Origami Week 27
13 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
Swirl Bird, Ladybug, Bulldog, Partition, Owl
This week was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed most of the projects and I found them really satisfying.
Project 1is what the calendar called a Super Swirl Bird. I don’t know what the hell that’s supposed to mean, but I enjoyed the project. I haven’t been impressed thus far with most of the flying projects and this one exceeded expectations because it actually managed to fly. And it really does swirl to the ground so even that name is accurate. I’ll definitely make the project in the future.
Project 2 is a ladybug and my least favorite project of the week. It felt a bit rudimentary and cutesy for this stage in the year and I thought it didn’t fit in with the other challenging and interesting projects this week.
Project 3 is a bulldog that I didn’t actually complete correctly. There was supposed to be a part at the bottom that would give the dog a chin. Somewhere in my folding, I messed up and making that part wasn’t possible. Usually I would fold the project again and again until I finally got it to work, but I really didn’t see the point this time. The dog looked fine just as it was and I actually thought it made the dog look cute rather than mean. Plus, remaking it over and over again until I got it right would have sucked the fun out of the project and at the end of the day, fun is what this project it all about.
Project 4 is what the calendar called a partition. It’s sort of an odd figure, but I actually really love it. I suppose it appeals to my sense of symmetry and three dimensional figures. It doesn’t really serve a purpose, but that’s what I like about it. It’s just a pretty figure and that’s nice to examine.
Project 5 is an owl and is made up of two parts. Both parts were relatively easy to make and I quite like the finished product. However, I’m not over the moon about it and though I like the level of difficulty, the end result sort of bores me.
Great week. I liked most of the projects because they were sort of challenging and visually interesting. And the pretty blue of the paper certainly doesn’t hurt.
Origami Week 26
02 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
Bear, Butterfly, Bird, Decorative Leaf, Cone
Project 1 is a bear head. I liked the project and I think it turned out quite nicely. Usually trying to make a three-dimensional origami that gets its shape from various folds is like my kryptonite, but it actually looks pretty convincing. My only problem is the difficulty of keeping the bear’s shape. I had to tape the bottom to keep the head from flattening and since I’m never a fan of steps that seem like cheating, I’m not so pleased that I had to use tape to really finish the project.
Project 2 is a butterfly that I found really disappointing. After all the other delicate and pretty butterflies I’ve made for the calendar, this one seemed awfully plain. It’s certainly not the most visually interesting butterfly I’ve made and what’s more, the directions weren’t the easiest to follow. The back of the project looks horrendous and I’m not even sure I did it correctly.
Project 3 is a bird. It’s a weird looking figure that’s for sure. It almost looks like a Halloween skull or something, definitely a little too creepy for my tastes. That said, it was one of the few projects this week that actually looks nice so I don’t hate it.
Project 4 is some type of leaf and as strange as it may look in the picture, I guarantee it actually looks almost exactly like the diagram. The project is supposed to decorative, but considering how hard it was to make, I doubt anyone would ever seriously integrate it into decorations after struggling to make even one.
Project 5 is a cone that’s I’m supposed to use as some sort of candy holder during my Independence Day parties. I actually like the idea a lot. I would probably be more interested in using it for something like popcorn, but this is one of the few projects I think would be really cool to use at a party. Granted, I would probably regret that decorating decision after making like five, but I still really like the idea.
Not my favorite week, but there were definitely some interesting projects. Even then, I really love this new shade of blue, so how could I not enjoy myself?
Origami Week 25
22 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
Pendant, His-and-Her Shirts, Dog in Dog House, Kangaroo, Kite
Project 1 is a Pendant and I think it’s really interesting. It serves no purpose except to look nice and I always origami for origami’s sake. It was easy to make and really looks quite sharp. Though I would have liked a project that was more themed for the first day of summer, I can’t complain.
Project 2 is a pair of His-and-Her Shirts and I think it’s a cute idea. I think there may have been some flaws in the directions because I had to improvise some folds to make the project resemble the diagram, but it turned out nicely even if the position of the shirts is completely off.
