Michael G. LaFosse - Story-Gami Kit eBook: Create Origami Using Folding Stories: Origami Book with 18 Fun Projects and Downloadable Video Instructions

PENGUIN

A Story-gami by Michael G. LaFosse, Origamido, Inc.
Traditional Design

Use a square piece of origami paper that is white on one side.

This story takes place on a big, beautiful iceberg, because it glistened like a dazzling gem in the bright, Antarctic sunshine.

Three happy penguins lived on the edge of The Big White Diamond. Let me introduce them to you. The first penguin was named Viola. (One of my aunts was also called Violaa beautiful name indeed.) Lets fold each of the lower edges of The Big White Diamond inward to form the letter V, for Viola. On each side, fold over more of the paper near the top, and almost nothing at the bottom. See if you can balance the amount of black that shows on each side. Try to make the narrow points of each black triangle meet at a point at the base of The Big White Diamond. Now we have a V for Viola!

The second penguins name was Walter. Guess how I can change the large V into a W for Walter. Thats right, we simply fold the bottom of the large V up part way to form the letter W. (This is an example of a RAT fold. RAT means Right About There!) You dont need to measure it, just aim for a point about halfway to an imaginary line connecting the tops of the V. Great.

The third penguin in our story is named Michael. (Do you know anybody named Michael? I do!) It is easy to make an M by simply turning our W upside down.

One day, Viola and Walter noticed that Michael was missing! It turned out that Michael had gone on vacation. Michael had traveled to the other side of The Great White Diamond, out of sight from Viola and Walter. Michael went to a small iceberg situated in the shadow, on the other side of the Great White Diamond. He had heard that the minnows were particularly delicious at this small iceberg, named Miniberg.

Michael was thoughtful. He sent Viola and Walter a picture postcard of his wonderful vacation spot. Here is his postcard. This scene is often called Miniberg at Midnight, because the shadow of the large iceberg is so dark, it always looks like midnight.

Viola and Walter loved the postcard of Miniberg at Midnight, and folded it in half, just like this, to keep it in a drawer with their other postcards. They would take it out and look at it the next time they were to plan a vacation.

When Michael returned, he was very tired from his trip and promptly went to sleep, with his beak tucked down close to his front feathers.

After his long rest, he woke up and began to look for food. (Pull outward on his beak, and adjust the angle by pinching his head behind his ears. My Aunt Viola used to pinch my ears too!)

ART DECO WING

Rhyming Story-gami by Richard L. Alexander, Origamido, Inc.
An Original Design by Michael G. LaFosse

Begin with a square. If using origami paper, put color side down.

This wing begins as a triangle thing,

Then both narrow points together we bring.

Now outward, each edge goes back to the line,

Then each mountain-fold edge gets squashed flat and fine.

Turn it over without any fears

Then stretch out the flap. The GRAY disappears.

Now fold the small flap, and tuck it below

The top of the roof. Oh where did it go?

Turn it around now, before we get old

And roll tip of roof outward, but just to the fold.

(It turns out quite nice if you fold it just twice.)

Then admire the leading edge thats my advice.

Now fold in the corners along this long spar

Hide all of this flap, but dont take it too far

It fits in the pocket below leading edge.

Just pull it apart, or perhaps use a sledge!

The tricky parts done, well, thats not quite true,

The next steps in two parts, together youll do.

Part A is to push center, fore to the spar.

Part B is to pull pockets inward so far.

Flatten to make these square shapes on each wing

Tuck the center beneath the nose of the thing!

Stabilizers, go up, Ill show you just where.

Now throw it up high, way into the air.

Youve done it, my frienda glorious thing.

You have just folded Michaels Art Deco Wing!

Make many and stack them. Hold the stack at the center from the rear. Toss them up or drop them for a frantic burst of color and action! Tweak the tips to make the wing do loops!