First Fold –
An Instructional Organization for
Creative Origami
Table of Folding Techniques, description, and examples of models:
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Technique |
Description |
Examples |
Bases created |
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1. Simple Folds - Mountain and Valley Folds |
Folding a paper with a single crease using edges, corners, or previous folds as guides. Each fold may be more than one layer as long as the folds in each layer share the same line. The first fold is to fold a paper in half vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. |
· Cicada · Cup · Samurai Hat · Paper Airplanes · Simple animal heads |
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2. Reverse and/or Squash |
1. Taking an existing crease, pushing it in a different direction often creating new folds in the process 2. opening out a model centered on an existing crease to flatten the fold and create new folds in the process. - Sometimes a squash fold is an alternative way to get the same results as a reverse fold. |
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3. Petal / Rabbit |
A petal fold might be viewed as two reverse folds that share a common central location and result in a wing that can be folded up or down. A Rabbit fold might consist of two valley folds and one mountain fold that meet in a common vertex. |
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4. Double layer
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This consists of folding a sheet of paper into two layers and then applying another base . The purpose is to use both layers of the paper to form different aspects of the model |
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5. Stretch / Open / Spread Squash |
A stretch consists of Taking an existing base and stretching part or all of the paper such that the overall shape of the paper is changed (usually elongated). A spread squash consist of pulling in (nearly) opposite directions to forma a new shape within an existing base. |
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6. Sink |
A sink consists of reversing a point formed by folds back into the model. An open sink is formed when all preexisting folds that are reversed are available as surface features. A closed sink consist of some folds that are captured or beneath the surface. |
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7. Pleat / Beam (multidirectional) |
A pleat at this level is valley and mountain folds that are formed at more that one direction. |
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8. Offset |
An offset fold consists of folding one of the previously described bases or “starters” with a new perspective or symmetry. (moving the location of the fold “off center”) |
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9. Combo / Enhancers |
The combo fold consists of combing parts of two bases or techniques to form a new base or technique (i.e. Frog-Bird combination) Enhancers are fold applied to add additional detail or points to the endpoints of some models or bases. (i.e. Adding toes to legs) |
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10. Purpose Base |
A purpose base is a complex base (usually requiring more
steps or dexterity) that is designed for a special type of model (i.e. Dog Base, Insect |
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11. Advanced |
An advanced model is one that may require more than 50 steps to complete or requires a technique that is not as easily completed. |
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12. Unusual (odd Sizes, odd shapes, cutting, et. al.) |
Some purists believe that a model should be folded from a single square sheet of paper without cuts. Models that do not meet these standards are placed here. Included are Unit origami (more than one sheet of paper), odd shaped paper (triangle, circle) and Cutting (Kirigami) |
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Rationale:
The 12 folding groups were developed to help categorize a large number of models into groups that share similar or complimentary techniques for creating origami models. The major objective of this organization of 12 groups was to suggest an organized way to develop new models. The 12 group organization was also developed to find a “more objective” way to categorize the level and type of folds required to complete a model. The “14 starters” for each group serve to more broadly define the characteristics of each group and to provide a greater of variety of starting folds which could lead to new models.
Why 12 groups instead 10 or 13? Well truthfully, I started with a much larger number and found remembering each group was just two daunting. Further, as a clockmaker might say, “The number 12 has a nice ring to it.” Don’t you agree?
The process for creating these groups was as follows:
1. Create a sequence of concepts ordered somewhat by level of complexity.
2. Create a significant number of examples of each concept called “starters”
3. Use starters to create new models.
4. Attempt to adopt or apply easier level concepts and starters at a higher, more complex level.
For example: a sink is a group 6 concept. Trying to sink that is not centered around a point is a group 9 concept.
In general the groups are organized to represent a spectrum of techniques that build for easy to more complex methods. The fist three groups represent the most logical sequence. You almost have to perform a valley or mountain fold before you can perform a reverse or squash fold. A petal fold almost always requires the completion of both mountain / valley folds and reverse / squash folds. Within each of the first three groups are folds of similar characteristics and level of difficulty. In some cases two apparently different techniques can lead to exactly the same results. For example, the results of a squash fold can frequently be obtained by a series of reverse folds.
