November 4, 2024

Origami (Japanese for “folding paper”) is the Japanese art form of folding paper by using no additional adhesive materials or cuts, which first began in Japan in the 17th century AD. Using a number of intricate folds, a simple piece of paper can be radically transformed into a complex and beautiful piece of artwork!

Origami grew dramatically across the globe during the mid-20th century, and has today evolved into a highly skilled specialist modern art form. The unique art form has many different types; action origami, modular origami, wet-folding, pureland origami and origami tessellations. Here at MOO we just can’t get enough of stunning paper design, so we’ve done you a solid and pulled together a list of our very favourite origami pieces. Sit back with a cup of your preferred hot beverage and enjoy!

Paper Origami

Akira Yoshizawa’s Collection – Source

Description: Akira-Yoshizawa-origami-2

St. George slaying the Dragon from Dave and Assia Brill’s Confluence exhibition – Source

Description: http://www.origami-galerie.de/CONFLUENCE/kunstwerke/IMG_8809b.jpg

Yoda Designed by Fumiaki Kawahata created by Philip West sandpaper and tissue paper – Source

Description: http://farm1.staticflickr.com/215/505158448_d442a6a3ed_b.jpg

V’s Mask from V for Vendetta, by Brian Chan – Source

Description: http://web.mit.edu/chosetec/www/origami/vendetta/vendetta1.jpg

Eric Joisel’s Saxophonist – Source

Description: C:\Users\jack.reid\Downloads\Saxonew.jpg

Hermit Crab by Satoshi Kamiya – Source

Description: http://www.folders.jp/g/2005/0506_2.jpg

Bahamut by Satoshi Kamiya  – Source

Description: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3274/3028988380_1e0d909ba0_z.jpg

Designed by Brian Chan – Source

Description: http://web.mit.edu/chosetec/www/origami/wolfwood/wolfwood1.jpg

Origami Joe’s Oread Figure, on elephant hide paper – Source

Description: Oread figure -  - origami portrait sculpture - folded paper face and torso

Dollar Bill Digger – Source

Description: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VcJ6_xzJyxU/Ty-qwLWOoHI/AAAAAAAAGSw/pNCAQpRb3No/s1600/origami_money_cool_2.jpg

C.P. Snow by Robert J. Lang – Source

Description: C. P. Snow, opus 612

Satoshi Kamiya’s Little Bird – Source

Description: http://www.folders.jp/g/2006/0603.jpg

Vincent Floderer’s Origami Galerie in Freising – Source

Description: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2498/5833981060_b66bfb554f_b.jpg

Elephant by Robert J. Lang – Source

Description: Elephant, opus 111

Birth by Eric Joisel – Source

Samuri Helmet Beetle by Satoshi Kamiya – Source

Description: http://www.folders.jp/g/2002/0208.jpg

Vincent Floderer’s Origami Galerie in Freising – Source

Description: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2713/5833979354_cdb35bb39c_b.jpg

Wasp by Satoshi Kamiya – Source

Description: http://www.folders.jp/g/2002/0232_3.jpg

Cyclommatus Metalifer by Satoshi Kamiya – Source

Description: http://www.folders.jp/g/2005/0505.jpg

White Dragon Ryujin 3.5 by Satoshi Kamiya – Source

Description: http://www.folders.jp/g/2005/0501_1.jpg

Gnome by Eric Joisel – Source

Japanese Tree Frog by Satoshi Kamiya – Source

Description: アマガエル

Dollar Bill Buddha – Source

Description: http://legacy-cdn.smosh.com/smosh-pit/092010/money-origami-9.jpg

Octahedron made with 12 square papers by Janet Williams – Source

Description: http://janetscraft.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/img_3319.jpg?w=625

The King by Eric Joisel – Source

Description: C:\Users\jack.reid\Downloads\VRoiF.JPG

Woolly Mammoth by Satoshi Kamiya – Source

Description: http://www.folders.jp/g/2003/0307.jpg

Fumiaki Kawahata’s Triceratops – Source

Description: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3071/2929959881_8223523443_b.jpg

