Home > Book Reviews > World's Best Origami
World's Best Origami
By Nick Robinson
Published: 2010 by Alpha Books
Pages: 312
Binding: Paperback
Language: English
ISBN: 9781615640539
Buy from: Amazon.com
| Skill Level : | From simple to high-intermediate |
|---|---|
| Clear diagrams? | Yes |
| Tinted diagrams (to show 2 sides of paper)? | Yes |
| Photos of completed models? | No |
| Is there indication to the model size resulting from size of starting paper? | No |
| Are the models "Pure" origami (From square - no cuts)? | Most are |
Overall Impression
Nick Robinson has a knack for finding the uncommon, hidden or forgotten gems and collecting them into unique
books suitable for all, from super-simple models to more challenging ones, avoiding overused designs found in
other books. This book is no exception (and I'm not just saying that because 3 of the models are mine!).
There's a nice variety of themes, animals alongside modulars, flowers, practical models and many more. Some new
favorites I found are Chris Alexander's "Howling at the Moon", Nick's own dolphin and Santa and Maltagliati's
owl. Older favorites include Yenn's DNA, Fujimoto's cube and apple, and Neal Elias' angel among others.
Each model comes with Robinson's thought about the design, and the book has a long and informative introduction
to methods and techniques, making it a good resource for beginners. Something for everyone here.
The Models
| Model | Creator | Notes | Photo (click for a larger image) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pecking bird | Traditional | Simple | |
| Swan | Traditional | ||
| Peacock | Traditional | From 2 squares. |
 Folded by gailprentice |
| Hungry chick | Francisco Javier Caboblanco | Cute |
 Folded by Nick Robinson |
| Perched Owl | Robert Neale | From a rectangle | |
| Songbird | Kunihiko Kasahara | Nice |
 Folded by gailprentice |
| Great-horned owl | Giovanni Maltagliati | Nice and simple |
|
| Penguin mother and baby | Nick Robinson | Nice |
|
| Fat bird | Gareth Louis | With flapping action | |
| Bowing bird | Jeff Beynon | Very nice |
 Folded by gailprentice |
| Swan | Eric Joisel | Very nice |
 Folded by Rui Roda |
| Cricket | Traditional | Jumping. Great for teaching | |
| Pig | Nick Robinson | From 3 squares | |
| Cat's head | Evi Binzinger | Nice and simple | |
| Frog's head | Edwin Corrie | Nice | |
| Whale's tail | Mick Guy | Nice |
|
| Fantail goldfish | Traditional | ||
| Horse | Traditional | Pajarita variation | |
| Mad March hare | Nick Robinson | Rabbit head. Nice | |
| Dolphin | Nick Robinson | Very nice |
|
| Frog on a window | Kunihiko Kasahara |
 Folded by Malachi Brown |
|
| Howling at the Moon | Chris Alexander | Excellent |
|
| Elephant | Ann LaVin | Cute | |
| Puma's head | Roman Diaz | Excellent. Also published on Origami Weekly |
|
| Squarosaurus | Nick Robinson | A squarish dinosaur |
 Folded by Malachi Brown |
| Koala | Edwin Corrie | Very nice |
|
| Water lily | Traditional |
 Folded by Malachi Brown |
|
| Tulip and Stem | Zsuzsanna Kricskovics | From 2 rectangles | |
| Long-Stemmed Rose | Nick Robinson | Simple. From 2 squares | |
| Boutonniere Blossom | Traditional | Nice | |
| Sunflower | Nick Robinson | Nice |
 Folded by Malachi Brown |
| Snowdrop | Nick Robinson | Nice | |
| Camellia | Traditional | Nice | |
| Orchid | Jonathan Shapcott | Nice | |
| Bluebell | Adolfo Cerceda | Nice |
 Folded by gailprentice |
| Desert flower | Nick Robinson | From a hexagon. Very nice |
 Folded by gailprentice |
| Girl's head 1 | Eric Kenneway | Nice and simple | |
| Girl's head 2 | Eric Kenneway | Nice and simple | |
| Simple Santa | Nick Robinson | Very nice |
|
| Napoleon | Nick Robinson | Some imagination required... | |
| Grumpy alien | Nick Robinson | Cute |
 Folded by Nick Robinson |
| Vampyra | Paul Hanson | Very nice |
|
| Crying baby | Gilad Aharoni | Also in the diagrams section |
|
| Robot's head | Mike Thomas | Nice puppet | |
