The Japanese art of folding paper figures, which is called origami, has long taken root in Russia. A huge number of books are published on this technique, specialized sites appear. But not everyone knows where to start.
Instructions
Step 1
Stock up on origami paper. You can buy a set in the store, or you can make the sheets yourself. The main thing is that they are perfectly square. You can, for example, take an A4 sheet and pull one of the corners to the opposite side. Fold the square and cut off the excess paper.
Keep in mind that if the square is not perfectly flat, the whole figure may turn out to be skewed and ugly.
Step 2
Learn to read the special icons used in origami diagrams. Arrows usually indicate the direction in which you want to fold the workpiece. The fold line is indicated by a simple dotted line. If the arrow goes first in one direction, and then in the other, then the workpiece must be bent and unbent in order to form a guide line. Dotted dotted lines represent invisible lines. An arrow crossed out with a line indicates that the operation must be performed several times. A circular line means the workpiece needs to be turned over.
Step 3
Practice making basic folds. Often, instructions for diagrams begin with the words "Perform a fold …", so it is useful to know what folds are and how to make them.
The first fold is "Damn". To do it, you need to bend all four corners of the square to the center.
Kite fold. Bend and unfold the square diagonally. Connect the two corners of the square with the resulting line - you get a figure resembling a kite.
Rhombus fold. Make a Kite fold, and then fold the other two corners towards the center on top of the other two.
Fold "Square". Fold and unfold the square on both sides along and on both sides diagonally, and then fold it so that it looks like a two-layer rhombus.
The "Bird" fold. Start with a basic square fold. Bend the corners of the top layer towards the center. Fold the top corner to outline the line. Do the same on the other side, and then fold the shape along the marked lines. Such a fold will be basic when folding, for example, a classic Japanese crane.
Step 4
Now head to specialized sites or refer to origami books, look for patterns you like, and start creating. To begin with, you can fold some simple figure, for example, a boat.
