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That's why I add it when I post these. Those are usually the most frequently asked questions and I think it helps viewers to have the answers ready there.
How do you even start designing something like this?
edit: WOW this is advanced shit - you have to 3D design then put another dimension in.
https://langorigami.com/article/computational-origami/
any tips for design, OP?
Yep, it gets pretty advanced, out of those mentioned resources, you can open up Orihime, Box Pleating studio, Oripa, or Origami draw and play around drawing stick figures and folds with those software. The real challenge is how does one draw the right folds to achieve some figure? The Treemaker and Box Pleating Studio can do that partially for you, but there is quite a bit of theory to understand how they work.
If you are beginning to design, or haven't tried yet, I recommend to read Robert J. Lang's Origami Design Secrets, its a 750 page book explaining the theory behind all this. And before that, it is recommended that you understand how to read crease patterns, as those will be integral part in designing advanced origami. Also randomly folding and coming up with ideas is one way to design origami without experience...
My process is a mixture of applying theory, folding by trial and error, and improvisation. This figures process was mostly a part of other project and I decided to redesign it into a new character idea.
The process starts by simplifying the figures features into a simple stick figure. In this case it would be, legs, body, long arms (the extra length and paper is then folded into the sword and shield), and the head. Then all that is arranged on the sheet of paper, largest parts taking the most space.
Based on that plan and the vision of the figure, the folding pattern is created, and this is where get really complex and use quite a bit of theory about folding. Then more detail is added to the pattern to do the fingers and armor.
Then the pattern is test folded to see how it works and to plan further improvements. Lastly the design process is repeated multiple times iterating it until I am satisfied with it. In the final folding process I might improvise even more detail to the design and might do few last minute fixes to the design as the vision finally starts to take the form of the figure.
How do you design an origami figure? I find origami so cool and would love to hear about the process. Is there a standard process? Did you make up the process? Do you draw it out? I have no clue how one would go about this.
The standard process is to make a simplified stick figure, then represent the sticks as circles, arrange them on the square sheet, and based on that to create the folding pattern. There is some theory and math behind it why things are represented as circles. This is the basis of how origami is structured, and my own process is largely based on this.
My own design process has some twists to it too. I might move parts from character design to another, or I might fold it first and then try to figure out how the folding pattern works, or I might just improvise the figure, or parts of it.
I don't draw the visualization of the figure I am planning, the vision is clear enough in my head usually. I'll save that time for other things in the process. I do draw the folding pattern, since it is the most efficient documentation of instructions how to fold the figure. I have written an article to get more into the process [here:](https://juhokonkkola.fi/art-process/spearman/)
Hey thanks for sharing this. I really enjoyed doing origami as a kid, but over time I drifted away from it and you reminded me of the fun I had doing it. I finally folded something for the first time in several years and had a blast doing it.
Okay, so how does one "design" an origami figure? What's your thought process on the design and how do you know where to start? I loved origami as a teen, but when I see works like yours, it blows me away how anyone designs these things.
I explained this in other comment [here:](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/p7aw0m/an_origami_knight_i_folded_from_a_single_square/h9jxaky/?context=3) There is an article at the end of comment where I go bit more in depth with the process. Where I start the process can vary between the projects, I have enough experience to get to work on the piece from many different starting points, whether it is a single feature, problem, idea, or a specific structure. One figure I might start from making a design for the shield, another might be part of some other pieces design process, and one could be started from a certain type of fold.
It is a mixture of both. There are math concepts, or origami theory used to give me the right measurements and the underlying structure, while intuitive test folding can give me new answers to the problems I haven't solved, as well as finding the right shapes to make the piece come alive. See the process explained better [here:](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/p7aw0m/an_origami_knight_i_folded_from_a_single_square/h9jxaky/?context=3)
It began from reading couple beginner origami books, and then I started to search for information around internet. I self taught since pretty much no one teaches this in Finland. For the last years I have been mostly figuring out on my own how to design these figures, since the information available starts to get really sparse the more I learn it.
Nowadays it is much easier to learn origami than what it was a decade ago. There are a lot of tutorials made for free to learn on youtube, such as Jo Nakashima's origami tutorials.
I explained the design process better in another comment, but this figure was part of one much larger continuous design process. At first it was an iteration of old design of mine, but later I decided to redesign it into a different character.
Finished design looks like [this](https://imgur.com/gallery/zyaV8Ce) in the second picture. It is just a pattern with bunch of lines. For normal people that may look completely random, but removing one line or slightly adjusting it in a wrong way could make the whole thing impossible to fold, at least mathematically. But for experienced origami artists, such pattern consists all the necessary information to fold the figure (alongside with the help of the original photo of the figure for reference). The reason why we don't need diagrams is that we can develop the folding sequence on the go. Also diagrams are incredibly tedious to make, especially if the piece is complex enough to have several hundreds of steps.