| Human face | Nick Robinson | Nice |
|
| Mr. Muppet | Gilad Aharoni | Also in the diagrams section |
|
| Angel | Neal Elias | Excellent |
|
| Simple tray | Traditional | ||
| Square bowl | Traditional | ||
| Spanish box | Traditional | Very nice | |
| Poppy dish | Nick Robinson | Nice | |
| Triangular box | Assia Vely | From a rectangle. Very nice, with ideas for making a desk-tidy from several units. | |
| Fox dish | Nick Robinson | Nice | |
| Star box | Francesco Guarineri | Nice |
 Folded by gailprentice |
| Curly box | Traditional | Nice |
 Folded by Nick Robinson |
| Lidded box | Nick Robinson | Very nice |
 Folded by Malachi Brown |
| Classic Bowl | Florence Temko | Nice |
 Folded by Malachi Brown |
| Bristol box | Dan Mason | Very nice | |
| Tessellating cross | Traditional | Simple units | |
| Squared square | Robert Neale | Square-in-square | |
| Butterfly | Thoki Yenn | Nice. Also published in Origami Kit for Dummies |
 On the left |
| Proving Pythagoras | Mick Guy | From 36 squares | |
| Flexagon | Arthur Stone | From a long strip | |
| Tower | Traditional | Nice | |
| 8-point star | Wayne Brown | From 2 squares | |
| Tri-puzzle | David Petty | From 4 squares. A tangram-like puzzle | |
| Pinwheel tato | Traditional | ||
| Cross puzzle | David Petty | From 4 squares | |
| Cube | Fujimoto Shuzo | A classic |
|
| Double cube | Nick Robinson | From 2 squares. Very nice | |
| Tri-coaster | Nick Robinson | From 3 squares | |
| DNA strand | Thoki Yenn | From a rectangle. Also published on Thoki's web site and in Encyclopedia of Origami for Children and Adults |
|
| Umulius rectangulum | Thoki Yenn | From 6 rectangles. Excellent |
 Folded by Phillip West |
| Hexahedron | Molly Kahn | From 3 squares | |
| Squared square cube | Robert Neale | From 6 squares | |
| Modular twist | Nick Robinson | From 4 squares | |
| Pyramid | Francisco Javier Caboblanco | From 2 squares |
 Folded by gailprentice |
| Windmill cube | Kunihiko Kasahara | From 6 squares | |
| Tri-module unit | Nick Robinson | From 3 squares, with variation suggestions |
 Folded by Marina Kosareva |
| Snowflake module | David Petty | From 8 squares | |
| Snow cube | Nick Robinson | From 6 squares | |
| Goldfinch star | Nick Robinson | From 6 squares | |
| Octahedron | Robert Neale | From 6 squares | |
| Wallet | Traditional | Nice | |
| Cup | Traditional | ||
| Booklet | Traditional | From a rectangle. With a cut | |
| Envelope from Bonn | Doris Lauinger | From a rectangle | |
| Party hat | Robert Neale / Nick Robinson | Nice | |
| French fries bag | Traditional | ||
| Set square | Nick Robinson | ||
| Pocket fan | Sjaak Adriaanse | From a rectangle | |
| Classic cap | Traditional | From a rectangle | |
| Sailboat envelope | Evi Binzinger | ||
| Elforia envelope | Sjaak Adriaanse | From a rectangle | |
| Holiday card | Doris Lauinger | From a rectangle | |
| Ring | Traditional | From a rectangle. Very nice | |
| Gliding hoop | Traditional | ||
| Crown | Nick Robinson | From 4 squares | |
| Sheffield sailboat | Nick Robinson | ||
| Word dominoes | Mick Guy | Game units | |
| Freising plane | Nick Robinson | Toy plane |
 Folded by Malachi Brown |
| Cart | Traditional | From 2 squares | |
| Standing heart | Nick Robinson | From 2 squares | |
| Popsicle | Gilad Aharoni | Also in the diagrams section |
|
| Bug-eye glider | Nick Robinson | Toy plane |
 Folded by Malachi Brown |
| 3D heart | Haui Bogl'arka |
 Folded by Malachi Brown |
|
| Candle | Nick Robinson | Nice |
 Folded by Malachi Brown |
| Reverse pinwheel | Florence Temko |
 Folded by gailprentice |
|
| Kettle | Adolfo Cerceda | Nice |
|
| Tent | Francesco Guarnieri | Nice. Also published on the CDO website |
 Folded by Francesco Guarnieri |
| Trees on a hillside | Eric Kenneway | Also published in Origami: Paperfolding for Fun |
|
| Apple | Shuzo Fujimoto | Excellent |
|
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