Origami and 3D origami: History

Fold the models, then teach them to others. If you can learn this form of communication, you will be blessed with a satisfaction that no other art form can give.

-Yamaguchi Makoto in “Let’s enjoy origami in English and Japanese”

The art of paper folding originated from the Chinese known as the "zhezhi" but in Japan as "origami". With no possible evidence that origami is an original artwork of Japan rather than the paper folding of the Chinese, there is somewhat difference between the art they made. The Chinese people is known from objects they made like dishes, hats or boats unlike Japan made animals and flowers. 

Akira Yoshizawa, a Japanese also known to be the grandmaster of origami, credited from turning origami from craft into a living work of art. He even releases 18 books and is believe to make more than 50,000 art pieces of origami but hundreds are only published. He has really the phenomenon hand to think and even fabricate it. Imagine the kind of folds you should do just to make the art. Two of his books are:

1.       Atarashii Origami Geijutsu-Origami Geijutsu-Sha 1945 (New Origami Art). This is the first book and publication of Yoshizawa, a 60-page book with 50 models.

2.       Origami Dokuhon I (Origami Reader I) The book consist of 64 pages with 40 models.

If you want to see his other books he published, find it here.

In 1993, a group of Chinese refugees, detained in a ship called Golden Ventures and are possess by the Americans, introduced the type of modular folding. Folded small triangles with a ratio of 1:2 and are combined together to form like swans and ships and it was referred to as the type of “3D Origami”.

My Thoughts:

Some people are really endowed in one piece of craft.

I learned doing 3D origami when I was in high school as a project in my P.E.H.M. (Physical Education, Health and Music) subject. The substance we made was the “swan”. The most common kind of a 3D origami piece and maybe one of the easiest art. I remember the color of my swan was white and blue. Sadly, I wasn’t able to get a picture of that.

But now, I made three kinds of it, mostly super hero characters. It took me some time to build and a lot of patience to hold and keep on folding the hundreds of origami pieces. Yes, I am telling you, it took me a lot of time and big effort to start the fire and continue it burning. The patience I was saying has to be really long enough to pursue the fire. Thank heavens, I made it. The sacrifice I made was really worth it and you will be happy and proud for it. My first attempt again is the 3D Minion. And I promise to share that on my next post.

3D Minion

Have been into 3D origami? Share it on comments and I’m happy to learn it from you also.