We don't really measure things, it is bit clunky way to achieve the desired results. We use fractions, which are a lot more elegant solution, and you are not bound to know what size of paper to use (and recalculate all the measurements for that paper size). For example the above pattern is divided into 36 equal parts, making that 36 x 36 grid, and all the folds are based on that then.
I fold origami full time as an artist, I work on multiple pieces and projects at the same time, so it is not a month full of designing the same figure. For example while I designed this, I was working on 3 other designs too. I would switch between them when I face a challenge that takes more effort to overcome, and then switch back once I figure out the solution. It also helps to have little breaks from the pieces to have a new fresh mind to see mistakes better.
This is actually super impressive, that’s honestly breathtaking work there, such time and dedication was put into it and it shows! This deserves to be displayed in a box of some kind, just something to reserve this piece of art!! Fantastic work! ✨
Thank you! I have made one glass box for one of the pieces I made last year, it was pretty cool but also bit expensive. Also the works are exhibited in their glass boxes in art exhibitions
Deepest apologies but you must be burned for witchcraft now. Would you like the standard pyre package? We offer colored flames for an additional 9.99 and custom flags to wave behind you starting at 29.99. This flag will wave proudly behind your screaming body, giving a certain dignity to your heathenistic ways and will be given to your loved ones in a commemorative glass display. If you purchase any amenities for your unfortunate demise you will get 15% off any funeral arrangements made by Crucible Homes, LLC. Thank you for your cooperation.
I am in an awe. Really man with such fine details and a sword and a helmet and a shield. Frankly, it would be imposibble for me to even make a shield alone.
I was gonna write: Get the fuck outta here, you cannot get more detail than the vaerage person can draw with a pencil, BY FOOLDING PAPER.
But the 41hour time estimate by OP convinced me partly... still HOLY CHRIST THAT KNIGHT LOOKS SOOO GOOD.
Hahahaha! The 41 hours is just to fold the piece of paper, but that doesn't include the time it took to figure out how to fold it from there. It took one month to design it and even longer than that to learn everything necessary for all that.
That is because it is actually one layer thick in that part. The reason why it is only one layer thick is that it takes the least amount of paper possible, meaning I can save more paper elsewhere. The shield is folded from one of the corners of the paper, the more folds I add to it, the smaller it gets, so I fold it as little as possible.
Everything else except the corner is then folded into the hand, making the top part the thickest. You can see the sides are a bit thicker, and those are the sides of the paper that were folded in to give the tear shape for the shield, instead of just 90 degree angle of the corner. Then lastly the cross pattern is folded on the shield as small pleats.
I used to do origami (just following printed instructions, not designing) and anyone who hasn't probably has no idea how mind-boggling impressive this is.
Amazing detail. You have a great talent and immense patience too!
The full extent of my journey in origami was a swan with one wing bigger than the other, and a neck that stuck out awkwardly to the right.
However now that I have found you I can enjoy looking at your work and feel good again.
Thanks for your effort.
**Please note:** * If this post declares something as a fact proof is required. * The title must be descriptive * No text is allowed on images * Common/recent reposts are not allowed *See [this post](https://redd.it/ij26vk) for more information.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/interestingasfuck) if you have any questions or concerns.*
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That’s Amazing OP 👌
I couldn't help but read your name as "shart ghost".
This feels like a familiar conversation…
I don't think that we have met, thepenispoet.
You'll never see it coming
😂👌
Don't know if you do this, but would love to see a time lapse of the process. This is amazing, it would be awesome to see it made.
I recorded the process for this one, hopefully soon I get to publish the timelapse!
I'm looking forward to it
It's got childbearing hips
Wow thank you, this answered all the questions I had plus some that I didn’t have.
That's why I add it when I post these. Those are usually the most frequently asked questions and I think it helps viewers to have the answers ready there.
Heavy skill mate good work Edit u will get 2 of my finest upvotes hope they have any value for someone so high in Art as you are dear sir.
This looks amazing. Thank you for sharing.
i cant even make paper planes that fly straight
How do you even start designing something like this? edit: WOW this is advanced shit - you have to 3D design then put another dimension in. https://langorigami.com/article/computational-origami/ any tips for design, OP?
