create your own model

[rockerorigami]

i try playing around with bases. it never works

[Razzmatazz]

Rockerorigami--what exactly are you wanting to make, is there something specific you wanted to make?

[rockerorigami]

i want to make somethin like a dragon

[Razzmatazz]

Alright, before you jump into super-complex, try thinking of a simple "traditional" base that have the flaps necessary to create all the parts of a dragon (there are a bunch of bases here: http://www.origami-instructions.com/ori ... folds.html).

After you select a base, fold the base and look at it, planning out what flap you are going to make what ever part of the dragon. If you can't get enough flaps for a dragon (say you wanted 2 wings, 4 legs, a head and a tail--that's 8 flaps), you might want to try doing a blintz base and then folding that base into another base in order to get a few more flaps.

What this does is it gets you to start thinking about how to start thinking of a design. Sure you would most likely come out with a traditional-looking model, but you have created something you didn't follow instructions for. In my opinion this shows more creativity and skill than folding seemingly randomly in order to accidentally fold a model that you weren't meaning to fold.

Another good thing to practice is adding your own embellishments to existing models (but most certainly NOT calling them your own). Say you don't like a certain closing mechanism in a model, or you don't like the beak of a bird model--try fixing it yourself and adding your own spin on the model. This gets you started on how to make things appear the way YOU want them to. Which is what designing is all about.

[Kicker]

I've just finished reading ODS.
It took me something like 2 weeks to actually read it, try all "triable" exercises (I didn't make the 1000 cranes from 1 square uncut sheet lol, only the "4 cranes" version), and read again everything I hadn't understand...
I didn't fold every model in the book though, but I intend to make a giant black forest cuckoo clock (I have a 75cm wide tracing paper roll just for this )

Anyway, I confirm what everybody else said in this topic, that this book is a gold mine of information.
Right now I'm working on my own box-pleated dragons, and I hope I'll come to something good quite soon

[rockerorigami]

thats exactly what i want to learn

[the modern einstein]

i try playing around with bases. it never works

You can't just fiddle around with them. You need to think about what you're doing, and identify how to create features of the models you are creating, e.g, how to create points, split points, change a point into a specific limb, change the aesthetics of a model, and so on.

[Brimstone]

i try playing around with bases. it never works

Maybe you're picking the wrong base to start with. Have you tried a blintzed frog base? It gives you plenty of flaps to work with.

[rockerorigami]

nice idea

[l0lm4tt]

i've been working on my 5 headed dragon for quite a while. I started off with the base used for the nuclear crane which had three heads, two wings and three tails. this sort of shape would be perfect for the 5 headed dragon. I started off simple with basic heads and limbs. then got onto giving them detailed heads, large wings and fingers and toes on the arms and legs. my next idea is to incorporate scales (like on the ryujin and zoanoid dragon) onto the necks, body and tail. it will be nearly impossible but no harm in trying

[phillipcurl]

Impossible? no. Just graft the scales onto the entire sheet of paper, and go from there. That is how Michael Lafosse got his american alligator.

[l0lm4tt]

I just had a look at the alligator. that is so bloody awesome!!!

[l0lm4tt]

by the way the hardest part would most likely be the transition from necks to legs. so I could base it on the transitions used in the scaled wyvern. two of the heads at the corners would be like that and three heads at right angles to the raw edges would be partially based on the ryujin head. I may have to only give this thing two legs to make it more wyvern-like. i'll try and post an image of a rough idea for the crease pattern

[rockerorigami]

Well i just made this spider by putting 4 bird bases together.photo on flick. what else can i do

[Brimstone]

What's the address to your Flickr account?

Now try to add grafts to what you already have to add details, like heads, toes, etc.

Don't know what I'm talking about? Fold 1/8 of a square on two direction on a corner so that you get a graft. The intersection of the grafts will create a small square, place your paper so that the small square faces down. Make a crane or a flapping bird. Transform the small square into a head and use the rest of the paper projecting towards the sides to enlarge the usual wings.