World Origami Days: Tessellations

Not all origami is representational.  Paperfolding can also be used to produce geometric solids, patterns, etc.  Included in that category are “tessellations” – repeating geometric patterns folded into a single sheet of paper. The technique is often used for abstract geometric designs, but can also be used to give texture to surfaces on representational models.  The most spectacular example I know of this texturing effect is a dragon designed by the Japanese origami master Satoshi Kamiya.  Here’s a more simple example – photos of the two sides of a “waterbomb base” tesselation folded from a 10″ square of blue origami paper:

Next up: modular origami!

- Fr. Matthew Green