Week 8 - Activity - Paper folding: Miura Origami and more

I may have a new hobby!

Well, on Wednesday night, I sure didn't feel this way.  I used the first video Susan linked for us for the Miura Origami but got quite confused when the demonstrator's hands went off the screen.  I made some mis-folds which made things more confusing and the paper was becoming soft and I was ready to give up.  Here is the result of the first attempt:

First attempt at the Miura Origami type folding

I walked away to do dishes and other chores. I couldn't quite let go of the paper folding conundrum so before I went to bed, I decided to watch and work with the second video that Susan posted. Ah...much better.  Fewer vertical folds and bigger "pieces" to push in and out from a similar sized paper. Apparently I needed this scaffolding and the result was crisp and the experience satisfying - I could go to bed feeling accomplished!  Here is what had me feeling this way:

Fewer starting folds was more successful

Well, I didn't actually go to bed - I should have gone to bed.  However, YouTube was suggesting videos to watch and I came across an art teacher (Marquette University High School) who has lessons for his students posted online (starting spring 2020). I went to his YouTube channel and looked at his video library. There was a series of videos called Cut-Fold that caught my eye:

Peter Becks video library on YouTube

I noticed that the Cut/Fold Vol. 1 video image was a design that Cynthia showed me that was her "room" for the Virtual Family Math Fair this year. I browsed through a few videos and discovered that Mr. Beck references some paper artists at the end of Vol. 5.  I had to check a couple of them out online.  I'll talk more about that later.

After staying up too late Wednesday night, I really thought I would be in bed early on Thursday night, especially since I had to be online at 7am Friday morning for a full-day workshop with Katie White. Walking by my work area, my paper folding caught my eye and I decided I needed to try another fold. I first started with the Cut/Fold Vol. 1 and got this:

And I couldn't leave it at that.  I returned back to the original task, this time using the number of initial folds on my first try but employing a larger piece of paper. This experience was so satisfying! I started understanding what I was doing and what would be coming next. I had another video playing in the background and I heard that demonstrator say something along the lines of "The paper will want to do what you want it to, it just needs some prodding." That's how this attempt felt.  At least down to the last "row" which was the most difficult because there was nothing to stabilize it below. That video I was listening to also taught me that paper stretches, especially on the fold lines (but origami paper less so - it is designed to maintain more of its original structure) and that what these folds result in is "tessellating surfaces" - cool term, right? Here is the result of staying awake too late on Thursday night:

When the tessellated surfaces are all folded up, it reminds me of the start of a hexaflexagon!

When I was in my online workshop on Friday, my folded paper designs were next to me. Sometimes, I want to keep my hands a bit busy when I am listening and not note-taking (hexaflexagons have been good for this!) and I took a small piece of paper left from cutting down other paper and started folding. This wasn't successful - my fingers are big and the folds were small and the paper was getting soft as it did on my first attempt. I think it could be really cool to fold a small version but I think I need a "bone" folder to help crease the paper tighter and "punch" the folds in the right direction...or maybe stronger paper?

Tiny paper folding - got too soft to work with

OK, so back to those artists I researched.  Below are two that caught my particular attention.

The first is Li Hongbo who makes sculptures out of folded paper. Some of them look solid but they can be stretched out in all sorts of amusing ways.

from https://www.instagram.com/lihongboart/?hl=en

from https://www.instagram.com/lihongboart/?hl=en

Watch this one-and-a-half minute video if you have the inclination:

The second artist is Matt Shlian. He is a sculptor, too, who works with paper and other materials.  Here are a couple of his paper designs from his website Matt Shlian :

Aren't they incredible?!

And my favourite find - Matt Shlian on Sesame Street making paper sculpture with kids (it's just one-and-a-half minutes - take a look):

I have looked online at DeSerres art supplies - they have cutting mats, knives, and folding tools in stock in Vancouver.  This might be my reward for finishing my reflection post later!