How do you run an Origami club?

Tjips · Post by **Tjips** » May 17th, 2006, 2:18 pm

Hey everyone!

I'm from South Africa and as you might know origami is basically nowhere in this country. Thus I've decided to start an origami club at the university where I study. This is all good and well, but I've never been part of an origami club. So I'm asking you guys (having experience of origami conventions, clubs and the like) what happens in an origami club?

tx

Post by **Daydreamer** » May 17th, 2006, 2:43 pm

A little bit of folding from time to time

Alexandre · Post by **Alexandre** » May 17th, 2006, 2:55 pm

You can ask to everybody (who can) to teach a model to the others. Don't teach complex or high intermediate models for an origami group, it is difficult to teach how to fold.
You can ask to the members to bring some of their origami books, so everybody can discover new books.
You can just discuss about origami.

Bring some nice origami paper (avoid the printer paper of our univ) and ask to the members who got paper to bring sheets. Bring some nice diagrams printed from the internet.

Post by **TheRealChris** » May 17th, 2006, 3:22 pm

Don't teach complex or high intermediate models for an origami group, it is difficult to teach how to fold.

that does not make any sense to me. why shouldn't I teach complex models to other folders?

Alexandre · Post by **Alexandre** » May 17th, 2006, 3:37 pm

Because if you are in a meeting of for example 3 or 4 hours, you will spend all the meeting to teach the model and some people may not have the time to finish it. It takes far more time to teach how to fold a model to 10 people than folding a model alone at home with a diagram, some people always got issues, scratch their paper etc

But if you are in an origami elite club with only skilled people (JOAS?) it's different !

Friet · Post by **Friet** » May 17th, 2006, 4:01 pm

You could have an origami weekend

Post by **TheRealChris** » May 17th, 2006, 6:05 pm

...may not have the time to finish it...

you don't need to finish it. in fact, I seldom saw somebody teaching a whole model (especially not the complex ones). it's more like "lets fold the spider" or "do you know how to do step 9653?". on complex models, you fold together with no teacher at all.
on our monthly meeting, it seldom happens, that one teaches a model to all the others. mostly there are small groups of people that wanted to do that modular or the rose. it's the same with conventions, I never saw somebody teaching a model to all the people.
you're right, that it takes much more time to teach a model than simply to fold it, and that may be the reason, why the groups are mostly small ones.

Post by **origami_8** » May 17th, 2006, 8:54 pm

Alexandre wrote:you will spend all the meeting to teach the model and some people may not have the time to finish it.

And whatÂ´s so bad about it? At the last BOS-Convention Nicolas showed his red dragon to a little group of folders (including me). Of course we havenÂ´t had the time to finish it during the session (some hours), but we got the base and the knowldge how to go on with it on our own. It was very interesting and a lot of fun.
I think the complexity of the models that should be folded during an Origami meeting depends on the folding preferences and skills of the members joining this meeting, the number of members doesnÂ´t really matter.

TheRealChris wrote:conventions, I never saw somebody teaching a model to all the people

So you havenÂ´t been to a BOS-Convention before... There was a welcome talk and folding session for all the people participating. Paper was handed out to everyone while one person in the front of the room was teaching some models to the whole crowd.

Besides paper, books and diagrams, itÂ´s always nice if you bring some of your folded models with you. It doesnÂ´t matter if they are your own designs or not or of what kind complexity they have, just bring them with you, people will like them

polop · Post by **polop** » May 17th, 2006, 10:18 pm

About running lessons. I am also going to hold some for children in a youth group type thing and I am also going to do a lesson to older chidren at their school as part of their art class. Im planning to do a short lesson in japan when i am on holiday there, Kawasaki rose hopefully.(because I will be twinned with a flower aranger). Hopefully this model will not be too comlex for the bagginners In Japan.

rokonacdc · Post by **rokonacdc** » May 17th, 2006, 10:26 pm

teach one or two other people ahead of time so they can help teach the other people

Post by **TheRealChris** » May 17th, 2006, 10:43 pm

So you havenÂ´t been to a BOS-Convention before...

as if you didn't know that

Tjips · Post by **Tjips** » May 18th, 2006, 4:42 pm

The problem in this case also includes that I'm probably gonna be the only folder with any skill to speak of. 90% of the people are probably gonna be origami illiterate.

Tx for all the advice

omegawhile · Post by **omegawhile** » May 19th, 2006, 2:09 pm

Your plan is very great !! I am sure about one thing: You are not the only one Origami lover in your country. But you don't know anyone with the same hobby,right? The problem is that Origami lovers have a tendency to be very timid and inner one so they rarely expose their hobby to others. And even two Origami lovers live next door to me don't know they have the same entertaiment with me and so do I. Just do Origami publicly and show to other people your works,they will get hocked for sure !

Don't give up your dream ! Origami taught me that ! Trying your best !
I hope some day It will be an African origami sociation or some sort.