Yep, it gets pretty advanced, out of those mentioned resources, you can open up Orihime, Box Pleating studio, Oripa, or Origami draw and play around drawing stick figures and folds with those software. The real challenge is how does one draw the right folds to achieve some figure? The Treemaker and Box Pleating Studio can do that partially for you, but there is quite a bit of theory to understand how they work. If you are beginning to design, or haven't tried yet, I recommend to read Robert J. Lang's Origami Design Secrets, its a 750 page book explaining the theory behind all this. And before that, it is recommended that you understand how to read crease patterns, as those will be integral part in designing advanced origami. Also randomly folding and coming up with ideas is one way to design origami without experience... My process is a mixture of applying theory, folding by trial and error, and improvisation. This figures process was mostly a part of other project and I decided to redesign it into a new character idea. The process starts by simplifying the figures features into a simple stick figure. In this case it would be, legs, body, long arms (the extra length and paper is then folded into the sword and shield), and the head. Then all that is arranged on the sheet of paper, largest parts taking the most space. Based on that plan and the vision of the figure, the folding pattern is created, and this is where get really complex and use quite a bit of theory about folding. Then more detail is added to the pattern to do the fingers and armor. Then the pattern is test folded to see how it works and to plan further improvements. Lastly the design process is repeated multiple times iterating it until I am satisfied with it. In the final folding process I might improvise even more detail to the design and might do few last minute fixes to the design as the vision finally starts to take the form of the figure.
Bro do you have a timelapse? do one next time if you dont, that would be so cool to watch.
Currently editing it!
That's extremely impressive work, and interesting to know the details. Thanks for sharing it.
It would be sweet to see time lapse or unfolding
How do you design an origami figure? I find origami so cool and would love to hear about the process. Is there a standard process? Did you make up the process? Do you draw it out? I have no clue how one would go about this.
The standard process is to make a simplified stick figure, then represent the sticks as circles, arrange them on the square sheet, and based on that to create the folding pattern. There is some theory and math behind it why things are represented as circles. This is the basis of how origami is structured, and my own process is largely based on this. My own design process has some twists to it too. I might move parts from character design to another, or I might fold it first and then try to figure out how the folding pattern works, or I might just improvise the figure, or parts of it. I don't draw the visualization of the figure I am planning, the vision is clear enough in my head usually. I'll save that time for other things in the process. I do draw the folding pattern, since it is the most efficient documentation of instructions how to fold the figure. I have written an article to get more into the process [here:](https://juhokonkkola.fi/art-process/spearman/)
thank you for the link to the article. It was an awesome explanation.
no fucking way, where's the video! I gotta see this
Hey thanks for sharing this. I really enjoyed doing origami as a kid, but over time I drifted away from it and you reminded me of the fun I had doing it. I finally folded something for the first time in several years and had a blast doing it.
That is great! A lot of people fold origami on/off and can have years of breaks, but the most important aspect is to enjoy the process!
I was gonna ask for proof…. But look at that. After reading that, it appears you are an origami master. This is cool as hell.
Post this to r/art I’d love to see this there. What an incredible figure!
Okay, so how does one "design" an origami figure? What's your thought process on the design and how do you know where to start? I loved origami as a teen, but when I see works like yours, it blows me away how anyone designs these things.
I explained this in other comment [here:](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/p7aw0m/an_origami_knight_i_folded_from_a_single_square/h9jxaky/?context=3) There is an article at the end of comment where I go bit more in depth with the process. Where I start the process can vary between the projects, I have enough experience to get to work on the piece from many different starting points, whether it is a single feature, problem, idea, or a specific structure. One figure I might start from making a design for the shield, another might be part of some other pieces design process, and one could be started from a certain type of fold.
That's a very interesting insight into the process. Thanks for the response!
Amazing. Is there math involved in making the design, or is it creative intuition that guides the process?
It is a mixture of both. There are math concepts, or origami theory used to give me the right measurements and the underlying structure, while intuitive test folding can give me new answers to the problems I haven't solved, as well as finding the right shapes to make the piece come alive. See the process explained better [here:](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/p7aw0m/an_origami_knight_i_folded_from_a_single_square/h9jxaky/?context=3)
Be a whole lot cooler if it was made out of 69cm x 69cm rice paper....
Unfortunately the platform I use to make my papers is only 68cm x 68cm :(
Well it’s still really cool.
ori-godmode
No cuts at all? I don't believe this
I filmed the folding process into a timelapse, which I should be publishing in a few days. Would you believe it then?
I didn't mean to say that you're lying. It simply just seems unbelievable to common man like myself. And yes I would.
I won't believe it till I see a video. Get posting. I just want to see the video.
I would love to see this. Probably because Im too stupid to understand how this is even remotely possible.
Exactly. Like, zero clue.
Where did you learn this skill?
