Olga Kuramshina

This is the ancient Japanese art of paper folding.

To make origami you need to prepare office paper, glue, paper clips, and scissors. You can choose different colors of paper as you like. You can prepare yarn for a rope.

First we make a square, cut off the excess

We bend on 2 sides to form triangles, do not forget to iron the folds well.

Then fold it in half

After this, bend the halves in half

It turns out to be a square

Fold inward to make squares.

Then we bend the squares into triangles on all sides and iron all the folds well

We bend the remaining parts back so that we can glue them together later.

Bend on all sides

We straighten the triangles and make flowers out of them on all sides, not forgetting to iron them well on the folds

You need to make six such figures

After this, glue them together. You can press the glued figures with paper clips. You get these beautiful balls that you can make with children in the senior, preparatory group and decorate the group for the holiday. You can stretch a rope made of yarn between the modules so that you have something to hang it on.

Children enjoy designing with paper. With the children in my group, I always try to decorate the group with things I made with my own hands.

Publications on the topic:

"Spring Kusudama" Kusudama is a paper model in the shape of a ball, which is formed by gluing together many identical modules. IN.

Kusudama is a paper craft in the shape of a ball, glued together from several parts. It is called the "medicine ball". Today I present.

Goal: to make toys for the festive decoration of the New Year tree; introduce parents to various technologies for making New Year's Eve.

Master class “Drummers” for senior preschool age. Dear colleagues, I have already introduced you to the project “Musical instruments with our own.

Master class “Flowers” ​​Spring is the time of year when everything comes to life, blooms, blooms. April is already ending and May is coming.

Easter, or the Resurrection of Christ, is the main church holiday. It does not have a fixed date, but always falls on a Sunday in April or.

This is an exciting opportunity to try yourself as a true watchmaker and decorator. And to breathe life into your new ones.

Hello dear masters and craftswomen. I present to your attention a master class on making such an origami swan, and I called it “Swan in Pink”. How to make an origami swan? We will make a pink drawing, highlight the swan with pink modules around the perimeter and place it on a round stand, and also glue small eyes. Please watch this video on making an origami swan. IN […]

Hello dear masters and craftswomen! Today I bring to your attention a master class on making a tricolor Swan from triangular modules. It would seem that what else can you come up with, what other options are there for making Swans using the modular origami technique. But it turns out there are still options and this is not the last thing in my arsenal. Swan tricolor is so simple, [...]

Hello dear masters and craftswomen! I bring to your attention a new master class on making a Swan in black from 3D modules. In the last lesson we made a Swan in red, but now I decided to change the style a little and make a Swan in black. The scheme is not complicated and will suit anyone, even a beginner in modular origami. Specially […]

Hello dear masters and craftswomen! I bring to your attention a new master class on making a Swan in red shades. On the Internet you can find a huge number of different schemes and master classes on making Swans using the modular origami technique. I'm sure you've never seen a swan like this before. This scheme is quite simple and even [...]

Swan in blue. Video tutorials and diagram. Part 3. In the third part of the master class, I offer you two video lessons and a detailed origami diagram of how to make a swan. The first video shows how to make a swan's neck and how to make a small stand. The second video talks about how to glue a swan better and faster. Lesson 6 (neck and […]

Swan in blue. Video tutorials and diagram. Part 2. In the second part of the “Swans in Blue” tutorial we finish making the body. I have prepared for you two video tutorials and a detailed diagram of an origami swan from modules. To assemble a swan you will need 1438 modules of 1/16 size, of which: 317 - purple modules 471 - blue modules 552 - blue […]

Swan in blue. Video tutorials and diagram. Part 1. I bring to your attention a new master class on making an origami swan from paper from 3D origami modules. The design is quite unusual and the appearance of the wing is not quite classic. In the photo you can see small through holes and a mesh pattern. I'll be honest - the scheme is quite complicated! Especially for this scheme I […]

“Rainbow Swan” diagram and video tutorials (part 3). The third part of the “Rainbow Swan” master class consists of three video tutorials on assembling the stand. And I also decided that a video tutorial on gluing the “Rainbow Swan” would be very useful for you. Lesson 5 (stand part 1) Lesson 6 (stand part 2) Lesson 7 (stand part 3) […]

Most of what we do or create today rarely goes beyond the boundaries of the computer. Yes, in general it’s cool, and technology has greatly simplified our lives, but sometimes you want to do something with your own hands. One way to feel good about creating something tangible is origami.

