4 Sculpting with Paper You can fold paper into almost any shape you can imagine You can create a three-dimensional sculpture with just a small flat square of paper That may seem hard to believe but it’s true Origami is the art of paper folding The word origami comes from the Japanese words ori which means to fold and kami which means paper Origami has a long history Folded paper creations were used for special occasions in Japan hundreds of years ago For example butterflies were exchanged by the bride and groom at wedding ceremonies Many traditional Japanese origami designs were passed down through families In the
5 mid-1800s in Europe Friedrich Frobel invented the idea of kindergarten Kindergarten teachers started using origami to educate young children Origami as we know it today began in the mid 1900s when expert paper folder Akira Yoshizawa began publishing books of origami designs He created a system of symbols to help people understand origami instructions This helped transform origami from a craft activity into an art form Most of the models in this book are based on traditional Japanese designs Give these projects a try Then let your own imagination fly How will you sculpt your ideas in paper Some origami designs are shaped like animals
6 Basic Tools You only need two things to make an origami creation a piece of paper and your hands Paper Origami paper is thin and colored or decorated on one side The other side is usually white It comes in various sizes The larger the paper the larger your model will be If you are trying origami for the first time you might want to start large You can work your way down to smaller sizes You don’t have to use origami paper for your projects You can use any paper that holds creases well Many craft stores sell scrapbooking paper which comes in many colors and designs You can use pages from magazines wrapping paper decorated napkins or even a dollar bill Card stock is a thick paper It is not as easy to fold but is good to use when your model needs to be more durable Other Tools Other tools can help you fold and decorate your project Bone folder Some artists use this to help make sharp creases
7 You can use your thumbnail just as well But a bone folder can be helpful with thick paper such as card stock Scissors and ruler If you want to cut your paper smaller you will need a ruler for measuring and a good pair of paper scissors for cutting You can also use a paper cutter for a more precise cut Needle and thread A needle and thread will help you hang your creations from a ceiling or mobile Glue tape markers crayons stickers paint etc These tools can be used to hold together or decorate your origami creations FrOm A rEcTANgLE TO A SqUArE most origami creations are made from a single piece of square paper You can make a quick square out of a rectangular piece of paper without measuring Fold the top right corner down toward the bottom edge carefully line the edges up and crease the folded edge cut off the strip of extra paper on the side Now you have a square
