Swan (Design by Hoàng Tiến Quyết)

This is one design which has been lying unfinished on my table for quite some time. I had trouble on one particular step in the folding process and just couldn’t get past that step.

Luckily for me (and a lot of other folders, as well) Tadashi Mori who is well known for his instructional videos on various designs by different Origami Artists, has created a very detailed and helpful instructional video on H.T.Quyet’s Swan.

Paper to use:

This model requires shaping, so care should be taken as to not to use very thick paper. My rendition is in Tant paper which is duo colored in white. The paper shape to start with is a triangle – and the size of the paper I started out with is approximately 14.5 inches (hypotenuse), and 10.25 inches for the other 2 sides.

How to fold H.T.Quyet’s Origami Swan:

The diagrams to this model can be found in Origami Tanteidan #16 which you can buy from Nicolas Terry’s online origami shop. The folding sequence consists of 35 steps and this instructional video explains each and every step in details providing a lot of references when folding. This makes it easier to complete folding the model, too.

You can also check out the instructional video by Tadashi Mori which you can view below:

Butterfly Bookmark (Design by Grzegorz Bubniak)

My better half is practically a bookworm and much to my irritation will end up folding the pages within the book so that he remembers where he left it off. I hate this habit of his, which made me hunt for creative bookmarks for him to use.

This is an incredibly pretty bookmark and is not so difficult to fold. Grzegorz Bubniak has generously provided the diagrams to this design on his website, too. It is also published in Polish Origami Bulletin # 1.

Paper to use:

Ideally this design is best folded with duo colored paper i.e. colored differently on either sides. However, single side colored paper will also work even though it might not give an all that great effect. You can select a paper – Kraft, Kami or even some pretty patterned wrapping paper – measuring approx 6 inches or more. The size of the paper you start with really depends on the size of the final model you wish you have. A 6 inch square will end up being a 4.5 inch model in the end, measured across.

Butterfly Bookmark (Design by Grzegorz Bubniak)

How to fold this design:

Grzegorz Bubniak has shared the diagrams on his website. If you see the picture of the completed model there, you will notice that he has used duo-colored Kraft paper colored in gold and crimson which looks really elegant.

Buho / Owl (Design by Román Díaz)

I was in the mood of folding something with color changes involved and since I had the brown and yellow duo-colored paper (Kami) still available in the pack, I decided to go back to the books and pick out a design from there.

Román Díaz’s Owl is really pretty to look at once completed and is not all that complicated to fold, either. In his book – #3 Origami Essence – he mentions that a paper size of 30 cms is required and the model should be wet folded. I for one did not wet fold my rendition simply because I chose to fold mine with Kami paper instead of the suggested tant.

Paper to use:
I think you should be able to fold this model with paper slightly less than 30 cms, too. But for the effect, it should be duo colored / white on one side. You can also use unryu and tant paper combination for this model and then wet fold it at the end. Its a level 3 model as per his book – on the order of complexity.

This model is 3D by nature, so towards the end of the folding sequence, it will not lie flat on the surface. There are crimps, rabbit ears and shaping involved in the folding process. It is a great design to fold, as with all of Román Díaz’s designs.

The diagrams to this model are only available in Román Díaz’s book #3 Origami Essence and it is well worth buying especially if you enjoy folding animals. There are models which are simple to fold within the book as well as complex, so pretty much, it has something for everyone.

Penguin (Design by Eric Joisel)

With great sadness the Origami world came to know of Eric Joisel’s passing away on October 10th, 2010.

Monsieur Eric Joisel was known for his intricate depiction of figures from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, his dwarf, mermaid, the cute little rat which almost all of us have folded, and a variety of other great models which he designed and folded over many many years. This is excerpt of his biography from his website:

Eric Joisel was born on November 15, 1956. He passed away from lung cancer on October 10, 2010 surrounded by his family and close friends.

