Undoubtedly, every person at least once in his life folded origami. In a labor lesson at school, that's for sure. And even earlier, in the elementary grades, a jumping frog was made in this technique, remember this? So, origami is a whole art in which making the very frog is one of the simplest actions. In fact, this technique is very popular all over the world, whole exhibitions are organized in her honor, at which real masterpieces are presented. The most attractive for craftsmen are paper flowers. Simple schemes, various colors - and a real paper miracle is born.
History of occurrence
Origami is a kind of art based on folding paper and turning it into unique products. Thus, from an ordinary square sheet you can get an animal or bird figurine, a flower or a plant, fruits or vegetables, items of clothing or furniture, and other things around us.
Paper folding has gained popularity in Japan, although it originated in ancient China when paper was already created. For a long time, such figures were used in all kinds of ritual rites. And now there are many beliefs associated with such products. A little later, it became customary to become involved in the art of origami only by noble persons of the state, representatives of the upper classes.
The spread of paper folding technology around the world occurred after the Second World War. This art has become incredibly popular in different countries due to its fascination and originality. Moreover, such an occupation does not require any preparation from a person, just desire and faith in oneself are enough.
What is origami used for?
The first question asked by origami masters is: “Who needs this technique and where is it used?” Indeed, in everyday life, it would seem that a person is far from meeting with her.
In fact, origami is used for a variety of purposes. Having mastered just a couple of tricks, you can create simple figures with your child. This will be not only an exciting pastime, but also a good activity for the development of the baby. In the process of folding paper, fine motor skills, attentiveness and patience develop. A child can show imagination by creating his first masterpieces.
Products created in this technique can be a wonderful gift for a loved one. Do not be skeptical about this option. Indeed, it will undoubtedly be pleasant if the main gift is complemented by a cute figure. Paper flowers look unusual and interesting. The scheme for their creation may be different in terms of complexity and method of technology, but such a flower will not fade the next day for sure.
Paper figures will also become an original solution for decorating various boxes, envelopes, photo frames. Even a cash gift will play in a different way if the bill is carefully folded in a simple technique. Only if you are a beginner origamist, first practice creating a shape on paper.
Interior decoration is becoming increasingly popular with voluminous paper crafts. Not only Kusudamas look stylish in the room, but also voluminous compositions in the form of animals or vases with flowers. Origami is often used to decorate rooms where wedding ceremonies or holidays are held.
As you can see, the scope of ancient technology is quite extensive, popular and multifaceted.
Varieties of art
There are several types of art of origami. The most ancient is the classic origami, which requires only a sheet of paper, mostly square.
The second variety of this technique is modular origami, the craft of which consists of many small modules. The module itself is composed of the same square sheet in a certain way. The modular origami is voluminous; truly amazing figures are created from it. In this technique, glue is often used to connect the parts, although due to the friction force the parts of the whole hold firmly in place and without fasteners. On the basis of modular origami, voluminous flowers are created from paper, the schemes of which are very diverse and vary in complexity. The most impressive products of this variety are kusudamas - voluminous balls, mainly from flower modules.
A newer direction is simple origami, designed for beginners. This technique uses only a few tricks from the classical methodology, which contribute to the consolidation of initial skills.
Technology Basics
In order to master the art of creating paper figures, it is necessary to study the special system of signs that was created in the 20th century by Akira Yoshizawa. Thanks to her, you can write down each step in the manufacture of the model, in order to repeat it in the future. It is from such symbols that the origami scheme consists.
Having carefully studied the designation of each sign, strictly following the step-by-step instructions, you can create a real masterpiece, in particular, paper flowers. The scheme of their addition depends on which flower needs to be performed and in which technique.
So, according to the signs shown in the diagram, the origamist knows what needs to be done at the next moment - to fold, unfold, inflate or reveal the figure. Thanks to well-coordinated actions and fixed knowledge, even unfamiliar figures will be obtained the first time.
Material for work
The very first origami was created from silkworm cocoons , which, under certain actions, looked like paper sheets. True, the cost of this material was very high, so the craftsmen began to develop new ways of making paper.
What they just used to create figures - the bark of trees, bamboo, various fabrics. But the most optimal material was paper. In today's world, the best option for creating origami is plain office paper. Thanks to its characteristics, modular origami come out perfectly - they do not crumble, hold their shape and perfectly adhere to each other.
Stickers are a good substitute for plain paper. They are produced in a small form, so just create a small module from them.
In Japan, special paper factories produce special paper - washi. It is slightly different in quality, and is made from fibers of different plants. Around the world, origami art uses kami paper designed specifically for this area.
Flower creation
From a regular sheet with the help of various folding options, you can make flowers from paper. The scheme in each individual case will undoubtedly differ, as in principle the flowers in nature are different in nature.
From one sheet of paper, you can create a separate peduncle, as well as part of a whole future bud (module). Most often, flower shapes are created from several folded sheets of paper, fastened together. But for beginners or children, it is worth starting classes directly with simple elements.
Having decided on a suitable color, you can do paper crafts. Flowers, the schemes of which are selected by the master, should be done very carefully so as not to wrinkle the edges or center of the product, especially if the model is voluminous.
Step by step creation of an origami flower
To master the origami technique, frequent training and consolidation of the basic techniques are necessary. It is also worth remembering that large and voluminous models may not come out immediately, so do not be upset if you do not get beautiful flowers from paper from the first minutes. The schemes are different, you will certainly find your own, which will help to master and fix the technique.
To get started, consider the picture and try to reproduce all the actions, achieving a similar end result.
Step 1. Fold a square sheet of white or colored paper in half. A triangle will come out. This triangle must be folded again in half so that a fold line forms in the center.
Step 2. After this, the angles of the triangle must be folded along the formed fold line so that they are in contact in the center. The resulting pockets need to be turned out.
Step 3. The corners of the triangles should be carefully bent. From this, the figure will take on a beautiful shape, and it already looks like part of a flower. Similarly, you should create 5 such modules and connect them together. So simple flowers from paper are made quite quickly and simply. The scheme, as we see, is not at all complicated, even a child will cope with this.
Voluminous flowers
The considered example relates to the modular technique of creating origami from paper. The flower, the scheme of which is presented above, is simple to execute. But in this art, there are also complex models consisting of a large number of modules. If the figure is made in the form of a ball of flowers, it is called kusudama. There is a belief that such a ball hung over the bed will bring the owner a sound, healthy sleep and pleasant dreams.
In addition, other modular origami paper flowers look unsurpassed in the interior. Schemes of such figures are created on the basis of mathematical calculations. They can be found in specialized manuals, which are issued by a great many origami masters.
Conclusion
As you can see, what at first glance seems simple and banal, in fact, is an ancient art and is very common in the world. One of the beautiful creations is, of course, origami from paper - a flower, the scheme of which could be either simple, for children, or very complex, for true masters.
You can be sure of one thing: once you create a true miracle from paper, it will be quite difficult to stop.