I think everyone knows what it is - creating figures from sheets of paper, to put it simply. Nowadays you will never meet a person who has not seen such a crane, which has long become a symbol of the ancient Japanese art of paper folding.

A little history

This art originated in China because paper was invented there. But it developed and became widespread in Japan and at first was of a purely religious nature. Later, paper figurines became an integral attribute of holidays and weddings - they were used to decorate rooms and were even given as gifts.

With the advent of the samurai, origami became part of their way of life. The warriors folded their messages on paper in such a way that only an informed person could unfold them. The nobility also did not lag behind - every self-respecting man had to be able to entertain his companion by folding paper into an intricate composition.

Modular origami

But let's return to our reality. Now origami as a hobby is not widespread among adult audiences for obvious reasons, although quite often you can see the same cranes at weddings. The principle of folding such figures is quite simple - they are rolled up from a single sheet of paper without the use of scissors or glue. Achieving an acceptable result will require practice and a good amount of patience.

But you can start getting acquainted with ancient art with another type - modular origami. At first glance, the figures seem very difficult to make, but this is far from the case. All of them consist of “modules” - identical units that are connected to each other in a certain order, thereby forming a complete work. Once you master the technique of folding one module (by the 20th, everything will work out exactly) and you can create three-dimensional beautiful shapes without much difficulty.

What will you need?

First of all, patience and perseverance. Although the process of folding modules is quite simple, you will need several hundred of them.

Paper

For training and testing, you can take a regular office A4 size, it will make an excellent white swan. Have you tried it and liked it? Then feel free to go to the nearest office in search of special paper for origami. Its density is slightly lower than printing paper, which makes the process of folding easier, plus the modules from it come out more neat and compact. As a rule, the package comes with sheets of different colors, which greatly diversifies the choice of figures for creativity.

Lessons and schemes

The choice here is very large - there is now just a ton of material on the Internet that will help you assemble anything without difficulty and special knowledge. Personally, I liked this site. It contains a large number of clear and sensible diagrams for assembling not only modular origami, but all other types of it.

Spending a few evenings with paper and your favorite music is a great way to relax, put your thoughts in order and take a break from that boring computer. In addition, the result of your work will not be long in coming, which cannot but give strength and inspiration to create more complex models.

Carefully assembled modular origami made from multi-colored paper resembles a beautiful flower, which can be a gift for a loved one.

And also, on this channel There are a lot of detailed lessons on creating complex origami.

Expand your circle of hobbies and believe in yourself!

The word “origami” consists of two Japanese words “ori” - “folded instantly” and “kama” - “divine paper”. Many centuries ago, this art originated in Japan and became widespread throughout the world. Knowledge was passed down from generation to generation through the female line and was carefully guarded. In Japan, origami is a reflection of the culture of the local people and their philosophy. Where did origami come from? What is this direction today, and what techniques exist?

History of paper

In ancient China, wooden boards and silk were used to record information. Using boards for writing was extremely inconvenient; there is a well-known example when a courtier wrote an article for the emperor on three thousand boards. Silk, although convenient to use, was very expensive. Later, felt and wool were used for writing.

What was the process of making the first paper?

Pieces of wool thread were taken and unraveled in water, after which they were collected, dried and pressed.

105 BC is considered to be the year of the invention of paper, when one of the courtiers reported in a report to the emperor about the invention of an excellent material for writing - soaked bamboo stems combined with crushed mulberry bark. The result was the emperor's decree banning the use of wooden tablets for recording, instead of which it was recommended to use only paper.

History of the invention of paper

Dissemination of knowledge about paper production

In the fifth century AD, paper money already existed in China, which was popularly called “flying coins.” And in the sixth century, real books made of paper appeared.

The secret of making paper was carefully kept by the Chinese. But in the seventh century AD, one of the monks who knew the secret of making paper, during his travels, revealed the secret to the Japanese. They, in turn, improved Chinese technology and produced better quality paper.

At first, paper was made from silkworm cocoons. Then bamboo stems were used as raw materials. The appearance of the first large paper factory dates back to 1870 in Tokyo.

