Let’s fold papers (creatively)!

“Being creative is not a hobby; it is a way of life”. ~ Author unknown

We are in that month of May, a month that can be quite frustrating. The long holidays, accompanied with the sweltering heat, can sometimes be really annoying and boring. With nowhere to go in the hot, sticky afternoons, how about engaging in a therapeutic and creative hobby? Let’s try origami — the art of folding objects out of paper!

The word ‘origami’ comes from the Japanese oru or orizuru which means “to fold”. That perfectly sums up what origami is. It is the traditional Japanese art or technique of folding paper into a variety of decorative and representational forms of animals, flowers or any other living thing. What makes origami unique is the fact that it simply requires a piece of paper and a bit of creative imagination!

Many people get confused between origami and ordinary paper-folding. The two crafts are similar in that they both involve the folding of paper to achieve a desired result. But usually paper-folding is done to serve a specific purpose whereas origami is an artistic expression of folding a single sheet of paper into a model without the use of tape, glue, scissors or other tools. We also do not decorate the model after it is complete.

Types of origami

Origami can be created in both 2D and 3D subjects, and has expanded and evolved beyond birds and boats. It has come a long way since Buddhist monks carried paper to Japan during the 6th century. Since the first Japanese origami dating from this period, which was used for religious ceremonial purposes only, origami enthusiasts have come up with over 80 different types of origami!

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