Beasts and Creatures

Medieval Dragon

2004
A dragon in the Western (European) tradition rather then the Eastern (Oriental) style, this is the kind of dragon that breathes fire and has wings to fly on. The model features detailed body stance, head, tail, wings, claws, and exploits the possibilities of two-colored paper. The original (Classic) version from the late 1980's was one of my first successful designs. It featured a variation on the blintzed frog base. A few years ago I redesigned the model, concentrating on improving the head and wings. I added a jaw with fangs and eyes on the head and three-fingered claws on the wings. This is accomplished by dividing the paper in the 9ths rather than 8ths at the first step, and folding over an extra layer on 2 edges. Then proceed as per the diagrams until the end, when you pull out the extra paper and make the new features.

Diagrams for the Classic Version of the Dragon

Asian Elephant II

2008
For thousands of years these graceful, majestic and intelligent creatures have been an important force in human civilization. This model is an evolution of my previous elephant. It uses a variation on my bear base for the body, with the sculptural 3-D head of the original. The new model is more efficient in its use of the paper and has a simpler, more elegant folding sequence.

Diagramed in: Zing Origami

War Elephant (Oliphant)

2009
A fantastic elephant with a castle on its back, ready to march into battle. It essentially combines two different models into on sheet of paper. Once I had the basic approach to the tower worked out, I folded quite a number of prototypes to work thru the placement and proportion of the tower with respect to the elephant body. The design of the tower creates pleats that run to the edge of the sheet where I use them to form a fearsome array of tusks.

Baluchitherium

2008
This hornless relative of the rhinoceros lived during the last ice ages. Taller than a giraffe, heavier than a modern elephant, the Baluchitherium may have been the largest mammal ever to walk the earth. Folded from the same size paper as the elephant, the two models will be to scale.

Diagramed in: Zing Origami

Adirondack Moose

2008
Sometimes there's a fair bit of trial and error in creating a new model and sometimes the first idea turns out to be on the right track. This was the last model I developed for my Adirondack project, and the design came together very quickly. I pretty much nailed the model on the first try with very little experimentation and some lucky guesses on the proportions. The moose uses a variation on the stretched bird base. It's strong and the legs can support the weight of the antlers, which are the key to the whole design and are very large.

Black Bear

2008
The Brown Bear (a.k.a. Black Bear) is a familiar denizen of forests of the Northeast. Campers must secure their food or risk providing the bears with a free meal and an unexpected close encounter. This model introduces the Bear Base, which is useful for many four-legged animals with a detailed head and short tail. An animal like the bear is basically a head, ears, four legs and a tail, ao there's not much to distinguish it in terms of anatomy. Instead it's all about proportions and stance. Mine features a realistic, sculptural body and stylized claws.

Diagramed in: Zing Origami

Fox

1989 - 2008
One of my earliest successful designs, but a nice one that has stood the test of time. Takes advantage of two-colored paper and 3-D effects to produce a fluffy white tail and ears. Recently revisited with modifications to the head and stance.

Critters

Snapping Turtle

2004
Made from the same hexagon base as its cousin the Lizard, my Snapping Turtle features a detailed head and claws, and a segmented domed shell. This has proven to be a very popular model, always in demand for teaching and exhibition.

Diagramed in: Zing Origami

Lizard

2003
Features detailed head and claws, and a nice, posable body stance. This model is was the origin of my hexagon base, which inscribes a regular hexagon into the paper's square to create a six-pointed base and uses the leftover wedges of paper to form the claws.

Diagramed in: Zing Origami

Frog

2008
Developed my hex base. Unlike the lizard and turtle, the frog is an animal whose back legs are much longer than the front, so the base required some substantial changes. It is fully 3-D and in particular emphasizes the hind legs and the head and brow ridges that fuse into the back.

Armadillo

2007
Another addition to my hex base family, this model was inspired by a trip to Florida where a family of these cute critters were living in the yard of the place we were staying, under the hot tub. I tried a couple designs based on 45 degree symmetry before I realized that my hex base is good for almost any animal with 4 equal length legs, and a head and a tail. The shell is formed thru basic pleating. The hardest part of this model was making the ears without developing any new points, and without sacrificing the closed back. In the end it worked out quite well, and I've since generalized this approach to use in other models such as my Brown Bear.

Arctic Marine Mammals

Walrus

2010
I am you as he is me as you are they and we are all together. I developed this model from my seal base. It features a color-change tusk when folded from two-sided paper.

Elephant Seal

2010
Designed as a commission for the 2010 OUSA Holiday Tree at the AMNH, it uses a variation on my bear base. It’s relatively easy to fold, maybe 20 or 30 steps. I’ve been striving lately to create less complex models that still capture some sculptural essence of the subject and think this one is pretty successful.

Narwhal

2010
One of the strangest of the whales, the narwhal lives under the ice of the arctic ocean and has a single spiral tusk about a third the length of its body. This model features a color change on the tusk.

Birds

American Turkey

2008
I wanted to created a detailed and realistic turkey, and this is the result. I tackled the subject because I’ve not seen an origami turkey out there that I like. Mine features a detailed head complete with wattle, a nice round plump body, a fan tail, realistic four-toed feet (better to make it stand), and some nice color change effects. The feet are developed using a method similar to Robert Lang’s Songbird I in Origami Design Secrets, with little bird bases embedded in two corners. The base is unique and interesting. The main base is something like a semi-sunken stretched bird base, except that it use 15 degree symmetry instead of the more typical 22.5. The proportion between the feet and the rest of the body is also based on a 15 degree ratio, which provides some nice symmetries.

Crease pattern for Turkey

Common Loon

2008
The Common Loon is a waterfowl found in the wilderness lakes of Canada and the northeast United States. It is noted for its distinctive black and white summer plumage. For this model I decided on the classic pose of gliding on the water. It uses a variation on the fish base, but its apparent simplicity belies a deeper subtlety and sophistication. Color-change models are always challenging because it means exposing the opposite side of the paper. I had to abstract and simplify the loon's complicated plumage and how to fold it. The stripe on the neck turned out to be key and the curve of the neck was another essential feature. To fold the Loon in its winter plumage use paper that is grey on both sides.

Diagramed in: Zing Origami

Insects and Invertebrates

Inchworm

2006
I was inspired to create this model after encountering a friendly inchworm in the woods on a camping trip. It's a color-change model, and I found using a regular sheet of 6" kami works well, and you color the reverse side with a marker.

Butterflies

2006
Captured at the moment of spreading its wings and taking flight, this model is easily foldable from a six inch square. This is rare for an insect complete with legs and antennae, but the approach is lyrical and sculptural My model uses a waterbomb base, with two of the flaps forming the wings and the other two forming the legs. Once I finished designing the model I learned that most butterflies have only four legs!

Diagramed in: Zing Origami

Luv Bug

2009
This whimsical insect is a variations on my butterfly where the wings form the shape of a heart. Perfect for Valentine's day. It was inspired in part by my ongoing quest to make a satisfying origami ladybug. I had once made an attempt based on my butterfly and figured out a way to do the color change for the wings and again for the spots. Unfortunately the basic body plan was too different for it to work, and the legs ended up in the wrong place and the wings were the wrong shape. But I found I was able to use that approach for this one, so here you go!

Octopi

2001
As a delicious treat or the one of the most advanced invertebrates, everyone loves the octopus! Spontaneously invented in response to a challenge at a party, this model features rotational symmetry and is an early forerunner to the whole origami from space approach.

Diagramed in: Zing Origami