Today, not many craftsmen know the secrets of paper production in Japan. In addition to large-scale paper production, there are also small workshops that make paper by hand. This kind of paper costs a pretty penny, is highly durable and can be folded multiple times; this kind of paper is called “yours”. By the way, it was here that the Treaty of Versailles was signed after the First World War.

History of paper distribution. Video 2

The use of paper in Chinese religious rituals

In the birthplace of paper, in China, it was used, among other things, for religious ceremonies. It was customary to burn his belongings along with the dead person so that he could use his belongings in another world. Gradually, this ritual was replaced by another: in order to save money, the deceased’s belongings were not burned, but were left to the heirs. The paper was used to write wishes of happiness and good luck. Also, over time, people found more and more use for this material - they made hanging lanterns, umbrellas, screens from paper.

How paper is made

Philosophy of origami

Important!!!

In the classic version, origami involves creating a figure from a solid square, without any cuts.

The birthplace of origami is ancient Japan. The widespread ideas of Zen Buddhism are also reflected in the art of working with paper. The basis for folding is a square, this is not an accident. The square is a symbol of the earth, which intersects with space, personifying the infinite Universe. In the East, the square is revered much more than any other geometric figure. The goal of origami is to extract the maximum number of different shapes from a square.

In origami, objects interpenetrate each other - this is how the idea that everything is connected to everything is embodied. It is not for nothing that origami prohibits cutting the paper, because then the destruction of the One will occur.

Unlike other forms of art, such as sculpture, origami allows you to create only within the limits of the possibilities that exist when creating a form from a square. Thus, only what is natural for a square can be used.

Shinto ideas in the art of origami

The history of the appearance and spread of origami is directly related to Japanese Shintoism. It is characteristic of adherents of this religion that every object contains a kami - a deity. The more unusual the object, the more divine it is. Paper still occupies a special place in Japanese rituals. For example, at the entrance to Buddhist temples there is a zigzag gohei (paper folded in a special way); the same gohei is usually hung on the belt of sumo wrestlers before the start of a fight. Houses often have eight kata-shiro paper figurines; they are believed to attract happiness and good fortune to the home. In order to drive away evil spirits, a haram gusi is used - a broom made of strips of white paper.

The use of origami in social life

Since the 12th century, the art of origami has appeared in social life, it is even recognized at the imperial court. It was considered good manners to master the art of beautiful paper folding. With the help of beautifully folded paper, gratitude, love, and care were expressed towards the recipient.

In the 16th century, paper ceased to be a luxury item and with it the art of origami came to every home, gaining widespread popularity and popular love. During this period, most of the figurines that would later become classics appeared, for example, the Tsuru crane - a symbol of happiness and longevity in Japan.

The art of beautifully folding paper was passed down in the family through the female line; by the manner of folding, they could even determine whether a girl belonged to a particular region of the country.

History of origami

The emergence of educational books on origami

The first Japanese book dedicated to origami is called “Semba-tsuru-orikata”, which translates as “folding a thousand cranes” (according to legend, a thousand paper cranes help make wishes come true). The entire book is dedicated to crane folding in 29 different variations.

In 1845, the book “Midwinter Window” was published, which describes how several dozen figures can be folded from paper. So origami becomes an activity with which you can while away a long winter evening.

In 1879, a book by the director of one of the girls’ schools was published, where he describes how to fold twenty basic origami figures - “Orikata”. This book was the first to be translated into English.

Origami. Fan

Popularity of origami in the world

The surge in popularity of origami occurred in the post-war period, when Japanese master Akiro Yoshizawa published a book where he taught the art of origami using simple diagrams as an example. He is also the author of more than a hundred new figures. The book became popular all over the world, and its creator, on behalf of the Government of Japan, traveled to training seminars around the world. Thus, the art of origami has become a means of international communication throughout the world.

The art of origami in Europe

Of course, Europe had an interest in folding paper figures even before the spread of Japanese origami. For example. The first European origami figure can most likely be considered the Spanish birds - “pajaritas”, the appearance of which can be dated back to the 12th century.

In the 19th century, one of the geometry teachers, Friedrich Froebel, began to use origami as a simpler and more understandable way to explain the laws and rules of geometry.

The famous writer Lewis Caroll was delighted when he managed to make a toy by folding paper. Leo Tolstoy described in one of his articles the delight of learning the art of origami and noted how much joy and delight this activity brings to children.

