Isamu Asahi - Origami Greeting Cards

Introduction

Origami greeting cards bring the traditional beauty of Japanese paper folding to contemporary greeting cards. Regardless of your age or folding ability, creating fanciful or elegant cards is simple and fun. Step-by-step easy-to-follow instructions show you how to fold over 40 origami objects, from flowers and trees to clouds and castles. These can be arranged in a variety of pleasing designs to create personalized cards appropriate for any season or occasion. The 17 examples presented on the covers of this book illustrate the wide variety of cards that can be created. The following suggestions will help you get started: 1 If you are a newcomer to origami, start with cards 6 or 7.

These elegant cards are deceptively easy to make. 2 Recommended dimensions for each origami shape are provided in the text. If you cannot find paper in the proper size, cut your own squares from larger pieces. You might wish to first practice using larger sheets. 3 Experiment with paper of different patterns and colors. Placing their back sides together, fold two sheets at one time to make two-coloured objects.

This technique is illustrated on cards 8, 12, 13 and 16. 4 Arrange the origami shapes on cards cut from stiff paper and glue in position. Or use the ready-made, blank cards available at most stationery stores. 5 Embellish your creations with cutouts and hand-drawn illustrations. Folding Hints: The secrets to making beautiful origami are: (a) to match the corners of the paper exactly when folding, and (b) to smooth down the paper neatly before proceeding to the next step. 1.

Fold in half. 2. Place one corner exactly over the other. 3. Press down top corner with left finger. 4.

Slide right finger down, smoothing down paper. 5. Keep right finger pressed on paper. 6. Place left finger next to right finger, and slide it outward, making sharp edge. 7.

Again, place left finger next to right finger. 8. Slide right finger outward. 9. Finished triangle. Continue to fold in the same way. Dotted lines show previous position. Mountain fold. Cut. Fold over and fold back. Turn over. Fold and unfold to make crease.

Recommended paper size: 1" flower, goldenrod; 3" houseplant [Flower: Card 7; Houseplant: Card 4; Goldenrod: Card 8] 1. Recommended paper size: 1" flower, goldenrod; 3" houseplant [Flower: Card 7; Houseplant: Card 4; Goldenrod: Card 8] 1.

Start with a triangle. Fold on dotted line. Unfold. 2. Fold across. 3.

Fold across. Turn over. 4. Petal. 5. Make a blossom with five petals.

A petal made from a larger sheet of paper can serve as a leaf.