The groups 4 to 11 are also ordered approximately in levels of difficulty but the order is considerably more arbitrary and much less fixed. You may notice that the blintz is introduced as a starter in group 1 and then later as the major characteristic of most folds in group 4. A simple blintz is just a series of 4 valley folds to a center line. Any resulting folds could still be considered part of group 1 as long as the blintz is treated for the most part as a single layer and only additional valley and mountain folds are used. In group 4, the blintz is treated as a double layer with a potential for 8 or more corner points instead of 4.
The difference in applying pleating within group 1 and pleating within group 5 is the level 1 pleats do not intersect (most frequently the pleats are parallel). Level 5 pleats intersect or change direction and require a special treatment that can not usually be obtained by simple valley or mountain folds.
The sink of group 6 and the pleat of group 5 are closely related. It could be argued that multidirectional pleats can be achieved by repeatedly sinking paper in and out. However, the sink can be either “open” or “closed” and is most frequently applied around an interior point and may not always extend to an edge. I have chosen to have two distinct groups for the sink and pleat. The main reason I chose 2 groups is that I rather quickly discovered 14 “starter” for each. Further, my experience has been that a sink is often used to truncate or narrow parts of a model while pleats can be used to obtain additional appendages or a significant change in the direction of multiple layers. The order of groups five and six was possibly my most arbitrary decision. The level of difficulty of starters within each group 5 and 6 appear to depend more on the specific application rather than a generalize difference between the groups.
Applying the techniques of stretching, twisting or pulling open may appear significantly different in applying the methods. However, using these apparently disjoint methods often result in more surface area. I chose to group these techniques together in one group. Group 7 includes many of the methods for enhancing, broadening, or color changing surface area.
Group 8 is designed to show methods to obtain additional points or appendages from common bases or to combine one technique with another to alter appendages or points. Adding 3 points at the longer type of a bird base can increase these appendages from 4 to 12 (like adding 3 toes to 4 legs). I have also chosen to place combination folds in group 8 such as ½ bird and ½ frog. These might in two or more sizes of appendages such as shorter arms and longer legs.
Group 9 changes the center of the previous methods and bases at a new (perhaps off-center) location. While this may be somewhat challenging to realize in some instances. Applying the logic of group 9 in a variety of previous methods creates unlimited possibilities. Several well known authors of origami models (Lang, Montroll, et. al.) have diagrammed procedures that use techniques in an offset position. In recognizing and categorizing these into a group, we can perhaps see how new models can be achieved by either applying other techniques in an offset position or simply moving the relative position where a procedure is applied.
Group 10 is a special conglomeration of special purpose bases. They often may not to share similar folding characteristics. They were placed in this group because they had a certain level of difficulty and where developed primarily for a specific model or type of model. Montroll’s “dog” base is a good example. While primarily designed to create a variety of dog model, many other 4 legged animals can be created.
Group 11 is defined as “Complex models.” Generally, these models have one or more of the following characteristics:
1. 50 or more steps
2. A fold or series of folds that requires uncommon knowledge or skill
3. An experienced folder might have some difficulty in completing the model from a diagram.
The first 11 groups consist of folds which purists might apply the following characteristics:
1. Folded from a square sheet of paper
2. No cuts or tears
3.
Using only the sheet of paper as a measurement device
(No extra measurement devices like rulers or a compass)
4. Folded from one and only one sheet.
Group 12 includes techniques which do not follow the above requirements. This is a catch all group for those who think outside one square. It includes but is not limited to:
1. Circular / oval paper
2. 3, 5, 6, 7 …. Sides
3. Multiple sheets of paper
4. Paste and glue
You might find it is possible to apply techniques from the other 11 groups but just can’t resist the elegance and simplicity of a quick snip or two.