Lets Make Origami

Inevitably when folding origami, its bound to happen when something you attempt doesn't turn out like it was intended.  It's particularly true when trying something for the first time, or when you try something fairly difficult.  My favorite type of origami is geometric and modular origami.  As I've said in the past, my favorite author/designer is Tomoko Fuse.  Another origamist that I've found that is a very close second is Daniel Kwan.  He doesn't have any books published sadly (that I'm aware of), but he is incredible.  He has made several of his models available for free by posting the diagrams on his Flickr account.  He's also posted pictures of his models (the ones with diagrams & some without).  His modular origami gallery is here.  Much to my sadness I realized the other day as I was perusing his Flickr account that Daniel Kwan is no longer designing modular origami :(  There are some of his models that I love that he has no diagrams for, and from the sounds of it he doesn't plan on making them.  That being said, he has diagrams for some really awesome models.  A side note here is that he gave up his modular designing to pursue designing origami tessellations; if he's going to give up modular origami, that's a good area to switch to.  As it is to be expected from someone that has designed such great modular work, his tessellations are incredible as well.  His origami tessellations gallery is here. 

Back to my reference of failed origami attempts, here are a few pictures of my attempting some of Daniel Kwan's work.  The first one of his models I tried was the Six Interlocking Pentagonal Prisms.  I first saw a picture of this model while surfing the Internet for origami pictures about 6 or 7 years ago.  I loved it because it reminded me of Tom Hull's Five Intersecting Tetrahedra, which I had folded a few times.  I didn't see or find anything else on the model until more recently.  I found that Daniel had posted the instructions for the model on Flickr and wanted to give it a whirl.  The instructions are here, here, and here. 

My first attempt was going fine until I started assembling the last Prism with the rest of the model.  I had had to make a little change to the instructions.  In his design he uses three pieces connected to form the long pieces of each prism; these pieces are the ones interlocked.  I had decided to use one piece of paper so that the model would be stronger.  To do that I assembled it as the instructions told and then simply  measure how long it needed to be.  Well, I think I measured a little short.  As I was assembling the final prism together, it was too short and it became a real hassle to assemble.  As a result, the paper was overworked and looked pretty sloppy in certain areas.  Granted, it still went together and looks pretty good, but I tend to be a perfectionist and wanted to do a better one.  Here's the first attempt:

You can see where the prisms weren't quite big enough on the red prism.  Notice how the one edge is crumpled a little; also the purple prism on the bottom is crumpled.

Another angle of the first attempt.  You can see where blue prism towards the upper right and green prism on the right are buckled in.

 Now, I admit that I still like the model & it still looks pretty good.  But I still wanted to try again.  So, this time I decided I would just take those long pieces and make them a little longer.  Once again, it was looking fine until I started adding the final prism.  This time, sadly, I had made the units too long.  As a result the model was very loose; while the first one was very tight and snug (too tight and snug).  Here's the second attempt:



You can see how the green prism is way too tall.  The result would be the same no matter what prism you used to stand on its end.



With this picture you can tell how much taller I made the second attempt; much too tall.  Next time I'll attempt something in between.

 Again, not a total failure, but also not what I wanted.  I'll do another attempt, hopefully getting it right this time. 

I attempted a second one of Daniel's models about a week ago.  This one was the Four Interlocking Triangular Prisms.  Its a difficult model to assemble due to the inability of getting your fingers inside the model.  I still like the model.  I was happy with the way it turned out, especially considering it was my first attempt.  The diagrams are here: page 1, page 2, page 3, and page 4.

Here is my first attempt at Daniel Kwan's Four Interlocking Triangular Prisms.  I was pleased with the way it turned out, although not perfect.



Another angle of my first attempt at the Four Triangular Prisms by Daniel Kwan.


Daniel has lots of models that I would love to fold and attempt, and look forward to trying them.  Once I do, I'll post about it.  Until then, enjoy these.