Issue 1, November–December, 2010
Diagrams: Finch by Robert J. Lang Edited by Jason Ku This complex design, from a square, uses a mix of 30 and 22.5 degree symmetries. This figure requires both soft 3-D rounding and precise skinny-flap folding. For best appearance, fold mostly dry from a surface-sized paper (see here for a description of surface-sizing), then selectively dampen the legs and portions of the body for shaping. For your first attempt, foil-backed paper (folded entirely dry) works well. .
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This document was published by OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold, with permission from the author. If you did not obtain this document from The Fold’s website, you may have infringed upon the author’s copyright. This document can be obtained legally by joining OrigamiUSA online at http://www.origami-usa.org/
Issue 1, November–December, 2010
Finch, opus 439 Designed by Robert J. Lang Copyright ©2006. All Rights Reserved.
1. Begin with a square, white side up. Fold and unfold along both diagonals.
2. Make a pinch halfway up one side.
3. Fold the top right corner to the pinch you just made and unfold.
4. Fold the raw edge to the crease you just made and unfold.
5. Fold and unfold, making valley folds on the upper left and mountain folds on the lower right.
6. Fold and unfold, forming mountain folds.
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© Copyright 2006–2010 by Robert J. Lang This document was published by OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold, with permission from the author. If you did not obtain this document from The Fold’s website, you may have infringed upon the author’s copyright. This document can be obtained legally by joining OrigamiUSA online at http://www.origami-usa.org/
Issue 1, November–December, 2010
7. Fold and unfold, forming valley folds.
8. Fold and unfold, forming valley folds.
9. Fold the paper in half along the diagonal.
5/8
10. Rotate the paper.
11. Fold and unfold.
12. Mountain-fold about 1/4 of the tip underneath.
13. Squash-fold symmetrically.
A
14. Reverse-fold in and out on the existing creases. 15. Squash-fold so that point A ends up on the fold line.
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© Copyright 2006–2010 by Robert J. Lang This document was published by OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold, with permission from the author. If you did not obtain this document from The Fold’s website, you may have infringed upon the author’s copyright. This document can be obtained legally by joining OrigamiUSA online at http://www.origami-usa.org/
Issue 1, November–December, 2010
A
16. We begin a complicated combination of swivel folds. Form two valley folds on existing creases and connect their tops with a new valley fold. The model will not lie flat.
17. Form the next valley fold on an existing crease, and connect its top with the top of the right valley fold you just made.
18. Squash-fold and flatten completely.
13—19
19. Petal-fold. All the raw edges should line up with each other.
22. Mountain-fold the edges behind to line up with folded edges.
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20. Repeat on the left. 21. Fold the flaps out to the sides, folding all layers together.
23. Fold and unfold along angle bisectors.
24. Crease mountain folds along existing creases through all layers.
© Copyright 2006–2010 by Robert J. Lang This document was published by OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold, with permission from the author. If you did not obtain this document from The Fold’s website, you may have infringed upon the author’s copyright. This document can be obtained legally by joining OrigamiUSA online at http://www.origami-usa.org/
Issue 1, November–December, 2010
25. Bring the top corners toward each other while swinging one layer up in front and one behind. As you do this, try to avoid making a sharp horizontal crease between the two crease junctions.
28. Like this.
26. Like this.
29. Reverse-fold, folding as much paper as possible behind.
27. Petal-fold the hidden edge.
30. Fold the flap down, forming a squash fold at its base utilizing a vertical existing crease.
29—30
31. Fold the flap back up.
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32. Repeat on the left.
33. Shift a little paper out to the sides and adjust the creases at the top.
© Copyright 2006–2010 by Robert J. Lang This document was published by OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold, with permission from the author. If you did not obtain this document from The Fold’s website, you may have infringed upon the author’s copyright. This document can be obtained legally by joining OrigamiUSA online at http://www.origami-usa.org/
Issue 1, November–December, 2010
34. Bring two layers from back to front on each side.
35. Wrap one edge back to the front on each side.
36. Again, shift some paper out to the sides and adjust the creases at the top.
37. Bring the raw edges to the front.
38. Shift some paper toward the center.
39. Fold the edges out toward the sides.
40. Fold the tail up as far as possible.
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41. Turn the model inside out, stretching the head and tail in opposite directions and rounding the body. The model will be 3D from here on out. © Copyright 2006–2010 by Robert J. Lang This document was published by OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold, with permission from the author. If you did not obtain this document from The Fold’s website, you may have infringed upon the author’s copyright. This document can be obtained legally by joining OrigamiUSA online at http://www.origami-usa.org/
Issue 1, November–December, 2010
42. Crimp the two legs down and slightly backward.
43. Mountain-fold the fold edge inside. Repeat behind.
44. Crimp the head upward, keeping the body round and 3D.
46. This is the view from the underside.
49. Fold the tip of the beak in half, adjusting the layers so that all of the folded edges are aligned.
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45. Form a rabbit ear from about 1/3 of the tip of the flap. (There is no fixed reference point; by varying this step, you can vary the beak size to create different types of finch.)
47. Reverse-fold the tip.
48. Reverse-fold the tip upward.
50. Dent the top of the beak and pinch it. Crimp the head downward and round it. © Copyright 2006–2010 by Robert J. Lang This document was published by OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold, with permission from the author. If you did not obtain this document from The Fold’s website, you may have infringed upon the author’s copyright. This document can be obtained legally by joining OrigamiUSA online at http://www.origami-usa.org/
Issue 1, November–December, 2010
51. Add 3-4 crimps along the wings.
52. Reverse-fold the leg, narrowing it slightly.
53. Reverse-fold the front of the foot forward and the tip backward.
54. Narrow and shape the leg. Repeat on the other leg. Round the body, neck and head.
55. Finished Finch.
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© Copyright 2006–2010 by Robert J. Lang This document was published by OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold, with permission from the author. If you did not obtain this document from The Fold’s website, you may have infringed upon the author’s copyright. This document can be obtained legally by joining OrigamiUSA online at http://www.origami-usa.org/