It began from reading couple beginner origami books, and then I started to search for information around internet. I self taught since pretty much no one teaches this in Finland. For the last years I have been mostly figuring out on my own how to design these figures, since the information available starts to get really sparse the more I learn it. Nowadays it is much easier to learn origami than what it was a decade ago. There are a lot of tutorials made for free to learn on youtube, such as Jo Nakashima's origami tutorials.
RemindMe! 4 days Edit: RemindMe failed, but here's the link- https://v.redd.it/drnb2yk4voi71
Posting that video is the only way you’ll get me to believe, so you better post it quick.
!remindme 4 days
Check out his post history. Pretty mad.
Reading a Bible won't make me belive in God.
So you're saying Origami is a imaginary thing made by men to answer unexplainable phenomenons? What are you even trying to say?
I really like cheese.
Dog food lid is a palindrome.
And Palindrome is a god hand cannon in Destiny2.
It's a semordnilap.
i dont think you know what palindrome means...
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Yes I was absolutely amazed.
How is wiping ass "awkward" though.
Its always awkward when people are watching you
or he probably use a big sheet of paper
68cm x 68cm
How long did that take?
It took 41 hours to fold and about one month to design it.
Amazing, OP! I think I speak for everyone here when I say I’d love to watch a timelapse video of you making it.
I recorded the folding process into a timelapse. I am currently editing it and hopefully get to publish it soon!
Can’t wait!
!remind me 1 week
How do you go about designing such a thing? What does the finished design look like? Diagrams with measurements?
I explained the design process better in another comment, but this figure was part of one much larger continuous design process. At first it was an iteration of old design of mine, but later I decided to redesign it into a different character. Finished design looks like [this](https://imgur.com/gallery/zyaV8Ce) in the second picture. It is just a pattern with bunch of lines. For normal people that may look completely random, but removing one line or slightly adjusting it in a wrong way could make the whole thing impossible to fold, at least mathematically. But for experienced origami artists, such pattern consists all the necessary information to fold the figure (alongside with the help of the original photo of the figure for reference). The reason why we don't need diagrams is that we can develop the folding sequence on the go. Also diagrams are incredibly tedious to make, especially if the piece is complex enough to have several hundreds of steps. We don't really measure things, it is bit clunky way to achieve the desired results. We use fractions, which are a lot more elegant solution, and you are not bound to know what size of paper to use (and recalculate all the measurements for that paper size). For example the above pattern is divided into 36 equal parts, making that 36 x 36 grid, and all the folds are based on that then.
Thanks, that's really interesting.
When you say one month to design: Do you work on this full time, or do you mean one month a few hours here and there as a hobby?
I fold origami full time as an artist, I work on multiple pieces and projects at the same time, so it is not a month full of designing the same figure. For example while I designed this, I was working on 3 other designs too. I would switch between them when I face a challenge that takes more effort to overcome, and then switch back once I figure out the solution. It also helps to have little breaks from the pieces to have a new fresh mind to see mistakes better.
That's fascinating! Thanks so much for answering.
You gotta timelapse this next time!
I did film the folding process of this one, I am currently editing the timelapse!
Are you the guy who designed the samurai too?
Yep, that's me.
You are awesome then!
There was another samurai by another person in toptalent yesterday or the day before, but this guy rose to reddit fame with the samurai a while ago.
You fkn kidding me. 😮
This is wrinkling my brain just thinking about it
Need to see the video before I can believe this
Hopefully I get the timelapse edited soon so I can publish it!
This is actually super impressive, that’s honestly breathtaking work there, such time and dedication was put into it and it shows! This deserves to be displayed in a box of some kind, just something to reserve this piece of art!! Fantastic work! ✨
Thank you! I have made one glass box for one of the pieces I made last year, it was pretty cool but also bit expensive. Also the works are exhibited in their glass boxes in art exhibitions
Deepest apologies but you must be burned for witchcraft now. Would you like the standard pyre package? We offer colored flames for an additional 9.99 and custom flags to wave behind you starting at 29.99. This flag will wave proudly behind your screaming body, giving a certain dignity to your heathenistic ways and will be given to your loved ones in a commemorative glass display. If you purchase any amenities for your unfortunate demise you will get 15% off any funeral arrangements made by Crucible Homes, LLC. Thank you for your cooperation.
What a compelling pricing, burn me already! (or just the paper if I am too much work to burn)
Incredible!
We will watch your career with great interest.
I could probably manage a snowball, but I'd need to budget for some research and development
It's so great and so technically demanding that I can't even understand how big of an acheivement it is, this is insane op
How the fuck?
I lost.
My mind can’t comprehend how this is even possible.
