Vases using curved folds

Inside the golden yellow vase

Vases using curved folds

For this year's Japan Habba, I decided to choose curved folds as my theme. It has been on my to-do list for sometime to create vases and other objects using pleating, based on a tutorial provided by Rebecca Gieseking.

My version of the Daruma Doll

The beauty of this method is that you can choose any form or profile that you want to create. Then you draw the profile on a piece of graph paper,  do the calculations required to achieve the form, and then transfer the calculations and the resulting curved folds to your large sheet of paper.

Usually it helps to score the paper when you are doing curved folds, so I use some object with a sharp tip. Of course, make sure that it is not too sharp, or it will cut through the paper!

Here are a couple of models I created using this method, including this 'Daruma' doll.

Golden Yellow Vase

Wine Goblet

But the one that was most appreciated at the Japan Habba was this wine goblet.Even I admit that this one came out nicely!

Here are some more examples of curved folds and the amazing variety of shapes one can create using them.

Huffman Tower

Concentric Circles with a hole hut at the center, allowing the paper to take a variety of amazing shapes

Spherical Origami nº14 – Jun Mitani

Origami Owls

Owls

Of late, I have been trying to fold different kinds of Owls. There is a large variety of Origami Owl designs, and here is a subset of them.

Owl by Beth Johnson

Diagram at http://bethorigami.wordpress.com/art/designs/owl-copy/
Paper: handmade, 20x20xcm


The feathers are obtained by simple pleating in two directions at one corner, and the 3D shape is obtained by folding locks on the inside.

Hex Owl by Beth Johnson

Diagram at http://bethorigami.wordpress.com/art/designs/hex_owl-2/
Difficulty: High.

Similar to the previous one, this is folded from a hexagonal grid. The feathers are made by repeating a tessellation. One needs a large sheet to do these cleanly.


Owl by Davor Vinko

This is a more complicated design, with well designed locks to keep the model in shape. There are variations, such as the open winged model seen at the top.

Diagrams: Multiple crease patterns available here and here, and there is a video as well.







More Owls

There are a lot more of Origami owls out there. You can find some on Flickr, Squidoo, and other places.