Project 3 is a dog in a dog house and it is definitely my favorite project of the week. I’m a dog person so any project involving a dog automatically wins me over. However, the fact that the project was easy to make and also looks pretty cute really made it memorable.
Project 4 is a kangaroo and though I was initially excited about the project, I was a bit disappointed with the result. It looks great for sure, but I think the paws are the problem. They look good in the picture, but they are a little week in reality. The way they’re attached is a little flimsy and I could see them ripping straight off given even the slightest measure of stress. Furthermore, I was a little confused with the directions and I had to make the project twice to get it right.
Project 5 is supposed to be a kite and the reason it looks like a formless blob of paper with some weird attachment sticking out if it is because that’s exactly what happened here. I hate many things about this project so allow me to enumerate them. First of all, I don’t understand how the pink section is actually supposed fit into the main body of the kite. I had to improvise a way to put it on there for the picture and even then I still don’t think it’s a very interesting project. Second, I go back to my usual complaint with projects that are supposed to serve some sort of larger purpose. Here the point is to make a kite and, presumably, attempt to use it. While I like kites, I don’t see why I would need to make one. It’s a fun idea, but buying paper strong enough not to rip in the wind and all the extra accoutrements needed to really convert the project into a kite just seem like a lot of hassle that would destroy the fun.
Overall, strange week. I didn’t really understand the relationship amongst the project and more importantly, I didn’t find them very fun.
Origami Week 24
18 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
Turtle, Eagle, Flipping Horse, Seal, Crown
Project 1 is a turtle and while I don’t like it as much as the first turtle I made, I appreciate the effort. It certainly isn’t the best origami I’ve ever folded, but I don’t hate it. It looks like a turtle although I’m not quite convinced I would be able to guess that if I didn’t already know. But I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. It was a little difficult to fold and once again the directions were slightly off, but it turned out nicely so I won’t complain.
Project 2 is an eagle and my favorite project of the week. I was worried while looking at the diagram that it would look cheap and pathetic when I was finished. However, I actually think it looks pretty convincing, even without an eye drawn on. I think it has a sort of art deco look to it that I like.
Project 3 is flipping horse and I actually like the end result more than I thought I would. A regular horse has been part of my standard origami arsenal for a while now so it was nice to make something that I basically already knew how to make with just a few minor modifications—like folding the feed and not folding the nose. Plus, it is rather fun to flip.
Project 4 is a seal. I like the project well enough though I do wish they had found a way to incorporate a ball on the end of its nose like the diagram shows. Now that would have been cool.
Project 5 is a crown and while I understand the Father’s Day tie in for the weekend project, it’s kind of lame. I mean, look at that thing. It sucks. What a let down after making an eagle.
Overall, good week with some fun projects. Hope next week is still just as fun.
Origami Week 23
12 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
Monitor Lizard, Roadrunner, Sunglasses, Happy/Mad Dragon, Big Gulper
Project 1 is a monitor lizard and while the picture above doesn’t quite do it justice, it’s a great looking project. It’s minimalist and it was easy to make.
Project 2 is a roadrunner that does sort of look like the bird, but I’d like to think of it as a velociraptor. Doesn’t it seem much cooler that way? And it’s even a nice green dinosaur color. My only complaint is that the figure doesn’t stand as well as I would like.
Project 3 is pair of cheap sunglasses and I love them. They’re my favorite project because the were fun and easy to make and they really do look cool. I would almost wear those.
Project 4 is a happy/mad dragon. I know it looks pretty simple, but what the picture doesn’t convey is that the project yields a two-sided figure. Then you’re supposed to draw a happy face on one side and a mad face on the other. It’s a simple project to be sure, but the concept of having a fully emotive dragon in one project is great.
Project 5 was two-parts and I quite like it. It’s supposed to be what the calendar calls a Big Gulper. I initially thought it would be really difficult to make, but it was surprisingly simple and still produced a cool figure. It even stands pretty well which is always important for me.
Overall, I really liked this week. I can’t ask for much more than fun, interesting projects. See you next week!
