Origami has expanded and evolved beyond birds and boats. There are now many types of origami. In a recent, informal survey, origami enthusiasts have come up with over “80” different types of origami. You can see the list here. In the future, we hope to organize the list so that we can have a better understanding of how the art form is evolving.
There are different ways to categorize paper folding. John Smith’s Evolution of Origami sorts origami chronologically: Classical, Neo Classical, Modern, and Hyper-Modern. David Mitchell’s site shows a family tree of origami design styles.
Below is a list of origami types featured in this web site. Each style of origami will produce a different genre of origami models. Click on to a branch of origami to learn more.
Action Origami
Business Card
Candy Wrapper
Crease Pattern
Dollar Bill
GVF
Modular Origami
Tessellations
Palm Weaving
Pure & Pureland
Origami Quilts
Strip Folding
Toilet Paper
Wet Folding
Origami Fringe
Tea Bag Folding
Fabric Folding
Quilling
Kirigami
OA
Iris Folding
Origami Themes
Christmas
Weddings
Paper Magic
Red, White , Blue
Books with Easy Origami
- Easy Origami: over 30 simple projects by John Montroll
- Origami Fun Kit for Beginners by John Montroll
- My First Origami Kit by Joel Stern
- Easy Origami: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids by C Alexander & M Meinking
- Fun With Easy Origami (Dover Origami Papercraft)
- Origami: A Step-by-Step Introduction to the Art of Paper Folding by T Cook & S Henry
- Easy Origami For Kids Book Traditional Japanese Folding Papers Overs 20 Projects by J Wish
- Easy Origami for Kids: Over 40 Simple Origami Projects by O Brooks
Easy Origami Books
FAQs
The Best Paper for Most Folders and Models
Standard origami paper has about 60 different color options. Standard origami paper is colored on one side and white on the back.
What are the 5 basic folds of origami? ›
There are five stan- dard basic origami techniques [16], as shown in Figure 1, including book fold, kite fold, cupboard fold, shawl fold and cushion fold. Figure 2 shows that many complex form of origami can be de- rived from these basic foldings. ...
What are the three main types of origami? ›
Single sheet origami. 2. Modular origami, where multiples of identical modules are pieced together and 3. Composite origami, where a model is made from two or more different pieces each folded in different ways.
How many origami folds are there? ›
There are a foundation of 10-12 basic folds / maneuvers that are essential to build origami: Rabbit Ear Fold, Reverse Fold (Inside & Outside), Squash Fold, Swivel Fold, Pleat Fold, Crimp Fold, Petal Fold, Sink Fold (Open, Closed, Spread).
What is the hardest origami thing to fold? ›
In particular, Ryu-zin 3.5 (created in 2005), considered to be one of Kamiya's most intricate creations, is a major work that took around one month to complete, using only a single sheet of paper measuring two meters on each side. Ryu-zin 3.5 is widely regarded as the one of most intricate origami pieces ever created.
What is the most common type of origami? ›
One of the most famous origami models is the crane, closely followed by the star, flower, boat, box and butterfly. Top origami folds include: the valley, mountain, reverse, squash and book folds, as well as pleats and sinks.
What is the difference between paper folding and origami? ›
Is origami different from paper crafts, and if so, how? Origami is one specific sort of paper craft. It involves folding a single square of paper into a three-dimensional sculpture. Origami is usually considered a traditional art, and doesn't allow cutting, glue, or tape.
Which is the most easiest origami? ›
Origami for beginners
- Origami swan. This traditional Japanese origami swan is easy to make and looks great with double-sided paper. ...
- Origami crane. If you could have one wish, what would it be? ...
- Origami owl. ...
- Lucky Stars. ...
- Origami hearts. ...
- Origami necklace. ...
- Origami paper lampshade. ...
- Origami flower wreath.
What was origami originally called? ›
Origami is derived from two Japanese words, Ori (folded) and Kami (paper). The transition from the term orikata to origami came into use in 1880.
What paper is best for origami? ›
STANDARD. Standard is the go-to for all origami folders; this paper is colorful, thin, and resilient. Sometimes referred to as “Kami” (the Japanese word for paper) standard is probably the most common and well-known kind of origami paper.
Origami is actually a very easy hobby to pick up, and it's a lot of fun. All you need is paper, and you can use pretty much any paper you can find.
What is the biggest origami in the world? ›
The largest origami paper crane has a wingspan of 81.94 m (268 ft 9 in) and was created by 800 people of the Peace Piece Project (all Japan) at the Hiroshima Shudo University, Hiroshima, Japan, on 29 August 2009.
What are the 12 basic folds of origami? ›
Origami Beginner's Guide
- Inside Reverse Fold.
- Outside Reverse Fold.
- Rabbit Ear Fold.
- Squash Fold.
- Pleat.
- Crimp.
- Petal Fold.
- Petal Fold Variation.
What type of paper is best for origami? ›
STANDARD. Standard is the go-to for all origami folders; this paper is colorful, thin, and resilient. Sometimes referred to as “Kami” (the Japanese word for paper) standard is probably the most common and well-known kind of origami paper.
What type of paper is used for origami? ›
Kami, or koiy paper, is the cheapest paper made specifically for origami, and the most widely available. It was developed for use in schools. The word kami is simply Japanese for paper, but it has acquired this specific meaning. Kami is thin and easy to fold.
What is the oldest form of origami? ›
The art of paper folding was popularized in Japan, but the origin of origami happened earlier in China. Paper origami was originally practiced by monks who brought paper and the ideas for folding it to Japan from China in the 6th century. Japanese origami was used to decorate temples and shrines.