In 1937, a book by Margaret Campbell was published in London, which for the first time described the ways of folding the three main Japanese figures - a bird, a water butterfly and a frog.

The benefits of learning origami techniques

Origami gives many advantages to those who decide to master this ancient art:

• Origami trains the memory and imagination of both adults and children.
• When working with your fingers, the left hemisphere of the brain becomes active - this affects the improvement of speech.

Origami material

You can use any paper to create origami figures. In Japan, special paper for origami is often used - “Kami”, which is translated from Japanese as “paper”. It can be either completely white or multi-colored or even colored. It is slightly lighter in weight than regular paper.

A foil type of paper is also used - a “sandwich” is a sheet of paper to which a sheet of foil is glued. This paper allows the product to hold its shape for a long time and is pliable for folding paper figures. The Japanese often use a special type of washi paper - this is a tougher type of paper that is made from rice, wheat, bamboo, and tree bark.

Origami technique: paper and folding technique

Over the centuries of the existence of origami, information about it passed orally from person to person: something could be lost, something could be distorted, something new could be added. In general, today origami is the art of working with a square of paper and creating figures from it without the use of cuts or glue.

The art of origami is learned from mastering basic forms - these are the forms that are basic and from which the formation of one or another figure occurs.

Important!!!

Particular attention is paid to the corners - they must be very sharp. The accuracy and beauty of the product largely depends on the sharpness of the corners.

What types of origami techniques are there?

Modular origami Simple origami Flat folding Wet folding

This is a type of origami in which a figure is made up of a number of component parts. The parts (modules) are made up of a separate sheet of paper and then assembled into a single figure. The force of friction prevents the figure from falling apart. This type of origami is extremely popular all over the world, the most famous figure is kusudama (a three-dimensional spherical product).

Kusudama – translated from Japanese as “medicine ball”, is a figure consisting of many identical pyramids. Pyramids are most often stylized flowers made separately from a sheet of paper.

The simple origami style was invented and developed by Englishman John Smith. With this approach, folds can be made “by eye”; the fewer there are, the better.

Flat folding

This is a type of origami that uses paper on which the places of folds and folds have already been drawn. The author of the model only needs to fold a sheet of paper according to the instructions.

Wet folding

The wet folding technique was developed by Akira Yoshizawa. Wet folding uses water that has been pre-moistened with water. It is believed that with this approach, the paper acquires smooth lines, the figure becomes brighter and more expressive. Not any paper is suitable for this technique, but only those that contain water-soluble glue - thick types of paper.

Conclusion:

Origami is an ancient art. Today it is used for table setting, gift wrapping, and making souvenirs.

Origami. Wallet

The history of origami goes back many centuries. Today it has even become a symbol of a special philosophy, as well as wishes for peace and faith in miracles. But where and when did the art of paper folding come to us? What do the Japanese themselves - the people who developed origami as an art - put into it?

An amazing thing is the ability to fold paper into recognizable figures without the help of auxiliary means (glue, scissors). Kirigami (paper crafts using scissors) is, of course, also art, no one argues with that. But you must admit, by cutting the sheet, we in some way simplify the “path” of creating a craft. In classic origami this is unacceptable.

You should not look for a simple path, you should look for a solution, harmony, beauty, meaning. At the same time, you solve a geometric and mathematical problem, even if you are not trained in these sciences. During addition, you are a meditating philosopher, a patient seeker, a holistic person, capable of creating and giving a part of your soul to creation. You are coming very close to understanding the fragility of all things, and through this you comprehend eternity, the essence of life.

That's how much the Japanese see behind origami. However, far from these quests, Europeans and Arabs also happily accepted origami back in the 8th century. Simply because it is beautiful, interesting and for that time - .

History of origami

It is quite natural that origami arose in China, in ancient times, when paper was invented. But the development of this art took place in Japan. At first, paper figurines were made exclusively for religious rituals. Gradually, this tradition passed into secular culture, although only very wealthy people could afford this activity.

According to some sources, the first origami figures were butterflies. They were made for newlyweds' weddings; they symbolized love and the protection of spirits.

