What book should I choose?

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94JED
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What book should I choose?

Post by 94JED »

My Dad's going to the U.S. and told me to choose any origami book I want. Since it's an oportunity that isn't going to happen often, I want to make it worth it. The only thing that I have to consider is that it can be bought in Amazon.
I'm pretty much lost. I was thinking about Origami Design Secrets by Robert J. Lang since it will help me if i want to create a model. I also could ask for about 2 books that are a bit less expencive...
But that's it I don't know what to ask for!!!
So please help me in deciding what to choose, I don't know if I'll be able to get another chance like this...
gugulu
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Post by gugulu »

Hi,
I recommend you "The complete book of origami" by Robert J. Lang. I recommend it to you because i've got it. There are 37 models in it (with diagrams). The models could be with introductory folds or really advanced folds. And it's not expensive - 12.95 USD :)
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ahudson
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Post by ahudson »

"The Complete book of origami" really isn't a good book to choose. It was published 20 years ago, and origami's come a looong way since then. It's also published by Dover, which makes really weak books-- my copy's falling apart and I've only had it for three years.

Some books you might want to think about
* Origami Art, by Micheal LaFosse
* Advnaced Origami, by Micheal LaFosse
* Origami to Astonish and Amuse, by Jeremy Shafer
* Genuine Origami, by Jun Maekawa

All of these are very good for beginning designers. The first two have lots of tips for folding well and presenting your work as art; and the second two have lots of ideas about design techniques and subject choice.

Oh, and they also have lots of good diagrams :-P
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Oruhito
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Post by Oruhito »

Couldn't have said it better myself ahudson! Go with that advice!
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origami_8
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Post by origami_8 »

Origami to Astonish an Amuse by Jeremy Shafer definitely is a must, there isn't any other Origami book I enjoyed so much.
94JED
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Post by 94JED »

Thanks for the advice! Until now I haven't decided what to choose, but I now in wich direction to go.
Another thing is that I don't have a very wide selection of papers over here, I've only got a very big sized copy paper, kraft paper (wich I think that is very hard to fold any thing because it breaks easily), and my last option is emmmmm "papel manteca". It's very thin, big, and resistant, but it's hard to shape the final model. This worries me that I buy a book full of wonderfull models that I can´t make them reach there full potential because I don't have Elephant something something...
And just to know, how usefull are the hints of the scales and the patterns of the "Origami Design Secrets", I mean, in creating a model, how usefull is it?
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Post by HankSimon »

As far as paper, where are you located ? Other folks in your area may be able to make suggestions. Plus you can buy paper from a number of places via mail order.

Also, depending on how long and where your father will be in the US, you might contact Michael Lafosse at Origamido.com for some of the best Origami paper available. If he doesn't answer email, you might telephone him directly.

- Hank Simon
94JED
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Post by 94JED »

Well, I live in Córdoba Argentina. And like you say to buy paper by via e-mail, I don't own a credit card my self or my mum. So only my dad can buy stuff with the credit card, and I only see him with luck twice a year.
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ahudson
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Post by ahudson »

ODS is mostly about design techniques like boxpleating and tree theory. Genuine Origami is about design styles. Origami to Astonish and Amuse is about working with unusual subjects; and Micheal LaFosse's books are about presentation of a design.

So, which one you want to buy depends on which area you think you need more work on!
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Sushy
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Post by Sushy »

If you decided to go with Origami Design Secrets you can't do anything wrong. It describes from the very start in detail how to design and to understand crease patterns. Like the tiling or circle packing to box pleating (I think there are about 400 pages of describing the way of desiging, the remaining pages are left for the diagrams). Besides, it has some very beautiful designs in it like the Bull Moose or the Black Forst Cuckoo Clock. However, it's more expensive than the others that were mentioned.
gordigami
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What book should I choose?

Post by gordigami »

There are some excellent suggestions already listed, especially Michael Lafosse's Advanced Origami.
You can't go wrong with Robert Lang's Origami Design Secrets, with the caveat that this is more of a reference from which you will need to study off and on for quite some time. It's challenging , but will help you grow.
Michael Lafosse's Advanced Origami, or Roman Diaz's Origami para Interpretes would be great as 2nd & 3rd choice.
Genuine Origami by Jun Maekawa, Works of Seiji Nishikawa, Lang & Weiss Origami Zoo are also excellent choices.
May I wish success to all who cope with the mountains & valleys of Life,
with all its peaks & depths, as well as Origami .
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