Convention 2023 Class Descriptions/Advisories

Fold a version of the traditional crane from two $1 bills; then fold a version of the traditional Lily from two more $1 bills.

These are two action models, made from letter-size paper. When the sides of the Elephant's head are brought together, she curls her trunk; when the sides of the Baboon's head are brought together, he furrows his brow and yaps.

This Brontosaurus is formed from only simple valley and mountain folds, following the Pureland origami definition championed by the late John Smith. There are some unusual reference points, elevating this folding sequence to a "low intermediate" level designation. Diagrams for this can be found in the book Prehistoric Origami:

https://origamiusa.org/catalog/products/prehistoric-origami

A single square of larger kami is recommended (10"/25cm). With more practice you can use smaller sheets.

Learn to fold a tessellation with both open and closed hexagon and triangle twists, folded one twist at a time without precreasing. Criss Crossed is higher in conceptual complexity than in folding complexity and demonstrates a unique way to apply symmetry points to an alternating-hexagons-and-triangles-structure tessellation.

While tessellations follow strict symmetry rules, there are many choice points along the way to a finished design.
This lecture will be an elaboration and demonstration of the party trick of getting people's input to fold a tessellation that I described in the spring 2023 issue of The Paper.

This design is loosely based on the iconic Fender Stratocaster guitar. There is plenty of asymmetry to keep the folding sequence interesting and a few swivel folds to give this an "intermediate" level designation. Diagrams for this can be found in the book Origami Fun and Games:

https://origamiusa.org/catalog/products/origami-fun-and-games

A single square of larger kami is recommended (10"/25cm). With more practice you can use smaller sheets. Foil paper can be a fun choice for a metallic look.

This is a simple action model which has been described (fairly accurately) as "the origami equivalent of popping bubble-wrap". The model is very simple to fold - only valleys and mountains. Beyond the folding, the assembly is straightforward and easy to grasp, but will require accurate folding to ensure that the resulting strips to make the assembly easy - hence the LI rating. That said there are a few cheats available on the assembly side should they be needed. Please be very assured that the resulting model is WELL worth the effort!

This is Jun Mitani's "egg-wrapping" idea , modified to give larger top area for more detailed look of flowers.
Attendees will score two kinds of crease lines; straight and curved portion.
A straight edge is used to score the former, and the latter will be done "Free Hand".
No prior experience with curved folding required !
Attendees can have a preview of the class referring to the following web site prepared for 2022 convention.
http://www.takayaiwamoto.com/origami_note/newyork/2022_class.html#class-1

Folding this stylized Fossil will exercise your squash folding skills. Even with all the color changed patterns, there are no wrap around folds. This model has an "intermediate" level designation. Diagrams for this can be found in the book Prehistoric Origami:

https://origamiusa.org/catalog/products/prehistoric-origami-0

A single square of larger kami is recommended (10"/25cm). With more practice you can use smaller sheets.

A one piece octagonal box by Robin Glynn, apparently inspired by my own Octagonal bowl. This is an (as yet) unpublished model, and contains nothing more complicated than some squash folds. With careful folding it is possible to fold this such that there will be no creases on the bottom of the box.

It's a bit early, but let's start practicing a model for Halloween! This is a variation of Nobuko's Puff Ring (https://origamiusa.org/thefold/article/nobukos-puff-ring-and-3-d-variations ). The assembly is the same as the original Puff Ring. How to convert the Puff Ring units into a pumpkin, a tomb stone, a cat and a bat will be shown in the class.

This flower is folded from a pentagon. We will be cutting out a pentagon from square paper during the class.

This is a fun rabbit intended as a napkin holder, messenger carrier, or Easter egg container.
If you have folded the origami crane, you have the necessary skills to fold this rabbit.

There are two ways to look at twists:
- Where should the pleats go relative to the center of the twist?
- Where should the center of the twist go relative to these particular pleats?

These different perspectives let you see different options and I call them the designing and the folding perspective, respectively.

