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Origami Design Secrets

Mathematical Methods for an Ancient Art

By Robert J. Lang

Published: 1993 by AK Peters
Pages: 585
Binding: Paperback
Language: English
ISBN: 1568811942

Buy from: Amazon.com

Skill Level : From low intermediate to super complex
Clear diagrams? Yes
Tinted diagrams (to show 2 sides of paper)? Yes
Photos of completed models? Yes
Is there indication to the model size resulting
from size of starting paper?
No
Are the models "Pure" origami (From square - no cuts)? A couple are from rectangles
Overall Impression

Wow. This is a fabulous book. Even if you only use it as a regular origami instruction book, it has diagrams for amazing models, such as the Western pond turtle with a patterned shell, and, of course, the detailed Black Forest Cuckoo clock. However, this is not a conventional origami book. It's much more than that.

This book gives us insights into "technical" origami design.
The object of this approach to design is basically how to get a certain number of appendages of certain sizes out of a piece of paper, in correct relations to each other, and in the most efficient way.

Lang presents several methods, starting with more abstract ones, such as basic point-splitting, modifying existing bases, grafting and tiling, and advances to more "scientific" tools, using circle packing and tree theory to achieve more accurate results.

Each technique is illustrated with many examples, exercises to the reader,
and fully diagrammed models.

Lang's writing is flowing and entertaining. No mathematical
skills are needed to understand the methods presented.

This book has become a classic as soon as it was published.

The Models
Model Notes Photo (Click for a larger image)
Stealth fighter
Snail
Valentine With color-changed arrow
Ruby throated hummingbird Excellent
Baby Very good. Also published in Origami USA 1990 convention book
Pteranodon With flapping action
Goatfish Vary good
Folded by Origami Okiba
KNL dragon A combination of Neal's dragon body with Kasahara's dragon head. Also published in The Millenium Origami Dragon Challenge
Lizard Excellent
Tree frog Excellent
Songbird 1 Excellent
Turtle Also published in A Arte dos Mestres de Origami and in Paper Animals
Western pond turtle Fantastic - with patterned shell
Folded by Sebastian Curvers
Koi The exercise of adding scales to the koi's body
is left for the reader to figure out...
Pegasus Also published in Origami USA 1996 convention book
Emu
Songbird 2 With color-changed wings
Folded by Philip West
Orchid blossom Very good
Folded by Nicolas Terry
Alamo stallion Also published in Origami USA 2002 convention book
Mooser's train By Emmanuel Mooser - Crease pattern only for an excellent train. From a rectangle
Folded by Grzegorz Bubniak
Bull moose Excellent
Folded by Sebastian Curvers
Black forest cuckoo clock From a long strip - an amazingly detailed model,
that I will gather the courage to fold one day!

Folded by Sebastian Curvers
African elephant Very nice and 3D
Folded by Herman Mariano