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.