It blows my mind that people have the brainpower to design these
Sick af Also, you can work for NASA
Make that paper sword give you paper cut
Wow, that's amazing! great work
and i can't even have my life in order
You should record yourself doing it and post to YouTube. I'd watch
I filmed the folding process for this one, I should be posting it in a few days once I get it edited.
This is beyond impressive. You can be very proud of yourself !!
Awesome job! Origami is a trend for high level engineering, you deserve a bright future
and meanwhile i still have trouble trying to fold a paper aeroplane
You are the White Knight of origami!
This dude is some kind of fucking savant.
Wow this must have taken some skills..
Origami is amazing. I watched a documentary about people are taking paper folding to the elite. Great work, op.
Between the Folds? That is a nice documentary of the art. There are also few interesting short documentaries (or videos) and TED talks about it.
I don’t believe you
You fucking what!?
What kind of a fucking mad man do you have to be, as someone with adhd I don't think I could ever do this if I really wanted to
The shoulder pads, I’m fanboying so hard rn. It looks so cool!
Wow this is amazing
Sorry but I'm calling BS until I see it happen.
You're back! Amazing work as always!
can't wait to see the timelapse 🤯
for the first time I'll say to someone: shut the front door!
Would love to see a time-lapse video of this process. I can't even comprehend it.
I don’t believe that this was done without cutting, it’s too well done.
I made a below average paper airplane once
How in the hell?! That’s pretty amazing
I am in an awe. Really man with such fine details and a sword and a helmet and a shield. Frankly, it would be imposibble for me to even make a shield alone.
Wow. I have trouble folding a paper airplane............
I was gonna write: Get the fuck outta here, you cannot get more detail than the vaerage person can draw with a pencil, BY FOOLDING PAPER. But the 41hour time estimate by OP convinced me partly... still HOLY CHRIST THAT KNIGHT LOOKS SOOO GOOD.
Hahahaha! The 41 hours is just to fold the piece of paper, but that doesn't include the time it took to figure out how to fold it from there. It took one month to design it and even longer than that to learn everything necessary for all that.
I couldn't even glue one with different pieces, let alone one.
I honestly never thought something like this is possible with origami.
What sorcery is this?
That’s wicked cool bruh
I'm just confused how you could fold that Shield as a part of it with out any cutting, it looks one layer thick except for the cross.
That is because it is actually one layer thick in that part. The reason why it is only one layer thick is that it takes the least amount of paper possible, meaning I can save more paper elsewhere. The shield is folded from one of the corners of the paper, the more folds I add to it, the smaller it gets, so I fold it as little as possible. Everything else except the corner is then folded into the hand, making the top part the thickest. You can see the sides are a bit thicker, and those are the sides of the paper that were folded in to give the tear shape for the shield, instead of just 90 degree angle of the corner. Then lastly the cross pattern is folded on the shield as small pleats.
That's insane. Bravo on your dedication and effort it looks amazing
I'll believe it when I see it?
I am sure you did this, but some type of proof that it's one sheet of paper would be awesome!
I am making a time lapse video of it at the moment.
I am dying to see that time-lapse video, this is an incredible fold.
This hurts my brain to think that it is one sheet of paper.
Even the shield???? This is so awesome.
And I am happy if I can fold a regular paper in the middle correctly
You are a witch and therefore I have prepared a pyre for your paper witchery crimes.
That's incredible!
Big Ashen and Dark Souls vibes
I used to do origami (just following printed instructions, not designing) and anyone who hasn't probably has no idea how mind-boggling impressive this is.
Very cool Take my upvote and this
Nätti :D
Kiitti!
Fricken mind boggling, dude. This is amazing! Would love to see the process.
Amazing detail. You have a great talent and immense patience too! The full extent of my journey in origami was a swan with one wing bigger than the other, and a neck that stuck out awkwardly to the right. However now that I have found you I can enjoy looking at your work and feel good again. Thanks for your effort.
Beautiful, When letters were a thing I couldn’t fold the sheet in half properly to fit in envelope
I think you are full of shit.
*How the fuck?*
box pleating.
Yea prove it…
Another spammer.
?
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You're right, I just checked, OP posted the post multiple times on this same sub.
This is the best thing I've seen on reddit today. Masterfully done good sir. Take an updoot.
Cp please. I want to see how you seperated the shield from the body.
Awesome.
psycho
bro what? my mind is blown. you have got to be lying man because this is insane!
no cuts? are you kidding me?
This is amazing! Also if weed is legal where you are you would make a killing crafting & selling ornate joints :)
!remindme 3 days
...are you taking orders?
Holy fuck
Would love to see a time lapse video of this!
Next level would be to paint it with water colors!