Organic Origami

One more box pleat variation. This time, straight box pleat sequences folded from each corner, one upside down.

In this variant, one set of box pleats faces up and the other down, modifying the resistance of the folded model to curvature and changing the appearance somewhat.

One of my first box-pleat tessellations was called Hierarchical. This is essentially the same, but with fewer iterations because of the size restriction. The extra element introduced here is the third dimension, as a result of the nail location.

Another example of an interesting surface formed by an almost completely unfolded sheet of paper.

Unlike the first four, this was not folded from a square, but a long rectangle with corners cut off (which makes it a hexagon). Also, it is from “standard” origami paper which has two different-colored sides. As with all other 50-50 pieces, the background is a 6 by 6 inch square. For an experience of a completely different scale, I’m including a photo of a similar twist folded from a sheet (of watercolor paper) that was about 23 feet long and 5 feet wide. The large twist was folded for an origami exhibit at this year’s Marin County Fair.

A simple saddle surface.  The nail in the center is longer, to allow the paper to stay high above the background.

Nails help pin down points on the stretched (opening) side, as well as close the other side.

Pleats leave traces even after unfolding.

The unfolded sheet can be coaxed into various shapes.

Unlike last year, the title I’ve chosen defines an approach, rather than a subject. Pinned paper includes all works whose appearance and character critically depends on the choice of points at which they are attached to the background. This wave would not maintain its shape without nails that pin it to the background panel.