The Origami Forum

Hi all. I recently watched the TED talk by Goran Konjevod (here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKPDwP9mHYk). I've been trying to fold the type of organic works he folds for the last few days, and I just can't quite figure it out. The way he describes it, he alternates horizontal and vertical pleats and the paper naturally pulls itself into a particular shape. Something along these lines:
http://www.organicorigami.com/gallery/P ... edium.html

Then, by adding two double mountain folds, it locks into a different shape, along these lines:
http://www.organicorigami.com/gallery/P ... edium.html

For the life of me, I can't figure it out. What I did figure out is that I can get the paper to take on a sort of tension-induced shape sort of like the first image above. If you imagine a square sheet with sides numbered clockwise 1, 2, 3, 4, then pleat 1, pleat 2, pleat 1, pleat 2 you get something a little along those lines. Still I'm really missing something.

I'm wondering if anyone else has any advice on how to proceed...???

Thanks,
Dahlia

I didn't quite understand what you said, but I know how to fold Goran's models.

A simple example:

Make an 8 x 8 grid
Fold the first crease of one side to approximately 2/3's of the next crease. Repeat until the end of the side.

Then do the same thing perpendicularly to the first set of creases.

This is the most basic way of his folds. Variations consist of alternating vertical and horizontal creases in different ways.

I hope this helps.

You're not missing anything about the folding sequence-- but if you want the final shape to have some tension, you'll have to use thicker paper than kami. I've acheived good results with printer paper, and papers like Tant or Elephant Hide would be even better.

Brimstone, I think I was thinking of a different set of folds. What you describe is more like what Paul Jackson usually does--pleating all in one direction and then in the perpendicular direction. The fold I'm thinking of is to pleat in one direction, then the perpendicular and alternate.

But, THANKS!!! ahudson, the thicker paper totally did the trick. I was using kami, which is what I usually use for first attempts, and when I tried the double mountain folds at the end nothing interesting happened. So, I picked up some 12" x 12" scrapbooking paper which is nice and thick and it worked beautifully. I might see if kraft paper will work next--a bit closer to kami but tends to do well for tessellations.

Now to mess around with the order of the pleats and see what happens...

Thanks to both of you for the quick response...
-Dahlia