Best Way to Diagram?

[notefolds]

Personally, I do all my diagrams by taking a photograph of the finished step. I also make videos with written instructions in the video next to each step.

But maybe that is not the best way to do it. Is there a "best" way to diagram the steps needed to make an origami model? Drawings? Photographs of each step? A video? Or does it all come down to the personal preference of the person making the diagram?

How do those making diagrams prefer to do it? What style do those who fold from diagrams prefer?

[Brimstone]

I am taking this opportunity to mention a method I've used with relative success:

The process consists of taking pictures of the folding process and then turning them into diagramming pictures using an imaging processing software that is freely available. The program is called "Kodak Easy Share" and can be downloaded from http://www.kodak.com Go to Downloads and Drives and you'll find it. After having installed it, you just import the images you've taken of your folding process into the program. Select a picture and click on "Funny Effects" (this is my best guess of what it might be called, because the one I have installed is in Spanish). And then apply the effect known as "Coloring Book" (again I am guessing the name).

The software produces an image that contains the main lines on your original picture as if you were going to color the empty space between them. Save that new image and you'll have your diagrams.
You will still need to add arrows and other signs but you will be very close to the finished thing.

Other imaging packages also have this feature. I am aware then Photoshop has a feature they call “Stamp” that produces the same results. And ACDSee has a similar thing.

I encourage creators to give this method a try and show their undiagrammed models.

[Daydreamer]

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[zxop9]

i made a topic a while ago on computer diagraming, but i found i could hand draw them much faster! although my drawing is very sloppy i prefer hand drawing, and i like folding from hand drawn diagrams as much as computer, unless the lines are very dull on the handrawn one and you have trouble seeing them. i don't like folding from photo diagrams because the more complex steps get very confusing, and i hate video diagrams just because the precreasing is hard to do and camera angle isn't always good for the fold being shown

[angrydemon]

Photo diagrams have a lot of flaws. There tend to be some shadows all over the paper which makes it hard to see the details. Also, it's practically impossible to show intermediate steps since you need to hold the paper with your hands. Hand drawn or computer made diagrams are the easiest to follow and definitely the best, even though they're harder to make.

[d_music_master]

I personally prefer to hand draw my diagrams..... because I can't afford all those computer programs and such..

[notefolds]

Thanks for the links Daydreamer, but none of those topics address my question of what method do people like to use.

[angrydemon]

Then you should have added a poll...

[notefolds]

True Angrydemon, but whenever I make a poll I invariably forget to add a choice. So I'll just let people write whatever they want.

Personally, I prefer photographs. I think the level of detail that can be shown in a photograph is far greater than a drawing. Second would be video only because the video sharing sites (like YouTube and Metacafe) have low resolutions so detail is harder to see.

[Drgn]

I prefer computer generated diagrams over pretty much all the other options.
The majority of the hand-drawn ones I've seen are very sloppy and sometimes hard to make out.
Photograph diagrams are nice (I've only used one before) but they usually don't have any symbols about what part of the paper you're completing a certain fold on, so it may get confusing.
Youtube videos are okay, and I'd say great for beginners because that's how I first started, but I wouldn't suggest it if you're making complex models. Many times the folder will unknowingly block a crucial fold with their fingers or hand and you end up a bit lost.
So overall, I'd say clean, precise computer diagrams

[origami_8]

I can second that, clean, precise computer drawn diagrams are my favourite instructions to fold from.

The reason why: I can print them and take them with me wherever I go.
Photo diagrams often aren't as clear and missing out some things. On drawn diagrams you can show hidden layers, what isn't possible on photos or videos. I don't like video instructions at all. Sure they are great to explain a single move but I think I would get frustrated when trying to fold a more complex model from them. They are very long winded because you need to show very clearly what to do, otherwise everyone will get lost on the way. Photo diagrams need a lot of space and in print (especially black and white) a lot of details get lost. Hand drawn diagrams would be a possible alternative, but most of the ones I know are drawn very fast and the additional text isn't readable. I know of such diagrams where abbreviations are used that aren't explained anywhere, just because the drawer was too lazy to write the full words, on some of them I haven't found out what they are for until now.

[dragon man]

I agree with origami_8 on all points the best diagrams are computer drawn

[notefolds]

Very good points origami8! It got me thinking. What about a mix of computer drawn and photographs? Take a photograph of a step, then use a computer to put the traditional arrows and lines on top of the fold. I'll try to produce an example of what I mean.

[origamimasterjared]

Drawn diagrams are the best we have in use at the moment. The big thing is the ability to show hidden layers as well as to not have all the interfering details from photos. I personally think video is terrible. Stop-motion video can work because at least you don't have to deal with people's hands.

As far as hand-drawn vs. computer-drawn, computer- are usually better, because having to redraw the same thing over again is just the worst, so people tend to get lazy.

And photos with arrows look really bad.

[notefolds]

A lot of people seem to dislike video. What if someone were to produce a video that use computer drawn visuals, thus being able to show hidden layers, details, etc.?