Using these perspectives we can see that different sizes of square twists create a line that extends to those same sizes on the opposite side of the page.
We also see a zone around that line where properties of two different sizes of square twist can be hybridized together.
In box pleating terms this creates a level shifter and in tessellations it moves the pleats around in unusual ways, affording different symmetry styles that can be codified as design equations.

This lecture is a preview of the paper I'll be presenting at the Bridges conference in July 2023.

This fish is formed from the classic Fish Base, however the way the flaps are used is nontraditional. There are some outside reverse folds, squash folds and unusual reference points giving this model an " intermediate" level designation. Diagrams for this can be found in the book Origami by the Sea:

https://origamiusa.org/catalog/products/origami-sea

A single square of larger kami is recommended (10"/25cm). With more practice you can use smaller sheets. Of course, be sure to have red/white paper on hand for the classic color scheme.

Bring your kami paper and join us to have fun folding this little spider

Made from a strip of paper. It is simple enough but there are several steps in the folding that are tricky. I hope to ease you over these steps so you can be successful.

During the COVID lockdowns, Paul returned to creating origami models, designing more than 100 in a frenetic burst of creativity. He will be teaching 4-7 of them, as time permits.

A fun and fierce-looking angler fish. This model features natural color change and a fun folding sequence. Attending this class will also give you exclusive access to the diagrams.

We will use the ancient art of Japanese paper folding (origami) to discover and prove the properties of a square by using origami paper (which is always a square), pencils and markers. We will make three models and the properties of a square will be written on one of the finished origami models.

Join the Battlemage class to get hands-on experience in folding and shaping fantasy-human models. This model features a smooth folding sequence and can balance on its own if folded precisely. This class will require paper larger than 25cm for the best results. Tissue foil will also allow this model to be completed without wet-shaping.

This container from one sheet looks like a flower in a vase and can be used as a box for a small gift or candy. We will learn the box and several variations for the petals.

Origami pegasus folded from a blintzed preliminary base. It is best folded from at least a 10 inch square. The most complex folds in this model are double rabbit ears for the legs.

This is an evergreen tree that can be decorated with a lucky star for Christmas or can be enjoyed as is. The folding process is fun and the way to inflate it is surprising. If you have ever folded a waterbomb, you have the skills needed to make this tree.

Lecture on designing and folding beautiful 3-D geometric shapes out of a single sheet of paper.

An exploration of many of the possibilities of Mitsunobu Sonobe's famous module. No experience necessary, but those already familiar with Sonobe Modules can find something new. Literally dozens of models are presented, and the workshop format allows each student to learn the one(s) they like. Good for those looking for an introduction to modular origami as well as those who want more of a challenge. Models made from 1 to 60 modules will be shown. Construction ranges from low intermediate up to challenging. The basic module and some variations will be shown.

We will take 30 pieces of two sided paper and fold them into a beautiful Star ball.

This 13-sided, hat-shaped polygon is the first known example of an “einstein,” a single shape that can be tiled to cover a plane with a pattern that never repeats. The word means one stone in German.
This origami version is folded from a single square piece of paper. You can start to play with the tiling puzzle once you have completed several identical pieces. See issue 76, The Fold, OrigamiUSA for the detail.

Follow along my multi-year journey in achieving pieced origami tessellations using laser cutting. From concept to final product, we will discuss the challenges I experienced:
• determining the final project size
• learning to make laser cut files
• paper size and the challenges it brings
• paper type and the final look
• helper creases: yay or nay
• precision, precision, precision
• strategies for clean overlapping
• bringing it all together
There will be no specific hands-on instruction. No folding experience is required; however, I will be discussing technological topics to include vector drawing, file types, laser technology, paper types, and some material science. It will be useful to have basic experience with drawing programs and vocabulary for using computers.

This witch is very efficient and flat, making it an excellent choice for Halloween cards and decorations. There are some outside reverse folds, squash folds and unusual reference points giving this model a "high intermediate" level designation. Diagrams for this can be found in the book Origami Dress Up:

https://origamiusa.org/catalog/products/origami-dress

A single square of larger kami is recommended (10"/25cm). With more practice you can use smaller sheets.