3D Origami - (Tips + Stories)

3D origami can refer to any type of origami that is 3D but more commonly refers to the form of modular origami that involves making small triangles which can be slotted together. Each triangle has 2 'legs' and two 'slots' the legs fit into the slots and can be done so in different ways to produce different shapes. It has to be folded from a piece of paper with the same ratio as an A4 piece of paper, although is often made using much smaller pieces that simply follow the same ratio.

Generally the best use of 3D Origami is for its variety in colors. You can make each triangle out of a different color if you want to so the diversity of color is often great. The model above shows the most famous form of 3D origami, the swan. It involves anywhere between 300 and 500 of the little triangles. It is probably the most simple form of the 3D origami models but because of the nature of the triangles, much more elaborate figures can be created, such as the ones below:

This is a very time consuming form of origami, although it is possible to be creative with it. It isn't limited to the geometric folds of traditional origami. This modern form allows the artist to choose how they want to put the pieces together. It is like a jigsaw with any combinations of being completed. It can take hours to make all the triangles for a model so before attempting this, make all the triangles patiently. Perhaps getting a friend to help is best. I would recommend making the pieces using 1/32 of an A4 piece of paper. There are plenty of videos on Youtube for how to make the triangles hopefully I will post how to make one soon. 

How To Make An Origami Box and Lid - (Tutorial)

The origami box or Masu Box is a simple piece of origami which is purposeful as well as fun to make. It comes in three parts, a box, a lid and a divider. In this post I will show you how to make the box and the lid because they are very similar. Basically, the lid is made to be slightly larger but not as tall, meaning it slides nicely on top of the box.

How To Make An Origami Box - Video

To make the box you have to first make a blintz base. This involves folding both horizontals and then folding all of the corners to the point where the lines bisect. Now you have to fold all the edges into the center. Now unfold this. Now unfold two opposite corner folds and then fold the other edges back into the center. When bringing up the corner folds again, you should create an edge of the box. Bring the edge over the top and press down on both sides to create the box.

How To Make An Origami Box Lid - Video

To make the lid, follow the instructions on the video above. The only difference being is when you have to fold the edges into the center, don't fold them into the center but just outside the center.

The way that the box is made means that the the lid is slightly larger and will fit over the box nicely. The box can be used for various purposes. 

Types Of Origami Paper - (Tips + Stories)

There are many types of paper, but it doesn't really matter what type of paper you use but if you want the best looking models here are some tips on which ones are best.

Thin and Crisp

You want your paper to be thin and crisp for the easiest folding. Thick photocopyer paper is hard to fold and maneuver. When your paper is thin you can make all sorts of different shapes with it.

Kami

Kami paper is the easiest origami paper to find, and also the cheapest. Kami is also known as Koi,and is the most basic type of paper. The pattern is usually only printed on one side. These pattern can range from being solid block patterns to being complicated designs.

It can be found cheaply on amazon here:

Paper-Backed foil

This medium is a slightly more expensive, flashier origami paper.Foil paper is composed of a thin layer of foil adhered to an extremely thin sheet of paper. The most common colours are silver and gold, but any color is possible in foil paper including bright pink, blue and copper. In many multi-colour packs, one sheet each of silver and gold paper is included. These are usually placed on the bottom end of the string if used in a thousand origami cranes.

Washi

Washi is an hand-made paper I wouldn't recommend it because it is very thick. Washi is a long-fibred paper but is also very soft.Printed washi has a uniquely shiny, uneven and occasionally transparent texture. In origami it is not as commonly used as kami paper.

In our videos we use different types of paper, but ultimately you can use whichever type is most readily available to you!

Although, most models require square paper, which is what most origami paper is sold as, some models use the A4 paper size (such as the turban). These models are often tricky to make with the thicker paper as they make small objects from large pieces of paper, making the folding often untidy and difficult.