![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
Goal: Learn six new origami designs on one week.
Outcome: Success!
So. I learned a few new origami designs. And then I posted a video about it.
The Challenge
My dad taught me how to make a flapping crane using the program sheet at church, and I've been wasting paper during long meetings and lectures ever since. Every once in a while I'll learn a new design, but it's infrequent and they often don't stick. So the challenge was to find six new origami designs, make them multiple times to perfect and memorize the steps, and then make them on camera to prove I could do it. I tried to keep things relatively simple - the designs I picked are all intermediate at best - but they had to be things I thought were worth making. For anyone interested, here's a little more information on each of the designs I learned.
Lily
This attractive design has a lot of steps but it's pretty straight-forward. Lots of people seem to square off the petals in this design, but I say nay! Curl the ends for extra flare.
Instructions
Water Bomb
Ah, the classic water bomb. Known for it's cubiness. Come to think of it, I've never actually tried filling one of these with water. Does that actually work?
Instructions
Flower Stem
Universal flower stem. Very simple and functional. Compatible with any of the many flower designs that include an opening in the bottom, such as the tulip. I used the same size paper for both stem and flower, but if you opt for more realistic proprtions, use a larger square for the stem.
(Instructions below)
Tulip
There's plenty of super simple floral designs, and really beautiful but complicated ones. This tulip design really hits a sweet spot though - rather simple instructions for an adorable 3-D flower. That's not to say I had an easy time mastering this one - the first four times I made this I kept forgetting to flip the folds (step 4) and couldn't figure out what was wrong.
Tulip and Leaf Instructions
Jumping Frog
Not only does this design actually jump (as demonstrated), but it's also very cute. Turns out there are multiple simplified versions of this guy, but I like the detail on this one the best. It's not difficult to make, but it uses a lot of steps I've yet to encounter in another design, so it's was hard to memorize (don't tell anyone but I actually had to stop and look up a step in the middle of filming).
The Video
Shooting the video was a challenge, since on my first attempt my camera lost power and turned off 2 minutes in, and I didn't notice till I was done folding. The second attempt got the whole thing, but I have to admit my camera angle could have been better. Live and learn. I made some minor edits (though I tried to hide them) both for length, and to cut out long sections where I'd picked up the paper and nothing was really happening on camera (due to the low angle).
As I mentioned, I did actually have to stop and look up the instructions for the frog in the middle of filming. I blame stage fright. Close enough, so I'm calling it good. Looking forward to my next long meeting that includes handouts.
Music used in the video is "Total Breakdown" by Brad Sucks, from his latest album Out of It. Used under Creative Commons, making the above video also a Creative Commons work. If you're not sure what Creative Commons is you should totally read up on it. You should also read up on Brad Sucks since he's a pretty cool dude.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Outcome: Success!
So. I learned a few new origami designs. And then I posted a video about it.
The Challenge
My dad taught me how to make a flapping crane using the program sheet at church, and I've been wasting paper during long meetings and lectures ever since. Every once in a while I'll learn a new design, but it's infrequent and they often don't stick. So the challenge was to find six new origami designs, make them multiple times to perfect and memorize the steps, and then make them on camera to prove I could do it. I tried to keep things relatively simple - the designs I picked are all intermediate at best - but they had to be things I thought were worth making. For anyone interested, here's a little more information on each of the designs I learned.
Lily
This attractive design has a lot of steps but it's pretty straight-forward. Lots of people seem to square off the petals in this design, but I say nay! Curl the ends for extra flare.
Instructions
Water Bomb
Ah, the classic water bomb. Known for it's cubiness. Come to think of it, I've never actually tried filling one of these with water. Does that actually work?
Instructions
Flower Stem
Universal flower stem. Very simple and functional. Compatible with any of the many flower designs that include an opening in the bottom, such as the tulip. I used the same size paper for both stem and flower, but if you opt for more realistic proprtions, use a larger square for the stem.
(Instructions below)
Tulip
There's plenty of super simple floral designs, and really beautiful but complicated ones. This tulip design really hits a sweet spot though - rather simple instructions for an adorable 3-D flower. That's not to say I had an easy time mastering this one - the first four times I made this I kept forgetting to flip the folds (step 4) and couldn't figure out what was wrong.
Tulip and Leaf Instructions
Jumping Frog
Not only does this design actually jump (as demonstrated), but it's also very cute. Turns out there are multiple simplified versions of this guy, but I like the detail on this one the best. It's not difficult to make, but it uses a lot of steps I've yet to encounter in another design, so it's was hard to memorize (don't tell anyone but I actually had to stop and look up a step in the middle of filming).
Instructions
Lotus Flower
I saw this design immediately wanted to try it. The instructions are deceptively simple, but first attempts were... less than successful. Not only do you have to fold the paper in on itself multiple times, there are a few paper bending steps that take practice. Good paper is key - I recommend starting with a larger square on thinner, but sturdy paper. Avoid anything thicker than printer paper or anything that tears easily. Once you get the hang of it, it's a quick design that's fun to make and turns out rather impressive.
Lotus Flower
I saw this design immediately wanted to try it. The instructions are deceptively simple, but first attempts were... less than successful. Not only do you have to fold the paper in on itself multiple times, there are a few paper bending steps that take practice. Good paper is key - I recommend starting with a larger square on thinner, but sturdy paper. Avoid anything thicker than printer paper or anything that tears easily. Once you get the hang of it, it's a quick design that's fun to make and turns out rather impressive.
The Video
Shooting the video was a challenge, since on my first attempt my camera lost power and turned off 2 minutes in, and I didn't notice till I was done folding. The second attempt got the whole thing, but I have to admit my camera angle could have been better. Live and learn. I made some minor edits (though I tried to hide them) both for length, and to cut out long sections where I'd picked up the paper and nothing was really happening on camera (due to the low angle).
As I mentioned, I did actually have to stop and look up the instructions for the frog in the middle of filming. I blame stage fright. Close enough, so I'm calling it good. Looking forward to my next long meeting that includes handouts.
Music used in the video is "Total Breakdown" by Brad Sucks, from his latest album Out of It. Used under Creative Commons, making the above video also a Creative Commons work. If you're not sure what Creative Commons is you should totally read up on it. You should also read up on Brad Sucks since he's a pretty cool dude.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
3 comments | Leave a comment
