Posts Tagged ‘how to do origami’

Benefits of Origami

Saturday, September 5th, 2009

Origami began in China and Japan hundreds of years ago. It is an activity that has proven to be quite useful in various situations. Origami is an activity that costs very little, but offers individuals a number of benefits. Here is a concept that requires creativity and imagination. Folding paper may not seem educational but in reality origami has been proven to improve reading and writing skills. It’s also an activity that works on processing skills. In order to complete an origami project, an individual must first of all read and understand the instructions. They are then required to process the information they’ve gathered from the written material before beginning the folding steps. Once the project begins there is a need for logical reasoning as the person thinks about each fold and the following steps. Origami requires concentration and teaches people about sequencing.

Sequencing is part of the mathematical side of origami. This activity is used to work on individual’s mathematical skills. Through the various origami designs and patterns, people are able to work with geometry and also learn about problem solving. In origami individuals work with measurements, fractions and symmetry. These are great concepts to practice, particularly in the classroom. For this reason origami is often used by teachers to demonstrate various mathematical concepts.

There are numerous benefits of origami. Another great asset of taking part in this activity is the development of fine motor skills. Many people use origami to help them get both hands working well together. Some individuals, especially those who suffer from disabling conditions, have problems with their motor skills. Origami is a great way to improve these skills that are necessary for daily living.

The art of origami has been shown to help children and adults alike with essential issues such as self-confidence and social skills. Being able to complete an elaborate origami project allows the individual to feel proud and to experience the feeling of success. Realizing they were capable of finishing an origami composition, based on a set of written instructions is a huge accomplishment for some people. This procedure may be responsible for encouraging individuals to break out of their shell and become involved in group activities.

A good memory is needed for origami. Being demanded to recall specific sequences will help a person develop their ability to memorize details. Not only is their memory an important aspect of origami but it’s also essential for the individual to be attentive. In order to complete the perfect project a person must pay attention to what they are doing. Paying attention and concentrating demands patience. Origami is not an activity for the impatient individual. To achieve the intended result several attempts may need to be made. Without patience the repetitive steps and continuous attempts may become too much to handle.

Origami may be an inexpensive hobby or teaching tool, but it does require certain qualities in a person. As a teaching tool it can be used to work on these qualities. As a hobby origami can be used to challenge the individual and help them develop other skills.

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Basic Origami Folds, Terms & Techniques

Saturday, September 5th, 2009
Red and White Origami Columbine

Red and White Origami Columbine

As with any other craft origami has its own terms and techniques. Here are some basic horizontal and vertical folds. It is very important to keep all your folds crisp and clean.

The Book – fold a piece of paper (rectangular or square) down the middle vertically making certain the opposite edges line up one on top of the other. For many origami figures you will need to add another book figure – open the paper and make another fold across the middle horizontally again, making sure the edges lie one on top of the other. If you don’t open the book before making the second fold you end up with the handkerchief fold which gives you a small square with four layers of paper one on top of the other.

The Cupboard – using a square piece of paper make the book fold then open the paper and take each outside edge and fold it to the center line. By bringing each edge over to the next line you will end up making even more equal vertical strips.

The Fan – with either a square or rectangular piece of paper fold a Cupboard. Open the Cupboard; three valley folds (downward angles) divide the Cupboard into four equal sized strips. Turn the figure over; fold the edges onto the outer lines making two mountain folds. Turn the figure over and refold the Cupboard. Turn the Cupboard over once again and fold the edges into the middle line resulting in two mountain folds (upward angles). Fold up the figure and you have made an eight fold fan with alternating mountain and valley folds, also called an accordion fold.

The Lattice – make a Cupboard from a square piece of paper. Open the Cupboard and repeat the procedure folding in a horizontal direction. Open the paper and you have the Lattice. It is 16 equal sized squares used to make boxes, houses and simple animal bodies.

The Shawl – Make a diagonal fold down the middle of a square piece of paper making sure your edges and corners lay on top of each other. If you need a second diagonal fold open the sheet of paper completely before starting the second fold to get a more exact line.

The Envelope – using a square piece of paper make diagonal folds down the center in both directions. Open the paper and bring each corner up to the middle.

The Picture Frame - First make the Envelope. Open the envelope; turn each corner up to the outer diagonal line. Now fold the four corners inward and you have a picture frame.

Heaven and Hell – Fold an Envelope. Turn the Envelope over and fold each corner up into the center again. Turn the figure over and you will see pockets on the other side. Open these pockets. This figure was dubbed Heaven and Hell because it was usually made on red and blue paper. This particular fold can be used for making simple hand puppets and animal heads.

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Origami As A Hobby

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

Are you looking for a new and interesting hobby? Have you tried crafts such as knitting, cross-stitching, building model cars or paint-by-number? Are you finding your current hobby isn’t challenging you or perhaps it’s too expensive to continue? There are many reasons people decide to choose a new hobby. One enjoyable and inexpensive hobby to consider is origami. Origami is an ancient idea that began in the early 1600’s. This activity began in either China or Japan. The exact location is still unknown. However Japan is recognized for its highly developed origami art. What originally began as a pastime has been transformed into a form of art that is admired by many.
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Origami involves making a given number of  folds and creases in a single piece of paper. This can be achieved in basic origami projects such as a paper airplane or demonstrated in complex origami projects such as spaceships. How deeply involved in origami as a hobby an individual would like to become depends totally on their interest. Origami as a hobby can be time-consuming if a person gets into the advanced forms of the art.

Origami can begin as a hobby but turn into an obsession. Some people get so involved in their projects and developing their origami skills. Once they begin to design their own origami compositions, people find themselves entering contests and competitions to showcase their work. Going beyond the point of using origami as a hobby can put a person in the category of a serious origami artist. This is great if that is what the individual wants and enjoys.
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When a person chooses origami as a hobby, they are choosing an activity with plenty of hidden benefits. Unknown to them perhaps, they are choosing to develop skills in awareness, concentration, patience and creativity. This is a great hobby for children to be involved it. It helps them develop reading and writing skills, teaches them about sequencing, as well as teaching them to concentrate, be patient, be attentive and use their imagination. Because children tend to change their minds quite often, choosing origami as a hobby is a smart choice since it is relatively inexpensive. If the child tries it for awhile and decides they don’t like it, there is no big concern about the initial investment for materials. To get a child started with origami, using plain computer paper would be a good idea. Until you are certain it is something they’d like to continue, perhaps you should stick with using inexpensive paper.

If you think you’d like to try origami as a hobby, consider the inexpensive resources below to get you started:

*The Only Origami Video How To Course Online.
Easy Origami Videos is a step by step digital video instruction manual of how to fold all the most popular Origami designs, specifically constructed to let you learn each of the folds in the quickest and easiest way possible.
No fluffing around, no Origami theory, just one fold at a time to producing paper designs that you’ll be proud to show off. And the best part…It’s shot as though it’s you are looking down at your own hands!
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* Make Origami Paper Fighter Planes That Look Like The Real Deal. Discover The Secrets To Making Origami Fighter Planes. Models Include Rq4 Global Hawk, F14 Tomcat And Aurora.
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