Do It Yourself

 

 

 

 

 

 

In order to achieve the most accuracy and precise details when folding, you must follow certain rules and take advantage of techniques.

 
  Ten Commandments of Origami:
  1. Choose suitable paper and cut to required form and size.
  2. Fold paper cleanly and carefully, especially at the small points of corners.
  3. Work on a hard surface, so that all folds and creases can be executed with exactness.
  4. Exactness is achieved by moving thumbnail sharply along all folds and creases. All subsequent steps are then made easier.
  5. The greater the exactness of a fold, the more beautiful the finished work.
  6. Follow each step carefully in the sequence given.
  7. Do NOT eliminate or skip a step. While folding, it is useful to remember the last completed step and think ahead to the one that follows.
  8. Pay attention to all instructions, i.e. direction of the folding, how a form is to be folded together, if it is a fold or crease to be opened up again, etc.
  9. If Origami is new to you, get the experience by practicing the basic forms. It is fun to discover how  so many different figures are created out of specific basic forms.
  10. To gain the most enjoyment from your effort follow all instructions and hints exactly and do your folds and creases carefully and cleanly.

 

 

Be sure to use paper that folds easily and will crease without ripping or tearing. The style of paper will not matter, but if you do not have access to authentic origami paper, gift wrap paper is recommended.    

Many directions to create a figure will instruct you to begin with a “basic form.” They are all the basic folding patterns that are the basis of your figure. Without them, the designs must repeat their first several steps with every set of instructions.

 
 

Basic Form I

 
  1. Starting shape: a square piece of paper. 2. Crease diagonally on dashed line. 3. Fold outer 2 corners so that they meet at the middle crease.
   

Basic Form II
  1. Crease a square piece of paper on dashed lines. 2. Fold left and right edges to meet on the midline. 3. Fold upper and lower edges to meet on horizontal  midline and unfold again.
  4. On dashed lines... 5. ...crease, by folding left corner right and right corner left. 6. Lift lower edges and pull up and out...
   

 

 7. ...and fold to meet horizontal midline. 8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with the top. 9. This is Basic Form II.
  Basic Form III

 
  1. Begin with  a square piece of paper. 2. Fold diagonally. 3. Fold left and right corners down on dashed lines.
  4. This is Basic Form III.        
   

Basic Form IV

 
  1. A square piece of paper is creased twice and the corners... 2. ...are folded towards the middle. 3. This is Basic Form IV.
   

Basic Form V

 
  1. Crease a square piece of paper along dashed lines... 2. ...in order to create the necessary creases. 3. Fold the paper in half.
  4. With fold at top, pull right side... 5. ...fold open... 6. ...push down in the middle...
  7. ...press triangle down... 8. ...fold left portion of triangle to the right. 9. Turn over and repeat steps 4-8 with the left portion of form.
  10. This is Basic Form V.        
  Basic Form VI

 
  1. Crease on dashed lines. 2. Fold diagonally. 3. Pull up right half of triangle...
  4. ...open and... 5. ...flatten down the diamond shape. 6. Fold left half of the diamond...
  7. ...to the right. 8. Repeat steps 3-7 on the left half of triangle. 9. This is Basic Form VI.
  Basic Form VII

 
  1. Begin with Basic Form VI, open corners pointing down. On dashed lines... 2. ...fold right and left lower edge of top wing towards midline. On horizontal dashed line... 3. ...fold top point down.
  4. Unfold last three folds. 5. Open up top wing at the bottom point... 6. ...and pull upwards as far as possible.
  7. Press left and right corner so that the edges meet on the midline and form a diamond. 8. Press down fold. Turn form over. Repeat steps 2-7. 9. This is Basic Form VII
   

Basic Form VIII

 
    1. A square piece of paper is creased twice diagonally. On dashed lines fold both lower edges... 2. ...so that they meet at the midline. On midline... 3. ...fold upper edges so that they meet at the vertical midline.
  4. Fold form together at the horizontal midline. 5. Unfold steps 3 and 4. Lift corner A... 6. ...up...
  7. ...then pull down and flatten. 8. Repeat with corner B. Flatten folds. This is Basic Form VIII.    
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