The Origami Forum

Following is a list of cheap and easy to get ahold of papers, and a comparison between them, like how the function and stuff.

Copy paper:
cost: very cheap
availability: I bet you have some within 10 feet of you right now.
folds: fairly well, but kind of thick, so models with lots and lots of layers (like Andrey Ermakov's mantis shrimp) won't work. another downside is you can't buy it very big, so you have to tape smaller sheets together to get a desirable size.
tracing paper:
cost: cheap
availability: you can buy large sheets in stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby (i think HL is only in Georgia, though)
folds: very good. its my personal favorite. holds folds well (a little too well, i should say. you mess up, your screwed.). its also very thin, so you can fold models with a lot of layers and they turn out great.
tissue paper:
cost: cheap
availability: most craft stores. don't buy it at wal-mart, ever.
folds: horrible. glue 2 or 3 sheets of it together with spray adhesive, then it will be good. its almost the same as tracing paper when you glue 2 sheets together, and holds shape pretty well.
tissue foil:
bleh. i despise this stuff. i wasted so much time in my life making it, then making horrible looking models, and thinking that it was my fault. but i will review it anyway, just to please the people that believe this stuff came from the gods.
cost: you have to make it, so with all the supplies, around US $15
availability: once again, you have to make it, so it depends if you can buy the stuff.
folds: good. holds shape well. holds creases like God himself creased it. the only problem is, its impossible to collapse it after you have made the folds, so don't use this stuff for crease patterns. ever. another thing is that unsightly foil shinyness. what i do like about this paper is that you can take creases out that you did wrong, but that usually involves taking out 65000 other creases along with it.

So, my conclusion is, if you want cheap, reliable paper then get tracing paper. once binder of fifty 19" x 24" sheets is only $20. the models also turn out pretty cool
Another thing with tracing paper, though, is do a wet finish (spray the finished base lightly with water, cover it with a napkin, and set a couple heavy objects like books on top of it.).

Phillip,

I've never had any good luck with Tracing Paper. Due to the size of paper I bought, it just begs to fold something extremely complex from it, but when I get to folding, it ALWAYS splits down one of the creases. What brand/size/type of tracing paper are you using? Do you experience the same problems?

I am using Canson, i think in 19x24 sheets. you can also buy a roll. No, I have never had a serious split with it. The only thing is, its like $20 for a pack so good thing i got me some 40% off coupons.

Phillipcurl, do you use any glue or mc products on your tracing paper? I have tried some before (strathmore brand), and have seen photos of models with amazing results from the stuff, but when I finish folding a model and want to shape it, it does not hold well at all.

no, but what they are doing is either wet folding or giving it a "wet finish" which is light spraying the finished base with water before shaping.
the beetle I made by Kamiya Satoshi with tracing paper turned out great without either, but the horn isn't exactly how I wanted it to look...oh well.

I used to fold a lot with printer paper, but when you try to fold anything complex it rapidly becomes impossibly thick. I make my own tissue foil, however I can guarantee I never spend 15$ for equipment. All I use is foil, tissue wrapping paper, and elmer's glue. I have been able to collapse models, however my problem with tissue foil lies in that most of what I fold ends up with a crumpled appearance.

I have never folded tracing paper, and I am not really sure what it is. could you describe it? If there is a better alternative for a cheap price I would like to try it.

Wet folding with printer paper is great with the "simpler" complex models, like SK's Chocobo.
That is also my main problem with tissue foil, is the wrinkles, and sometimes my paper splits around corners.
Tracing paper...i'm not sure how to explain it, so heres a wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracing_paper
Its relatively cheap (18.00 for a 50 sheet ream of 20x25 inch sheets)

phillipcurl wrote: tracing paper:
cost: cheap
availability: you can buy large sheets in stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby (i think HL is only in Georgia, though)
folds: very good. its my personal favorite. holds folds well (a little too well, i should say. you mess up, your screwed.). its also very thin, so you can fold models with a lot of layers and they turn out great.

A Hobby Lobby opened in upstate New York relatively recently. I'll have to check it out. Personally, I like to do one of the following: MC two sheets of tissue paper, MC one sheet of tracing paper, or MC one sheet of tissue and one sheet of tracing paper. MC makes tracing paper much crisper and easier to fold, and it is really cheap to order online!

I'll go buy some soon, i need to try it.

hey phillip have you ever tried strathmore tracing paper? i used to use canson before i tried it and strathmore pwns all! also have you ever made mc (methylcellulose) double tissue paper? it is one of the best papers i have used besides origamido and it is very cheap

no, i haven't. canson is very good, though. can't imagine what strathmore would be like o.o
any idea's of where to buy strathmore in georgia, but in big rolls or pads like canson? i have seen it in the small pads, but nothing big
i will try that one i get ahold of some mc, no idea where to buy that either. Thanks.

you can buy both strathmore tracing paper and mc online
here: http://www.dickblick.com/products/strat ... ing-paper/
and here: http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku= ... d=33649020
i recommend both lol and i realized that the tracing paper online is waaaayyy cheaper than in the stores

its like 10$ cheaper than in the stores o.o
another great thing i discovered by accident for more complicated models that need shaping is foil backing tracing paper...
works great for SK's sea turtle, and unlike tissue foil it lets you collapse it because of tracing paper holding the creases well.

phillipcurl wrote:Wet folding with printer paper is great with the "simpler" complex models, like SK's Chocobo.
That is also my main problem with tissue foil, is the wrinkles, and sometimes my paper splits around corners.
Tracing paper...i'm not sure how to explain it, so heres a wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracing_paper
Its relatively cheap (18.00 for a 50 sheet ream of 20x25 inch sheets)

That's what I thought it was, but it seems like it would come out looking funny considering the paper is transparent- it also becomes impossible to hide layers.

Its pretty cool looking actually, i like how the models made with it turns out. It actually turns white once it gets past 3 or so layers, which most complex models have like 10 in some parts. so it isn't a big deal.