The Origami Forum

What would be a logical progression for new folders to follow that will lead to the ability to fold complex models? Any advice in this matter would be appreciated.

have fun folding, fold stuff that you'd like to fold and don't put yourself under pressure.

What TRC said is the most important, but I started always trying and failing complex models. Bit by bit I got better and better, until I finally made my first super complex model, Lang's Bull Moose. I was elated!

Mostly it's just practice, practice and more practice. Try and get every crease as neat as possible, even if it takes like 10 minutes to get it right. It pays.

Good paper helps a lot too.

If you are looking for a more specific recommendation, work your way through Origami Sea Life by Lang and Montroll. It contains a ton of great models over a huge range of difficulty-from the easiest of the easy to some of the harder models that have been diagrammed. That is how I did it, at least. The book has a lot of intermediate stuff and will teach you most of the techniques that you need to fold more complex origami.

You send me $150 and a self addressed, stamped envelope. In return, I send you the secret.

I don't think there's a definite progression that would work for everyone. Some people just learn quicker, while others might prefer the challenge of harder models even if they can't fold them.

Personally, I started with simple, traditional models, which aren't very challenging, but they give you a good grounding in understanding diagram conventions and basic techniques.

Learning to fold the bases (bird, frog, etc) will help later on, I think.

At the moment, I fold models that I like the look of, regardless of the difficulty level.
I've tried Satoshi Kamiya's Leafy Sea Dragon from CP, and Brian Chan's Wall-E from CP, too, both of which didn't work out, but I enjoyed the process and challenge of collapsing the bases. And I've tried Kamiya's Ancient Dragon a couple of times without success. I mention these because I think it's important to know that there may be times when you don't complete a model, but you shouldn't let it get you down. Just enjoy the process of folding, and learn from it.

I've been folding origami on and off since, forever. I bought my first book Origami Sea Life (just like Johnnycakes) in 1999 and I remember the pain in learning all the crazy new folds. The only paper I used at the time was kami, in 6-14" squares and printing paper. I might have been lucky because my parents allowed me to order a new origami book every 2 months the next year as long as I had satisfactory grades in school. I didn't even start folding from CP's until 5 years later. Just progress at your own pace and have fun doing it would be my advice:)

What Chris said! I'd find a book you like the look of and start working your way through it. Most books, even now, start simple and get progressively harder. I don't think there is any magic bullet, like most things origami just takes practice and the more you do the better you'll get.

And if you get stuck, there is this really great forum where you can go to get help!

Good paper helps a lot too.

Noooo!!!

I had hardly an good paper when I started folding other than some so called 'origami paper' that are not even appropriately sized squares from stores. Only when I started to use slightly better paper did my skills improve, so yes, good quality paper is an important factor.

I'd agree partially with legionzilla on this. I had a similar experience, not realizing that part of the reason my models weren't coming out that well is that I was trying to use basic kami and printer paper for it. It wasn't until a rather long discussion with Michael LaFosse and Richard Alexander that I started to look elsewhere (not just origamido papers. Although they're awesome, my favorite paper at the moment is a japanese printmaking paper called sekishu that I hand tint). Also, don't worry about getting really good paper until you see what types of models you really like to fold. If you end up liking the supercomplex models, then yes, origamido, my sekishu, that kozo that Sipho and Jared use, etc. But it could be that you like the simpicity and expressivity of something like the work of Katsuhisa Yamada or Akira Yoshizawa, in which case you could find yourself using any number of thicker papers that would be completely unsuitable for complex stuff. At any rate, just fold, find what you like to fold, and base your future book and paper buying from there.