Robert J. Lang’s Bull Moose – Source

Description: Bull Moose, opus 413

One Dollar Koi – Source

Description: http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs18/f/2007/160/4/6/One_dollar_koi_new_ver__side_by_orudorumagi11.jpg

Humming bird and flower by Robert J. Lang – Source

Description: Hummingbird & Trumpet Vine, opp. 389, 394-5

Spinosaurus by Satoshi Kamiya – Source

Description: Spinosaurus image

Scrub Jay with eggs and nest by Robert J. Lang – Source

Description: Scrub Jay & Nest, Opus 63

Flying Bat by Robert J. Lang – Source

Description: Bat, opus 278

Saxophonist by Eric Joisel – Source

Description: http://www.ericjoisel.com/musicians_files/BIGsax1.jpg.jpg

Akira Yoshizawa Panda – Source

Description: http://ori500.free.fr/authors/Akira_Yoshizawa/small/Baby_Panda_1%20(Akira_Yoshizawa).jpg

Vincent Floderer – Source

Vincent Floderer

Dollar Bill Penguin – Source

 

Blue Lotus – Source

Origami Lotus Flower

Euro Rooster – Source

Origami Joe’s Alberich – Source

Description: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7172/6819043811_b37ca9d832_z.jpg

Five Euro Eiffel Tower – Source

Description: http://th00.deviantart.net/fs44/PRE/f/2009/078/9/6/Euro_Eiffle_Tower_by_orudorumagi11.jpg

Cerberus by Satoshi Kamiya – Source

Description: Cerberus

X-Wing – Source

Darth Vader’s Tie and escort – Source

Bull by Won Park – Source

Description: Won Park origami12 Won Parks origami art

Toilet by Won Park – Source

Description: Won Park origami19 Won Parks origami art

White House by Won Park – Source

Description: Won Park origami25 Won Parks origami art

Origami Joe’s Vishnu – Source

Description: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7209/6839701382_f88882e93c_o.jpg

Tomoko Fuse – Source

Description: http://xn--trume-aus-hnden-1kbj.de/maos_TF.jpg

Heinz Strobl – Source

Description: http://xn--trume-aus-hnden-1kbj.de/pre_ver/CIMG0699.jpg

Witch and Broom from Dave and Assia Brill’s Confluence exhibition – Source

Description: http://www.origami-galerie.de/CONFLUENCE/kunstwerke/IMG_5660.jpg

David Brill’s Rowers – Source

Description: http://www.origami-galerie.de/CONFLUENCE/IMG_4055b.jpg

Two Dollar Bill Formula 1 Cars- Source

Description: http://th00.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2010/190/6/8/Two_Dollar_Formula_1_Racecar_by_orudorumagi11.jpg

King Cobra – Source

Description: http://www.webdesigncore.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/origamiart30.jpg

Star Wars Enterprise – Source

Although not strictly Origami, Jeremy Kool’s Paper Fox Project is modelled in Autodesk Maya – Source

Description: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dwBuG-33GRI/Tlb4Zn2VCHI/AAAAAAAAAus/kjY1_Hb33Gc/s1600/jeremyKool_fox.png

Money Bear Source – Source

Description: http://www.crazyheads.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Moneygami4.jpg

Pegasus by Satoshi Kamiya – Source

Description: Tenma_img

Modified Jedi by Philip West – Source

Description: http://farm1.staticflickr.com/31/55087615_f1994bbb6b_b.jpg

Robert J. Lang’s Goat – Source

Description: The Sentinel, opus 242

Eric Joisel’s Balrog – Source

Description: C:\Users\jack.reid\Downloads\BalrogFL.jpg

Source

Description: http://www.designboom.com/cms/images/user_submit/2011/04/oritsunagumono3.jpg

Although not strictly origami, these are ‘oritsunagumono’ – ‘things folded and connected’. Takayuki Hori designed these to help highlight the potential threat of pollution to native animals.

So that wraps up our list of some of the best origami pieces to date, it’s amazing to think what some people can do with a sheet of paper! If this has got your creative juices flowing, why not try and create something unique with paper.

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