designers.
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by origami_8 »

Hi all. This year I'll be attending the OUSA convention for the first time. From what I know about European conventions, the fun of a convention depends heavily on what you make out of it and whether there is a big folding room for free folding. My favourite parts of conventions have always been the free folding times since I hardly find any models on the model menu that interest me (there have been more interesting ones at the complexfolder convention in Lyon). If you are a complex folder and really want to have fun, look out for other complex folders and just try to sit on the same table with them, the fun comes by itself. I well remember this one night in Germany when Nicolas Terry told he found a new triangular base he wants us to design something with, it was pure fun. On the first convention I attended I took not a single class but spent most of the time in a tiny room with two other complex folders. We didn't talk much and folded a lot, it was a great convention for me :-) Nowadays when attending a convention I don't expect to learn this fantastic new super duper complex model but rather go there to meet people. But, I've also learned complex models at conventions, mostly in the times between classes split up into several sessions. Sometimes from CP, sometimes with a real folding sequence. Just don't expect an official class for it. There are several reasons no one wants to give a complex class, the most important being that most people are just not at your level. This isn't meant bad but even if there are complex folders they may use other terms, have other experiences and so on. And if you have just one person in the class who isn't knowing all complex manoeuvres there are it is slowing down the class a lot. Furthermore you can teach very complex models only to a small group. In a big group you will inevitably loose some people along the way or slow down to a speed that no one will finish.
So all in all, conventions are fun. Go out look for interesting people (displays may help to find them), try to fold with them, the rest happens by itself.

PS: I'm searching to meet up with folders in San Francisco between June 27-29. Anyone interested please write me a pm.
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by shortloldude »

Wow, this somehow became a huge discussion. I was not really involved, but reading this, I appreciate everyone's discussion on their opinions of origami conventions. I was a bit concerned when I signed up for OUSA that it would be like how Frumious stated, but I still want to go to a convention at least once in my life, and now I at least know what to expect somewhat from a personal, non-OUSA-sponsored statement.

I was thinking about attempting to teach something, but I did not think that would be a very good idea since I have no experience with teaching models, let alone convention experience and how they play out, but if I like this years convention and I see how models are taught and feel comfortable with it, I might come back next year with plans on teaching something complex....although I mostly do boxpleating and everyone hates grids.

It would be helpful though to see other folders who are going (which was where I thought this thread would go, since OrigamiGuy asked), as there are several origami-sts I might want to meet, and as origamiguy stated it might be a good idea to try to reach out to others and plan to meet them at the convention.
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by Harpseal »

Wow. This got into a huge discussion very quickly. I definitely got my question answered though! Thanks!
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by maddoghoek100 »

The folks I know who are volunteering to teach classes at the OUSA convention are teaching what they think people will be interested in, but as some comments were made about the classes in previous years, i thought i would gather a bit of informal feedback. If i were deciding between 1 or 2 of these models what would folks prefer. Feel free to PM any thoughts, no need to muck up this thread with responses (which of the 4 you prefer or feel free to say you think they would all be lame).

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origami_8
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by origami_8 »

I'd be interested to hear the results of this, so maybe if you gathered some info, you can report back? It would really interest me what comes out of this.
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by bethnor »

i quite like all of them. part of the problem, i would say, is that there are no visuals of final models in the class listings. so many of them are a crap shoot, so to speak. the same is true of many of the older OUSA books. there were no pictures of final models up until recently, so buying one was a leap of faith.
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Re: Upcoming and past Conventions

Post by Harpseal »

:lol: i love the flying pig!
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