About Origami
- Origami butterflies were mentioned in a 1680 Japanese love poem
There are several theories about the origins of origami. According to Hatori Koshiro, one of the foremost modern origami designers, origami probably developed from the ceremonial folds that were made in official certificates in ancient Japan. Hatori traces the earliest written reference to origami in Japan to a poem written in 1680 A.D., and notes that ceremonial folding was included in the traditional manners of the samurai class. Koshiro also notes that European paper folding was developing at the same time and makes the point that historically, traditional origami cannot be considered strictly a Japanese art. In fact, he notes that the German kindergarten movement contributed a great deal to the development of modern origami art in Japan, while Western origami has adopted principles of traditional Japanese paper-folding art. Thus, he contends that origami was born and developed as a cultural exchange between the East and the West, a hybrid of Japanese and European traditions. - Simple origami crafts are often used to teach children about mathematics.
In traditional Japanese culture, origami referred to the ceremonial folding of paper certificates. Over time, the folding of paper developed into an art form of its own. There is a long tradition of folded paper patterns that are handed down along the generations, often with each new designer adding specific twists and embellishments. The art of paper folding has a specific significance in education. When Friedrich Froebel founded the first kindergarten in the mid-1800s, his educational plans and theories included paper folding as a way to teach children basic concepts of mathematics and symmetry. When Imperial Japan reopened its borders to trade, these basic folding techniques found their way back to Japan where they were adopted into the traditional educational model. While many Western schools have abandoned some of the traditional lessons on paper folding as part of basic learning, the Japanese have retained those models in their traditional kindergarten and primary school curriculum. - An example of modular origami
While most people think of origami as the art of folding a single, square sheet of paper into a design, there are actually many different types and styles of origami. Here's an overview of the major types with a simple definition for each:
Traditional (or Classical) origami uses square paper and symmetrical folds. The origami models are generally not attributed to a particular designer, but are traditional designs handed down over the generations. In Japan, origami folders sometimes cut or tore the paper to achieve certain designs. Western folding typically doesn't employ cutting.
Neo-Classical origami expanded on classical origami to allow for more intricate designs. Some neo-classical forms use more than one sheet of paper to increase the number of points that can be folded.
Modern origami moves away from the symmetrical shapes and folds traditionally employed in origami bases and models. It may start with rectangular or round paper, or include more than one sheet of paper. The aim is to create a more "artistic" design. Modern origami techniques may also include wet-folding and molding to achieve curves and other shapes in the design.
Hyper-Modern origami is an emerging art form that emphasizes the aesthetic. The ultimate aim is a unique work of art. It often employs computer programs to determine fold lines and includes careful selection of paper or pre-coloring of paper to achieve certain effects.
Modular origami is a distinct origami form that uses pre-folded shapes that are interconnected to create other shapes. - Origami cranes are a symbol of peace and prosperity
Origami is increasingly seen as a form of art therapy and education. The use of origami in education has its roots in the German kindergarten system, but has expanded far beyond that. The proponents of teaching origami design in school point out that origami teaches the principle of sequencing, on which much other learning is based. Children learn that steps must be followed in a certain sequence in order to create the desired shape. It also teaches spatial and mathematical principles of symmetry, and helps children begin to recognize geometric shapes. In addition, there are those who believe that origami is inherently a stress-reducing activity. They claim that the very act of folding and transforming a flat piece of paper into an artistic shape engages the mind and relaxes the body. The tradition of folding 1000 paper cranes, for instance, is an applied use of origami as a meditation technique. - Paper crane folded from UK 10-pound note
In addition to the folding pattern and the finished shape, one of the most important features of a piece of origami artwork is the paper from which it is folded. Craft stores often sell many varieties of paper that is designed specifically for folding into origami designs. The papers are generally square and available in several sizes. They may be solid colors or printed and in some cases they are pre-printed with a pattern that is part of the finished design. However, origami can be done with any kind of paper. There is even sub-classes of origami that are folded using tissue paper and textiles and one of the most popular forms of origami features origami designs folded out of paper currency from various countries. - Partial folding diagram for a cherry blossom origami model
In the world of origami art, there are two "classes" of practitioners--designers and folders. The designers create models that can be recreated by others. Thus one of the features of origami art is that the original model can be replicated by following a folding pattern. Traditionally, origami models are illustrated as folding diagrams, which show the folding sequence for creating the model step by step. Starting in the 1970s, origami modelers began using crease patterns to represent their work. Crease patterns are a diagram of the unfolded paper without the accompanying step-by-step diagrams. Robert J. Lang, an American physicist who is also a leading origami theorist, nearly always accompanies photos of his origami artwork with a "crease pattern," a practice that is becoming more popular in the origami art world.
