Help please - Dragon-Heart by Fernando Gilgado

[jadylyon]

Hi. Hello!

Of course, my first post would have to be a request for help, but that's the way it goes. I am hoping/expecting that people here have folded this model before, and having seen some of the galleries people have posted, I expect it was folded blindfolded and with one hand.

I've only been folding for a month and a half, but got cocky after watching Sara's video instruction on Ralph Konrad's "Star Puff" and figuring out how to twist everything together. Yes, I've been using work time to pre-crease triangle grids but I'm sure everyone does that.

I previously folded a very cute little dragon which makes me smile everytime I look at it, so when I came across the link to Dragon-Heart on this forum, I really wanted to fold it for my son.

I am happily puzzling my way through the PDF diagram but after working through being stuck on step 29 (a problem with how I folded step 27) and then another exciting time figuring out step 77 (accompanied by a cup of concentration-inducing coffee), I find myself weirdly stalled on step 82-going-to-83.

The diagram has a lovely "push here" button (or at least I think that's what it's trying to indicate since it's not the usual black arrow "sink this" icon) a mountain fold somewhere behind the top flap and a fold down line. No matter what I do, I cannot get to the next image in 83 without tearing the paper or pulling the top down from where it should rest. I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to push where or what that mountain fold line is trying to indicate.

This is where I'm at:



This is the top


Can anyone advise if I've folded something wrong, and that's why I can't seem to progress properly past step 82? or can give me insight as to what to push, how?

- Puzzled But Determined In Canada

[M Deutsch]

Hey Jadylyon,

Dragon-heart is a fun model, Attached is a picture of what I believe you are supposed to do. I would be happy to refold it and take some clearer photos if you still need help.

Push in on the upper part of the behind flap, you are bisecting the inner fold and the folded edge (marked in green)

Fold along the red lines while pulling down.

If that doesn't work let me know!

[jadylyon]

Thank you for the prompt reply Matthew - I know I'm all atwitter to figure this out, but I was fully prepared to wait whole hours and/or days for an answer since my sense of urgency is not necessarily shared by everyone else.

Your instruction seems clear enough but ... as soon as I picked up my much abused model and attempted that particular pushy-foldy-downy maneuver, the flap finally tore through since it's only copy paper.

Of all the rotten, ungrateful.... grr.

Tomorrow! Tomorrow I shall fold this again with speed and confidence (and hopefully more useful accuracy) until this step is reached and confirm that I understood your illustration.

Really, thank you so much for taking the time!

- Stalled, But Not Out In Canada

[bethnor]

if you haven't thrown it away, flatten the paper, tape it up, and continue. no sense in throwing all that work away. you'll find that, with some models, no matter how delicate you are, it will sometimes tear.

you can make a pretty one after you get a gestalt of the folding process.

fyi, most of gilgado's models (that i've folded) will splay quite badly with something like copy paper. (eyeballing them, this is most definitely true of probably all his dragons, given the way he makes the legs). don't be discouraged with that, either.

[jadylyon]

/laughs a little

Thanks Bethnor, but really, I have no problem with throwing away insufficient models so not to worry about wasted effort! i expect to give my cats a lot to play with on this one. It's a challenge for me, to be both precise and careful as well as learning what all arrows and whatnot mean on the diagrams and instructions most assuredly not in my native language.

Copy paper is cheap as sin, if not as interesting. I am not too perturbed by the fact that paper creep is distorting the model, as long as I can get the details in. I look forward to the zen-gestalt, oh, most assuredly I do. I can now fold up to step 110 or so without referring to the diagram - ohm mani padme hum.

Matthew, that was indeed the case with that particular fold, to bisect the piece behind and fold down. I progressed to the point of folding the model in half to yield what was finally starting to look like animal of some sort, complete with a pair of legs and a funky looking head but got stalled again on what looks like trying to start the wings.

I will struggle some more in the expectation of revelation. When that fails, I'll post another image for help and look hopeful behind the screen.

-jady

[M Deutsch]

True, Bethnor, My 'el ultimo dragon' which I folded from Tanteiden 13 or something splayed very badly, His Dragons seem to work best either wet-folded or folded from tissue foil.

Good luck Jadylyon, Do not hesitate to ask for help after you've tried for yourself. Either I or some other helpful person would be happy to assist. Can't wait to see a picture of the final model!

[jadylyon]

Can't wait to see a picture of the final model!

*fervently* Me too.

[bethnor]

also, it's worth noting that the finishing details can get quite difficult if you are just using copy paper (assuming ~ 8"), the eyes especially around steps 80, as everything gets quite small. you can probably gloss around it.

[jadylyon]

I haven't given up. And just to prove it that its possible to be plucky in the face of adversity, I supply the photo record of good intentions:

[img]http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff31 ... t_wips.jpg[/img]

1) the start of the quest, and the stall at step 81. Note the mishmashed head and the overall "deboned turkey" look.

2) This is what happens when you THINK you know the pattern. Oops, wrong side. Do I continue? No, probably better to start again - after all, I need the practice.

3) Entitled "Legs - How Many Joints Are They Supposed To Have Again?" Step 111's ignomious first end.

4) Wings. Swivel what, where, while holding what in position? We tried, indeed we did. Sadly, nothing ended up looking like the pristine drawing. Notice the amazingly mismatched angles on the front bits. Something is Not Right. Back to the ... uh, board.

5) Step 132, wistfully entitled "Sink What?! I Thought We Were Done With The Legs."

-----------------------------

This concludes our photo reconstruction of the crime scene as of this moment. Stay tuned for further details as they develop!