Stegosaurus (Design by John Montroll)

This particular model has been on my to-do list for quite a while, now. It is from the book – Prehistoric Origami: Dinosaurs and Other Creatures, by John Montroll. It is one of the 2 models demarcated as ‘very complex’ by the author, in this book. I started folding this model during the Thanksgiving holidays but never got around to finishing it until now.

It is a very challenging design especially with the level of detail incorporated. John Montroll’s book clearly depicts the steps in the folding process and makes it easy to follow. One thing is for sure though, that this model should not be attempted by a beginner in origami. It will do well to have some experience in folding intermediate models prior to folding such a model.

Paper to use:
I have used a 9 inch square sheet of single side colored origami paper. i found it pretty flexible and easy to fold the steps detailed for this model. Another option you can try out is tissue foil or simple foil paper which you might get in the local stores.

How to fold the Stegosaurus:

In case you do not have Jon Montroll’s book with you, you can refer to Sara Adams’ helpful 3-part instructional video detailing the folding process. She has explained the steps really well and has also given a few tips in between on folding. Her pre-creases are somewhat different (in the beginning) as compared to the book, but I definitely prefer her folds at the beginning, because it does not require a lot of creases

But it does not really matter whether you follow the initial steps from the book or from her video; the end result is the same. Only the method of pre-creasing differs – that too only a teeny weeny bit.

I struggled a lot with the head and tail bit for some reason even though I found the rest of the model pretty much alright to fold. I found out I mixed up the folds for the head and tail section and therefore had to redo most of it. But overall I am pretty pleased with my first fold of this model.

Origami Pegasus (Design by J. Anibal Voyer)

This is my first attempt at one of J. Anibal Voyer’s models and I was really worried that it would end up looking like a lump of paper in the end.

I found this one really complex to fold and I would recommend this model to people who have considerable experience in folding. Most of the folds are really tricky and it takes a bit of time to get around to completing it.

Paper to use:
For this particular model, I used tissue foil paper which I had prepared recently. So my Pegasus ends up being red in color You can also try using mulberry paper or other such kind.

I folded this model from a square sheet of paper measuring approx 10 inches in size. I used tissue paper on both sides of the foil for this. It is advisable to start from a decently large sized sheet of paper to avoid running into trouble with the intricate folds.

How to Fold:

I found a detailed diagram for Voyer’s Pegasus through the Origami Database. However, certain steps are quite complicated in that, so I started to hunt for instructional videos on YouTube.com; I was lucky enough to find a good instructional video series.

YouTube.com Instructional Videos: Part I; Part II; Part III; Part IV; Part V

If you end up like me…irritated and ready to crumple your half finished model into a paper ball, when you reach step 53 in the diagram, stop! Take a deep breath….and take a look at this other video which details out that ‘oh! so irritating’ step 53.

I hope you find this instructional video series clear to follow. You can use it as a guide to the diagram which is available.

Have a good week ahead!

Dragon in Flight (Design by Charles Esseltine)

Dragon in Flight (Design by Charles Esseltine)

This weekend, I thought I’d try making homemade tissue foil paper for a change. Along with this, I thought I’d give Charles Esseltine’s Dragon In Flight a try, too. This particular dragon design is something which has been on my ‘To Do’ list for quite sometime, but the intricate folds in certain steps always got me thinking twice. This time however, I thought I’d give it a shot, for sure. I first started with making tissue foil in order to fold the dragon. This was done using the common kitchen aluminium foil and tissue paper which you get in your local gift stores which is used for gift wrapping.

How to make Tissue foil:

Sara Adams, once again has recorded a great video on this paper making process. It is very easy to follow and most of the items required can be bought from your usual hardware store or craft shop. I myself used liquid glue used for common crafts and to spread the glue around the foil, I used a cotton ball; and these worked out fine for me.