Origami Week 22
04 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
Lily, Coaster 1, Coaster 2, Paloma, Dragonfly
Project 1 is a lily and while it’s a nice design I have two major problems with it. First of all, it looks very similar to the iris I made a few weeks ago. I mentioned last week that I don’t see the point of doing projects that are only slight variations upon each other and this is another perfect example of that. My second problem is with the fact that unlike the iris, this lily involves cutting little stamen out of a separate piece of paper. As I’ve expressed before, I’m not so hot on projects that involve adding little superfluous details from other pieces of paper. Not only is that cheating, I don’t think it adds any significant interest to the project. The iris was made from one piece of paper and it still looked great. This lily lacks that simplicity.
Projects 2 and 3 are coasters and while they are visually interesting, I also have two problems with both. First is my usual complaint with projects that attempt to serve some purpose. I like my origami superfluous and pretty, not useful. That takes the fun out of it for me. My second complaint goes back to the whole repetition problem. Though the coasters may look very different in the picture, they aren’t. In fact, only a few folds separate them. If I were to fold the green triangles down on the first design, I would get the second. The projects are different enough visually to not make this too annoying, but really, coasters? Why?
Project 4 is supposedly a paloma, which I assume is some type of bird judging by the look of it. While I don’t know what a paloma is, I do like the project.
Project 5 is a dragon fly and it was by far the most frustrating project of the week. For those of you who’ve had a lot of origami experience, you may be aware that there is no worse obstacle to finishing a project than a faulty diagram. Making sure your version matches the diagram is often the best way to figure out if you’re doing something right and when that diagram is wrong, it’s a huge, frustrating problem. The problem here was with the wings. You can see near the tail, that the paper is folded over on the back wings. The diagram has the fold on the underside of the wings. Now maybe I’m just being stupid, but after numerous attempts, I’ve decided it’s impossible to fold the wings like that. So my only guess is that the diagram is wrong or the directions skipped a step. I know some of you are working on the calendar along with me so if you have any suggestions, I would appreciate it. However, despite the flaw, I really love the end result. It’s simple and actually has a sort of minimalist elegance to it. Sure I had to cut the wings, but since that aided the look of the project, I didn’t mind making them.
Overall, not a bad week. Certainly better than last week, but once again, I hope there’s more variety to come.
Origami Week 21
04 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
Gecko Head, Spiked Box, Parrot, Box, Elephant
Project 1 is a gecko head and I found the project perfectly adequate. It looks like a gecko and it was easy to make. No complaints, but no strong feelings about it either.
Project 2 is a spiked box that has a really cool design and would actually make a really cool candy dish or something like that. I know the idea of me using one of these projects for some cutesy party favor is against everything I’ve ever said, but who knows, maybe the calendar is starting to get to me.
Project 3 is a parrot and I’m a little disappointed by it. It looks almost exactly like the toucan I made in Week 10 except for one or two extra folds. That just doesn’t sit well with me. The whole point of the project is to learn cool new origami projects each day. Obviously complete originality is impossible. There are only so many birds and animals out there, but I’d rather have no project at all than a repeat.
Project 4 is also a box, but I think I prefer the design of Project 2. Where Project 2 is more decorative and interesting, this project is simply a boring, regular box. So unlike Project 2, I don’t even see a possible use for it.
Project 5 is an elephant and in case you can’t tell by the fact that it’s different colors (I knew using the paper at a different pace than directed would come back to bite me), it was a two-day project. I was originally very excited, but the end result was very disappointing. The body came out just fine and though you can’t see them in the picture, the toes are very convincing. The real problem is the elephant’s head. It’s far too large for the body, which is why you can’t see the body in the picture. Yes, real elephants have big heads, but the head is so large that it doesn’t stay on top of the origami elephant’s body. Moreover, the head itself doesn’t look much like an elephant. It looks pretty convincing in the picture, but trust me, I got its good side.
Overall, this was pretty good week, a little too repetitive perhaps. Maybe next week will offer a little more variety.
Origami Week 20
23 May 2010 Leave a Comment
Ostrich, Jacket, Duck, Propeller Hat, Iris
Project 1 is an ostrich and though I’m not quite convinced of its resemblance to said bird, it’s still a really beautiful result. There’s something so delicate about the design that I find really appealing and interesting. It’s more of a representation of an ostrich than an actual reproduction of it and I really like that sort of subtlety.
