Crease Pattern Project

I have decided that in order for me to advance as an origami artist, I need a better grasp of how models are designed. My first project will be to take the intermediate level models that I am familiar with, fold them, and as I unfold them I trace the crease pattern. Then I scan them into the computer and print off a hard copy to save in a binder. I currently have fourteen cataloged, and hopefully that will grow!

I am still fairly new to this crease pattern phenomenon, and need some practice getting used to visualizing the final product.

What I have posted here is the pattern for an octopus I designed. It is fairly crude, and I would not be surprised if someone else came up with the same design independently, but it is my first original design and I am proud of it for what it is!

[The image is my own]

The Paper

I just received my membership packet from OrigamiUSA. Inside was a copy of the The Paper, the official magazine of OrigamiUSA. It is a back-issue from the summer, but I have found it very interesting. There is a crease pattern and some diagrams in every issue, and several articles. The summer issue focused mainly on the convention which had recently ended. It makes me excited about attending my first convention!

I am surprised by how small the organization really is. They boast over 1600 members, while the magazine feels almost like a church newsletter. To think that a national organization with international partnerships and an annual convention has roughly 1600 memberships is amazing.

[The image is the cover of the most recent issue of The Paper which I copied from the OrigamiUSA website]

Heavy Rain

I was with a friend shopping for new video games and came across this find. It is a game coming soon for PS3 in which the main characters are trying to find a man who was kidnapped by the 'Origami Killer'. The nickname comes from the fact that each victim is discovered with an origami creation.

Initially, I was disturbed because I do not associate origami with serial killers. And (even worse) if, by some bizarre series of events, I were to become an insane serial killer, I would likely leave origami on my victims. Do I really want to play a game where I am trying to stop my bizarro-self? Too weird.

But, on another level, I am excited that this will likely be a huge success as far as origami publicity. People who never really thought anything of it will be exposed to it, even if it is in a peculiar way. Origami simply does not get much screen time, and this game will help correct that imbalance. Of course, it does seem to only be available for the PS3 which means only a fraction of the gaming community will see it.

[The image is the cover of the game box which I got from Wikipedia]