origami instructions

how to make origami ? It is made by folding paper. Origami is the art of paper folding. The word is Japanese, literally meaning to fold (oru) paper (kami).

Origami directions - THE TEN COMMANDMENTS to follow.

1. CHOOSE GOOD PAPER AND CUT IT TO THE RIGHT SIZE AND FORM

2. FOLD THE PAPER NEATLY AND CAREFULLY ESPECIALLY AT THE POINTS OF CORNERS.

3. WORK ON A HARD FLAT SURFACE SO THAT ALL THE FOLDS ARE AS EVEN AS YOU CAN GET THEM.

4.TO MAKE IT EXACT BY MOVING YOUR THUMBNAIL ALONG THE EDGE OF THE PAPER. THEN ALL THE FOLDS WILL BE EASIER.

5. THE MORE EXACT YOUR FOLD, THE NICER THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

6.FOLLOW EACH STEP CAREFULLY IN THE RIGHT ORDER.

7.NEVER SKIP A STEP! WHEN YOU ARE FOLDING IT'S HELPFUL TO REMEMBER THE LAST STEP YOU FINISHED AND THINK ABOUT THE NEXT STEP.

8.PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS ESPECIALLY WHICH DIRECTION TO FOLD, HOW IT SHOULD BE FOLDED TOGETHER, AND IF IT SHOULD BE UNFOLDED OR NOT.

9.IF YOU ARE NEW AT ORIGAMI THEN YOU SHOULD PRACTICE THE BASIC FIRST STEPS. MOST ORIGAMI FIGURES START WITH A BASIC STEP.

10.TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOUR ORIGAMI, FOLLOW THE STEPS CAREFULLY AND FOLD YOUR CREASES CAREFULLY AND CLEANLY.

There are two types of origami, ancient and contemporary origami. Ancient origami uses only paper and your hands. In contemporary origami you can add scissors, glue, etc.

The art of paperfolding was first developed in China. Then Buddhist Monks brought paper to Japan in the sixth century. The first Japanese folds date from that period. The only time they could use the paper was for cermonial occasions because the paper was scarce. The figures made from origami were shaped like animals, costumed people, and ceremonial designs. Even though the modern ethic forbids it, they frequently used cuts in the paper.

There were few written records of paperfolding designs and really, the only ones that lasted were the simple ones. The simple ones have beckoning beauty and their simplicity is appealing. In modern times, origami is very often found in the western world. The Spanish too, have found paperfolding and have used it for a long time. Simple folds have been reinvented over and over. These folds have come out of both the east and west.

No one knows exactly when they started to print on origami but paper is essential in printing and so it was inevitably going to happen.

Origami had a terrific boost in the 1950's and now origami is a very popular thing to do. Since ancient China there have been many changes in folding the paper and there are much more designs and much more new things.

Some original ones that are still being used as decoration today are the paper crane and another is a fortune teller. They are both used for fun and are very well know to elementary ages.

origami basic folds:
Fold a Crane  Fascinating Folds

Basic origami folds:

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~adysart/origami/crane/ -   origami directions:

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/sprite/www/Origami/crane_gif.html

 http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~vbeatty/origami/gate2.html - origami history

http://web.merrimack.edu/~thull/OrigamiMath.html - Origami math project

 http://www.tc.cornell.edu/er/sci93/dis22origami/dis22origami.html - Molecular origami

folding  origami instruction http://www.fascinating-folds.com/