Project 2 is a jacket and while I don’t like it as much as that raincoat I made at the beginning of the calendar, I still like it. The folding was very simple and the end result is exactly what you would expect a jacket to look like.
Project 3 is a duck and though I couldn’t get the bill to look exactly like the diagram, I think it still works quite well. Usually I don’t like decorative cuts, but I think the little feather tufts really add to the project’s character. Sort of looks like Daffy Duck to me.
Project 4 is supposed to be one of those baseball caps with the propeller on top and while I couldn’t make the propellers large enough, I appreciate the idea. The hat looks strangely formless in the picture, but it really is quite cute in real life. I’m sure if I altered the design I could get the propellers to look a little more impressive.
Project 5 is an iris and though I was worried it would look atrocious, I love the final product. The project involved a lot of complicated folding—including the incredibly complicated frog base I forgot to mention I learned last week—and I worried it wouldn’t be worth the effort, but it absolutely was.
Overall, this was a great week. Loved the projects and loved how complex they were. Hopefully the rest of the year will be just like it.
Origami Week 19
23 May 2010 Leave a Comment
Butterfly, Zebra, Frog, Tutu
This week’s origami projects left me immensely underwhelmed. I liked some of the projects, but overall they seemed a bit disappointing.
Project 1 is a butterfly and while I like the design, I think the complexity of the other projects made it seem a little too simple. Yes, the lines are nice and it was easy to fold, but it just seems like by this time the projects should have a higher level of difficulty.
Project 2 is a zebra and while I was initially excited, the stripes didn’t come out as clear as I would have liked. It’s slightly hard to tell from the picture since that darned zebra just won’t keep it’s legs closed (what a hussy), but trust me when I say the folding alone isn’t enough to give the zebra the right stripes. I suppose the paper’s pattern isn’t really best for the project, but even so I would have liked the final product to have looked slightly more convincing.
Project 3 is a frog that I really like. I already know how to make a jumping frog and though I still like that frog better, this one is still really cool. It looks very convincing and though it wasn’t easy to fold, the effort is worth the end result.
Project 4 is supposed to be a tutu. The directions say to attach legs and the upper half of the body by drawing the rest of the ballerina and attaching it to the tutu, but I really didn’t think that was worth the effort. As I’ve said, I don’t like projects that need a whole lot of other non-origami preparation and this project really required too many extra elements. I like the idea, but that tutu is way too complicated to fold for something that still involves so many other steps.
Overall, not a bad week, but hopefully next week will be a bit more even.
Origami Week 18
13 May 2010 Leave a Comment
The picture above may be a little misleading. There are only three finished projects shown, but two of them were assembled from multiple components so this week was actually far more intense than it seems.
Project 1 is a “Big-Footed” Bird and it was actually quite fun to make. The feet were made using a pig/boat base. The pig and boat bases are actually different bases, but since about two different folds only separate them, I’m just going to lump them together. The pig/boat base was very important this week and I used it in every project, which is rare. Usually I just use the base once or twice during the week I actually learn it, but it was actually very useful for this week’s projects. Anyway, I made the bird’s body on a separate day and just placed the body into the big feet. I’m a little disappointed with the project overall because it’s somewhat difficult to keep the body from falling forward out of the feet, but I’m mostly satisfied.
Project 2 is a pig and my favorite project of the week. It’s a pig made, of course, from the all important pig/boat base. I couldn’t get the tail to look quite like the diagram despite repeated attempts, but it still looks just fine.
Project 3 is a two-part flower that I found really disappointing. The diagram looked interesting so I expected to have a great project, but the result left me less than satisfied. Folding both parts was easy enough, but for some reason I couldn’t get the petals to look quite right. The smaller version I made actually turned out better, probably because the thicker paper was better able to keep the petals in place. I also had trouble making the petals look right. They aren’t as full and flowery as I would have liked.
Overall, mediocre week. I like the projects’ complexity, but the products weren’t very impressive. Hopefully next week will bring complexity and results.
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