Miguel Costa
"A serious and good philosophical work could be written consisting entirely of jokes."
Fidget Origami
Fold for good
Why origami?
Practical
Social
Accessible
Makes you feel good!
Useful
Why origami?
- only requires rectangular of paper (almost) any size works
- no extras: glue, scissors
- use leftovers: old documents, magazines, pamphlets
- applicable anywhere, anytime
- recyclable
Practical
Zero setup - whatever, whenever, wherever
Why origami?
Accessible
-
flexible difficulty
- lots of easy & simple models
-
rich in resources
- video - youtube & pinterest
- websites
- books
- various types of diagrams
for all ages, tastes, and learning curves
Why origami?
- noise distracting
- stress reliever - biting nails, twirling hair
- particular uses
- boxes
- toys & games
- decoration
- educational
Useful
The Ikea Effect
Makes you feel like you're not wasting time
Why origami?
Educational
- Arithmetics (whole/fractional units, division)
- Geometry (lines, 2d and 3d shapes)
- Creativity
- Pattern matching and procedures
- like a recipe or a computer program
- Manual skills, Arts
- good alternative to sculpting, drawing
- Assembly
- Cognitive stuff
manipulation facilitates the abstraction and symbolization and can help demotivated students to find new interest, it allows students to recover, maintain and reinforce their manual skills, something which is overlooked and devalued in school education
Why origami?
Social
-
teach & play
- ex.: fold origami frogs and do a race
-
build together
- variations
- "modular origami" (+1 piece)
Relax together!
-
-
friendly communities
- facebook groups
- dedicated communities
Why origami?
Not just me
the journey is more worth it than the end result, like LEGO! -- me
Fun to build
Why origami?
Origami is a practice where precision helps (and we aim at precision) but perfection is impossible -- Cliff Landesman, citing someone else
Folding basics
Terminology & Tips
- (un)fold
- crease
- flip
Origami is all about
FOLDING
But there's no need to perfect it!
- between 2 points
- joining 2 lines or points
- to the outside or inside (mountain/valley)
Folding is making lines
Technical names come later...
Terminology & Tips
- Not too big (about 10cm)
- Comfortable in hands
- any paper thickness works
- but carton and card are too thick!
Paper size and thickness
Is NOT (too) important!
- any rectangular paper works
- can be cut by hand
- make many pieces out of one
Cutting Paper
Square -> A4
(rare)
Making Squares
Beginner Models
Simple, fast and fun
Fox Box
- Easy
- toy (dice), decoration
- modular - 3 pieces
- variation: a "wallet"
- Diagrama
- Vídeo
Pig (3 pieces)
Dropping Spinner
- Easy
- toy
Crow Beak
- Easy
- toy
Penguin "Pete"
- Easy
- Interactive
- Story
Shuriken
- 2 pieces
- square paper
- fun
Twirling Bird
- easy
- square paper
- fun
source: My first origami
Samurai Hat
- Easy
- toy (dress dolls), decoration, useful (bookmark)
- variants:
- source: Japan Lover
Spinning top (?)
- modular: 6 pieces
- toy (?), decoration
- source
Crane (Easier version)
- square paper
Crane (Flapping Wings)
- square paper
- variations:
- traditional (square top)
- card holder (useful)
- this one
- toy
Toys and Tools
Fun and useful
Yakko - Samurai Servant
- Puppet
- New technique: the blintz
https://origamiusa.org/thefold/article/complete-blintz-part-1-yakko
Flower Bookmark
- Bookmark
- Somewhat intermediate
Fortune Teller
Rabbit Finger Puppet
Jumping Frog
- half-square paper (2:1)
- somewhat intermediate
Top Spinner
- modular - 3 piece
- square paper
- fun
- intermediate/somewhat advanced
Top Spinner (alt.)
- modular - 3 piece
- square paper
- fun
- intermediate/somewhat advanced
- source: https://www.pinterest.pt/pin/321374123418273728/
Top Spinner (Leyla Torres)
- modular (3 piece)
- via Origami Spirits
Beak/Snapper
- A4 paper
- beginner
- source: Origami Instructions
Culumbus Cube
- modular - 6 pieces per cube
- square paper
- fun, stackable
- intermediate/somewhat advanced
- variation - regular cube
Sumo Wrestler
- 2-player
- video
Jet Fighter (modular)
Modular Models
Assemble containers and kusudama
Shapeshifting Shuriken
- 8 pieces
- square paper
- fun
Box with lid
- modular/buildable - 8 pieces
- square paper
- 2 basic variations (lid)
- easy
- useful
Accordion case
- modular
- variation
- wheel
- useful to pack
- fold in thirds
Shuriken Ring
Spike Kusudama
Star (3D)
- Modular: 5 pieces
Sonobe unit solids
- modular/buildable
- 3/6/12/30 pieces
- square paper
- +2 basic variations (lid)
- long, but accessible
Five-piece star (thick)
- 5 pieces
- decoration
- square paper
- short, accessible
Theme Models
For events and special occasions
Clapping Santa
- two-colored paper
- toy
- Video
St. Valentine's
and other heart-themed festivities (?)
Theme Models
Heart envelope
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/how-to-make-an-origami-dollar-heart-4125708
Beating heart
Two-sided Heart
- half-square paper (2:1)
- two-colored paper
- Video
Balloon Heart
Heart with 4-heart wreath
Heart with bow
Heart Marker (pointy)
Animals
mostly cranes
Theme Models
Grullantina
- crane
- video
Rabbit
- 2-piece
Pig
- Maybe slightly more complex?
Tips
to learn and relax
- use paper with different sides (or paint a side)
- thickness: in-between
- make squared from used paper
- don't overemphasize precision
- watch videos from different sources
Recommended Resources
- Leyla Torres - intermediate
- My First Origami
- My Pinterest page on origami
Inspiration
Fidget Origami
By Miguel Costa
Fidget Origami
An origami enthusiast shares his thoughts on how origami can be used as a stress reliever.
