Exercise 3.4

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I looked through the three options and decided to go for option three: paper folding, just because it was something I hadn’t done before, it was out of my comfort zone, and I thought it sounded the most hands on creative.

Option 3 Paper folding

Develop a set of three characters in 3D form using paper folding.

either use traditional origami techniques, or investigate more contemporary paper toys, or make up your own form of origami.

Once you have made the characters, record, reflect on your results in your log.

What did you find the most challenging?

Is this a technique with which you have used before?

Would you attempt this again and if so would you change your approach?

So I started this exercise off by moving forward from the last research exercise and looking into You Tube videos of Shin Tanaka and Haruki Nakamura, on how they make there paper toys to see if this was the route I wanted to go down, or to stick with traditional origami.

I decided to stick with traditional origami as the paper toys that Tanaka and Nakamura make are made from templates, and all you had to do was cut them out and fold them along the lines. I thought it would be better to learn to fold and make the characters myself.

I found some tutorials on You Tube and Pinterest which you could follow along with either on video on written on paper, so I had a go at a few of these.

I had to find some thick-ish paper but not too thick, and thin enough to be able to fold and bend slightly. For most of the design it said a square of 21cm x 21cm sq was the most average size for origami work.

I found this paper pad in my craft stash and luckily enough it was just under 21cm squared so it would work perfectly, I also like the textures and colours in the patterns.

The first origami character I was going to attempt was a bird, so I chose this piece of paper as it had nice markings and a feathery look to it.

I then followed the written instructions and managed to make the bird, although the paper was a little bit too thick, it still worked out ok.

I added with a marker pen his eye.

The paper has a nice sheen to it so it glimmers in the light, which I think makes a nice touch.

I then started on a mouse design, this looked super cute, but unfortunately because most of the folds were fairly small the card was too thick, so it wouldn’t work after a certain point! I tried with paper, but that was too thin it didn’t stay up, so that one will have to be a no!

I then went on to find another written design, this time for a little Chinese lady, I chose another sheet out of the pad, I thought this would connect all the characters if they were in similar colours and designs.

This is her body:-

Then I folded her head, but the sizing was too big! it was enormous, I got the ratios wrong.

So I started again with a smaller square of paper, I used a contrast piece for this, and you had to add the face in pen, so I went for something plain, to add the detail to later.

This head turned out much better, I added eyes, and face, as well as a bow in the hair, and cut two bits out of the fringe, so it identified more as hair.

I was pleased how this design turned out, it was fairly easy to fold and the head was simple yet effective, I like the texture and paint effects on the body, which looks like a kimono, and like the fact that the head is plain to add the details.

I then moved onto a more complicated design, to go out of my comfort zone I was trying to make more things I don’t like, like dragons!

The step by step written instructions were hard to follow, and I’m still not sure it’s completely correct, but it looks like the example.

This is the dragon at the first stage of completion, I then added the eyes and pulled out the wings more to make it move, I stuck the feet to the floor so it could move without falling over.

These are the three design I created grouped together, I stuck the bird to the wall, and the dragon to the floor so they could be seen well.

Reflection

What did you find the most challenging?

I found that I probably didn’t have the right paper for origami folding, I had thicker card or really thin paper, I could have done with something in-between, or specialist origami paper.

So of the folds were so small, that the thicker paper couldn’t bend that much, the thinner paper had a tendency to tear.

The written directions were clear to follow, but especially in the dragon design, it was complicated, and sometimes you had to turn the design around for the next step which wasn’t written down.

Is this a technique you have worked with before?

I did some basic origami at school over 20 years ago, so I don’t remember much about it. But I’m familiar with the process.

Would you attempt this again and if so would you change your approach?

I would attempt this again, I like the little Chinese lady’s that I made, and thought these would be cute gifts for friends and family.

I would definitely invest in some better paper, maybe even some specialist origami paper, I think if I pursued this more it would be worth getting the right equipment for it to work well.

Conclusion

Overall I found this exercise an enjoyable experience, I like the three design I made and think all three could become good characters for illustrations and books. I like picking textures, paints and colours in the paper that worked well with the three designs to bring them together.

I enjoyed researching the different ways you can do origami, but I still like the traditional way the best, I think using your hands and getting creative is the best bit about it.