However, origami did not come to Europe from the East (Japan or China). It was brought to Spain by the rich Moors in the 11th century, and by the 15th century it had become traditional in the German lands. It became a tradition to make a special origami figure from a baptismal certificate for the happiness of the child, and in Spain, by the 17th century, a strong tradition appeared of making the simplest forms in the form of a cap or bonnet, a boat, houses where painted dolls could live.

Since then, origami masters began to appear in the western part of the world. One of the key moments in the development of origami was Friedrich Froebel's proposal to introduce this art as a development course in kindergartens at the beginning of the 19th century.

In the 1960s, master Yoshizawa-Randlett developed a unified system of symbols that now help everyone who wants to practice origami.

By the way, if you are interested in how real professionals work, then, of course, it is better to go to Japan. But to comprehend all the nuances and tricks of this art, you need to know the language. If you haven't mastered it yet, here's a great opportunity. right now!

Types and “children” of origami

Modular origami is considered a modern achievement. It also does not use scissors and glue, but a large composition or “sculpture” is assembled from several integral figures (modules).

Types of origami:

• Classic origami.
• Simple origami - invented by British master John Smith.
• Origami pattern - beginners start with it, since a drawing of all the folds has already been drawn on a sheet of paper. All a person can do is follow the markings and put everything together.
• Wet folding was developed by Akira Yoshizawa, who wetted the paper to create smooth shapes. This especially helps if you want to make flowers or animals.

Origami paper

Almost any paper is suitable for origami, but many masters and beginners work with special “kami” paper in the shape of a square from 2.5 to 25 cm or more. It can be either completely white or one-sided colored.

For more graphic figures, such as a crane, regular writing paper is suitable. But heavier types of paper are suitable for wet origami, and they are considered more durable. Foil paper (sandwich) perfectly maintains the shape of the figure and looks elegant.

In Japan itself, origami is made from stiff washi paper. It is made from Edgeworthia papyrifera (“paper tree”, bark is used), the fibers of which give the wood pulp special stability and rigidity. The figures made from it look like toys.

Origami and science

It is difficult not to notice the rigor of the geometric form in origami, but professionals and researchers see in this art not only the interaction between author and viewer, but also a synthesis of science and creativity. First of all, origami is a mental exercise. Secondly, people who know how to do origami at least a little are capable of non-trivial solutions, they develop the ability to take a non-standard view of the problem.

This is what concerns the positive impact on a person, but what about the more exact sciences? The subject of very serious research by mathematicians was the “flat bend” dilemma. The question was: Can a fold pattern be folded into a model in two dimensions? Barry Hayes and Marshall Burnom proved that "flat model composition is NP-complete." This was proven not by simple folding of paper, but by mathematical formulas and calculations.

Basics of origami. Rules and notations

As we have already mentioned, there is a generally accepted scheme of bending (folding) signs, but strangely enough, not everyone can immediately master it. Very often, a novice origamist gets confused by the rules. There are, of course, craftsmen who manage to fold without diagrams, but we assure you that this does not develop into art, but remains at the initial level.

Basics and rules are the basis, without them the master is illiterate. The priority ones are the “valley” bend - the corner is directed towards itself, and, depending on the “movement” of the fold, the “mountain” - the corner goes away from itself. “Valley” is indicated by shading, and “mountain” by dotted lines.

The tip of the arrow indicates the direction of the fold. Sometimes the markings are multi-colored, in which case you still need to know the sequence of colors (folds). In the diagrams, invisible sides are often indicated (dotted lines).

In the initial position, a lot of folds appear on the sheet. These folds also have a designation, just like folds. The difference is that the arrows to indicate them are bidirectional, and they are indicated only once.

Closed arrows suggest turning the sheet into the plane of the working side, or, simply put, turning it over.

A spiral arrow means that you need to turn the sheet along the vertical axis with the other side.

A straight arrow with strokes indicates the repetition of an action according to the number of strokes on the arrow. And these folds need to be made with elements that are symmetrical to each other.

Set of forms

Of course, there is a set-base of shapes from which many figures are composed. In general, 15 forms can be distinguished and divided into: simple, medium, complex, pancake.

• in the form of a book;
• in the form of a triangle;
• in the form of a kite;
• in the form of a door.

• in the form of a double triangle;
• in the form of a double square;
• in the form of a fish;
• in the form of a pancake.

• in the form of a catamaran;
• in the form of a frog;
• in the form of a house;
• in the form of a bird.

