Posts

Showing posts from July, 2020

Hungry Rhombuses Origami Tessellation

Image
There's a variation on classic flagstones that doesn't use triangle twists on the rear. Instead, it's a tucking in of the space around the foreground shapes. I've folded several examples of this technique in models originally designed by others. It's a pretty difficult way to fold, but it does open up a new array of design possibilities  This design uses that technique to closely nestle rhombuses in rings around open back hex twists. The hexagons and the rhombuses are the only two shapes. No triangle twists are required on the backside.  Super hard to fold on average weight paper that isn't very large. I wasn't really confident I would actually be able to complete the model, but in the end it did finally come to fruition.  When folding in this style you'll benefit a lot from a blunt, yet pointy tool of some sort to tuck the paper under itself. I use a metal nail file. 

High Density Clover Tessellation

Image
I was going through my boxes of origami. I had four shoe boxes worth. Most were already photographed and documented here, but I found a few early ones that had not been.  One of the earliest tessellations I ever attempted and succeeded at was the high density clover. It's a variation on Fujimoto's clover design that creates a multitude of layered squares using only a single sheet of uncut paper.. Depending on your patience the density can increase ad infinitum.  I learned how to fold it using a video tutorial at happyfolding.com. That site and its author, Sara Adams, really taught me alot. Great site.  If you follow the steps and keep at it you're rewarded with a really impressive final model. Once you understand the structure, it opens up other possibilities for creative variations. . 

Origami Tessellation :: Ferris Wheels

Image
I just sorta stumbled upon this tessellation pattern. It's typical of me. It's much too closely packed and difficult to fold properly.  It actually started out really promising and then I brought my paper home from work and it suddenly went to mush. I'd barely even started the folding process. All I'd done was the center module.  I put the paper in the freezer overnight to see if that would dry up some of the moisture and firm it up. It did help a little. Just enough to squeak by on getting the pattern folded.  This is a tessellation that would probably best be done  in the dead of winter at 0% humidity. It would also benefit from a very resilient paper.  But in the end, you work with what you have and you press onward with your ideas. Creation is a powerful driving force.  I'd like it to be neater, but I'll take it for now.  I have a crease pattern sketch for those who might want it. 

High Density Hydrangea Tessellation

Image
I was trying to come up with a new square grid tessellation. I thought that I had. Turns out that I just accidentally made a single level high density hydrangea tessellation.  It's been a while since I've worked with that genre of tess, so I thought it was slightly different. Turns out, not.  I've folded less dense versions to do a repeating hydrangea tess in the past.  I don't think I've posted that here on this blog. But I do have it in a box somewhere. This time I went a little crazier and did the pattern denser still. But I stopped at the initial level stage. I really don't think that my paper would have permitted much more manipulation. It was a pretty frustration free tessellation to execute. Came together a lot quicker than I thought it would. Very nice end result.