Origami artist Jeremy Shafer explains some trends in origami. Origami is a passion for Jeremy, who got started as a child making "cootie catchers." The two projects described below are a heart card and a frog's tongue. First, the basics: All origami folds are either "valley" folds or "mountain" folds. To make a valley fold, simply fold the paper over and crease . A mountain fold is just a valley fold from the other side (figure A).
Frog's Tongue Materials:
2.5" x 8.5" rectangle of card-stock paper
- Valley-fold and unfold in half the long way; turn over.
- Valley-fold and unfold, reversing the existing crease. Repeat steps 1 and 2 about 10 times so that the crease can't be identified as either a valley fold or a mountain fold. Turn over.
- Valley-fold in half, and don't unfold.
- Valley-fold the lower-right corner to the upper-left corner (figure B).
- Valley-fold the bottom to the top (figure C).
- Valley-fold the bottom to the top again (figure D).
- Mountain-fold, lining up with the previous fold.
- Unfold to step 4, and hold the paper horizontally.
- Along existing creases, pleat the model, and unfold it again to step 4 (figure E).
- Pleat again, this time reversing all the creases. Repeat steps 9 and 10 until all the creases are loose.
- Completely unfold the model.
- Flip the model over, left to right.
- Make the indicated mountain and valley folds along the existing creases. It is important not to alter the angle of these creases. They need to be slightly slanted, not vertical. The model will look like a V-shaped accordion (figure F). Make the indicated mountain and valley
- Again make the indicated mountain and valley folds.
- Completely unfold the paper and repeat steps 13 and 15 until all creases are loose.
- Valley-fold edge to edge. This sequence of folds will improve the shape of the tongue, make it more sturdy and make the starting length shorter so it shoots out even farther.
- Completely unfold and mountain-fold along existing creases.
- Refold the mountain and valley folds indicated, and give the right-most mountain fold 10 extra creases. The frog tongue is now complete.
To eject the tongue, hold the outer layer between thumb and index finger where the black dot is. Hold the same on the back side with the other hand, and pull apart abruptly. To retract, still holding in the directed manner, slam your fingers together, and the model will snap back with a loud noise (figure G).
RESOURCES :
Jeremy Shafer
Origami USA
OrigamiUSA
New York, NY 10024-5192
Phone: 212-769-5635
Fax: 212-769-5668
Email: origami-info@origami-usa.org
Website: www.origami-usa.org
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