You can view the YouTube video here – Making Tissue Foil

The most tricky part is placing the tissue paper over the foil (after spreading the glue) so as to not have any “air bubbles” between the layers. I did have to ‘undo’ some portions of the tissue foil and re-stick them. All in all, it takes a bit of patience in sticking the sheets and you got to be careful. My final tissue foil did have some air bubbles between the layers, but I used the final sheet anyway!

How to fold the ‘Dragon In Flight’:

I used a square sheet of tissue foil paper measuring approx 12 inches in size. This was prepared with red tissue on both sides of the foil. I had come across this Dragon in Flight PDF diagram sometime ago and had included it in my Diagrams list which I have updated recently. Do take a peek at that page.

I also found this YouTube instructional video which shows how to fold this dragon. Its pretty easy to follow and if you use the PDF diagram along with this video, it becomes quite easy.

Chocobo, the Yellow bird (Design by Satoshi Kamiya)

It all started when I couldn’t make up my mind as to which origami model I should fold this weekend…this ignorance made me ask my fiance to choose. Needless to say, he ended up choosing this particular model from none other than Satoshi Kamiya! So, I decided to give it a shot.

This is a high-intermediate model and from the book “Works of Satoshi Kamiya 1995-2003”, by the master himself – Satoshi Kamiya. Yes, I finally managed to fold something from his book and which didn’t end up as a crumpled ball of paper in the wastebasket.

I was going through the steps in the book quite earnestly to understand each of them and the folds to watch out for. I then came across 2 videos on youtube.com, which made it easier to follow / visualize the tricky steps. Let me remind you at this stage, that these videos on YouTube do not depict details all of the 80 steps in the book but demonstrate the main folds, only. So, you basically need the book in order to fold the intricate folds and to enhance the look of your very own Chocobo.

Now, this model is also known as the ‘Yellow bird’ and the book says that Kamiya’s inspiration for this model is actually the Chocobo from the Final Fantasy series (of video games).

Kind of paper to use & size:

I used a large origami paper, which was singe-side colored, square and 9” in size. The book has a recommended paper size of 15×15cms. You should also be aware that the final model is about 60% of the size of the paper used. If you are using a single side colored paper, then you need to start off with the white or blank side facing you.

How to fold Chocobo:

A YouTube contributor – Tadashimori – has put together videos on how to fold Satoshi Kamiya’s Yellow bird or Chocobo. This is a 2-part video and only shows the main steps or folds to complete the model. The steps, which are not shown, are the ones, which enhance the model, and even if you fold this model by just following these 2 videos, you will still be able to fold a cute little Chocobo. For the detailed steps, you would need to follow the book itself.

Folds to watch out for:
The part I found to be very tricky was the feet of the bird. There are open sinks to be incorporated along with numerous reverse folds. The paper used for this model also plays an important role. The thicker the paper you choose, the more difficult it is going to be to fold. The rest of the steps are reasonably easy to follow, knowing that Satoshi Kamiya has a penchant for over complex and intricate models.

Origami One-Horned Dragon

I have been looking out for a slightly complex dragon for quite sometime, now. I didn’t want something which is highly complex and tricky either. I have found a perfect one horned dragon design (perfect for me that is) YouTube.com. It is an intermediate model and incorporates, sinks, rabbit ears and crimps in the folds. It looks pretty neat once completed and I found it quite easy to fold, too.

I have used Origami Paper by Tuttle Publishing – Origami Paper Animal Prints 8 1/4 – for this model; which comes in Animal prints, printed on both sides, of 8 1/4″ in size.

This model took me around 20 minutes to half an hour to fold and this includes putting the finishing touches on it, like seeing that the feet and wings are aligned, etc. One can make a bigger dragon (of the same design) by using a larger sized paper. Even if you have A4 size paper, you can cut it down into a square and use it.

How to Fold a One-Horned Dragon:
YouTube.com is again the source for this design. There are 5 really short videos (not longer than 3 mins each) which you would need to follow in order to fold this dragon. The contributor has explained the steps clearly and has even provided folding tips on the trickier parts in the video! I am sure you will find these really easy to follow….

How to fold a One-Horned Dragon – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5