Eric began drawing and sculpting when he was seventeen years-old. He started creating origami in 1983 and four years later, had his first exhibit in the Espace Japon Paris. Eric became a professional origami artist in 1992.

He had the magic touch of transforming paper into magnificent designs which he breathed life into through expressions and life like features. His work such as the characters from Commedia dell’Arte (which literally translated means ‘Comedy of Art’) are based on figures depicting the deadly sins (Laziness, Lust, Anger, Vanity and Pride)and are truly one piece wonders along with his work – Musicians – which depict his technique of sculpting, and curved creases.

Penguin (Design by Eric Joisel)

His other works include the Barbarians – which are models based on Box-Pleating and are highly complex along with his older work such as the famous Gnome, Seahorse, Horse Head, African Mask, Colombine with a Rose, and much more.

Eric Joisel does not have any of his diagrams published but a few of them have made their way to Tanteidan Convention Books such as the Rat, Yellow Fish and Aberdeen in the Origami 10th Convention book, and his diagrams for the Cat and the Dwarf (only the base, though) in the Origami 13th Convention Book.

This great Origami artist was also a part of the documentary – Between the Folds – which chronicles the stories of 10 fine artists and intrepid theoretical scientists along with their great work. A brief interview of him and catalog of his work can be viewed in this video snippet below:

Outtakes from Jamie Kelley on Vimeo.

Those who have had the privilege of meeting and talking to him have mentioned that Eric Joisel had a great sense of humor and was known for his quick wit. Nick Robinson has penned a beautiful tribute to this great man which you can read here.

Folding Eric Joisel’s Penguin:
I decided to fold Eric Joisel’s 3D Penguin as a way to pay my respect to this great artist. Paper the World – which is a project dedicated to spreading simple origami of models that focus on endangered animal species – has shared this very detailed instructional video on folding Eric Joisel’s Penguin. This video shows Joseph Wu explaining the folding process. You will also find the link to the PDF diagram on the same page, in case you prefer following diagrams instead of instructional videos.

Do visit Eric Joisel’s website which has been recently revamped to pay your respects and browse through his magnificent work.

Farewell Monsieur Eric Joisel, you will be missed greatly…

Swallow (Design by Sipho Mabona)

This is a design by Sipho Mabona who is well known for his ‘inflatable’ Fugu. The CP for this model (with the belly closed) is available on his website for people to refer to and fold. However, since I am absolutely pathetic at CPs, I gave a go at the Photo diagram, which Grizzlyman uploaded on the Origami Forum. I find diagrams easier to understand.

This photo diagram based model, however, is an earlier / old version of Sipho Mabona’s Swallow – in the sense that it has its belly ‘open’. The look of it, otherwise, it is pretty much the same as compared to his newer model. There are no known diagrams or publications of his work and these crease patterns (which he publishes on his site) remain the only way he shares his work. Grizzlyman attended an Origami Convention in Germany in 2009, in which Sipho Mabona taught this model and with practice, he was able to replicate the design.

Paper to use:
You can opt to use any kind of paper, which will fold easily and not tear – Kraft, Kami, Tant or even Tissue foil. The size of the paper should ideally not be less than 6 inches and if it is your first fold, begin with a square sheet of paper measuring 8 inches. Any of these papers will ‘hold’ the folds and the shape and it is up to you to figure out your favorite paper for this model. The paper chosen should be duo colored at best, since there is no color change involved in this model.

How to fold the Swallow:
Grizzlyman has created and uploaded a 50-photo (step) photo diagram meant to explain the steps in folding Sipho Mabona’s Swallow. It is very helpful and he has also provided captions for each of the images in order to better explain the step(s).

CP for Sipho Mabona’s closed belly version of the Swallow

For the swallow I folded, I made use of Kami paper measuring 8 inches in size (square). I didn’t refer to the CP but instead made use of grizzlyman’s detailed photo diagram. I wet-folded the model to give it a bit of shape, but as you probably know, Kami is not very good for wet-folding or shaping.