Pancakes:

• in the form of a pancake frog;
• in the form of a pancake double square;
• in the form of a water pancake bomb.

Scheme "Crane"

For example, consider the shape of the classic bird, because it is the basis for many beautiful shapes.

First, fold a double square and make folds at each corner, they are necessary so that the corners are inside. The result is a figure that vaguely resembles a bird; it serves as an impetus for imagination and offers a kind of puzzle in which you have to decide what to do next.

Select the neck, making it thin, then proceed to the tail. The head is distinguished by the curving of the neck, wings and tail. You can grab the places marked with dots, stretch them slightly, and the crane will flap its wings.

The words "god" and "paper" are similar in Japanese.

Who doesn't know the myth of 1000 cranes: if you love in your heart and with all responsibility, fold a thousand paper cranes, and then give them to the people around you and receive a thousand smiles from them in return - all your wishes will come true.

For some time now, the paper crane has become a symbol of deliverance from nuclear war and the fight against radiation sickness. But at the very beginning, before all forms, when they were yet to be discovered, invented, known, origami in its simplest form served to scare away evil spirits.

Gofu amulets served to attract good luck. Offerings were brought to the gods in paper boxes, and the more intricate the box, the more favorable the gods and spirits would be.

And in one, the most important legend about the Sun Goddess - Amaterasu, from whom all emperors descend, it says this:

Amaterasu was upset about something and hid in a cave, thereby hiding the light of the sun from all living things. To lure the goddess, other gods hung Gohei amulets on the tree and placed future regalia of the emperors there. There were also such offerings: a necklace made of jasper Yasakani-no-magatama, a mirror Yata-no-kagami, roosters and much more. And for greater persuasiveness, the goddess Ame-no-uzume began to dance the kagura dance to the general laughter of the other gods. Amaterasu became interested and looked out of the cave. She was grabbed by the arm and pulled out, quickly closing the entrance to the cave.

These Gohei amulets were the first paper figures - origami.

When origami moved into secular circles, it became part of education, and every respected aristocrat was obliged to know at least the basics.

Very often, lovers sent love notes to their loved ones in the form of an origami flower or a crane. And origami butterflies symbolized transformation, transformation, which is why they were given as gifts for weddings. Wedding butterflies symbolized the bride and groom who were destined to become husband and wife.

But classic origami acquired its foundations only after paper became more or less cheap. It was ordinary people who established traditions and elevated paper folding to the rank of art. The skill was passed down through the female line and acquired its own distinctive features. Based on the seemingly identical figures, one could understand which province they were from.

Mastery

The flexibility of mind that exists in early childhood is lost as we grow older. To prevent it from getting lost, there are many practices. But origami is one of the oldest and one of the most accessible. Here you need an internal “meter” that helps you bend exactly the piece of paper you need at a time.

Each of us has folded an airplane at least once in our lives and knows that an eye is not enough. What is needed is an inner feeling, similar to tactile vision, wisdom.

Just think about it, it’s difficult to do what is already known, but what were those people like? Discoveries in origami appeared along with the knowledge of new things. For example, you can’t make a giraffe out of paper without ever seeing the animal. You cannot create a modular copy of a molecule without knowing what it is.

Modernity and new symbols

The new symbolism is simply a modern interpretation of the forgotten old. Not everyone understands Japanese philosophy and mythology, but everyone understands origami, which is transformed every time according to its time, but remains unchanged at its core.

This is one of the most honest arts, in which there is no room for pretense. If you smeared glue somewhere or used scissors, this is not origami, and you know it. It may be hidden from others, but you are not a master if you lie to yourself.

And the main thing in origami is that nothing is final. The same sheet of paper can be a frog, a dog, a portrait, a tree... The form is only final when the figurine becomes a gift.

After Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the famous crane acquired new meaning. Radiation sickness has made a person comparable in fragility to an origami figurine that cannot escape from fire. And even thousands of thousands of cranes did not save anyone, but they strengthened faith in humanity. And she can do a lot. Therefore, do origami, develop yourself, believe in the best!

What role does origami play in your life? Are there many masters or beginners among our readers? How do you feel about this art and what does it mean to you? It will be interesting to read your comments.

Origami is one of the famous cultural phenomena of Japan, but to get acquainted with other aspects, as well as the Japanese language, we recommend that you go through ours.