The Odd Hobby of Origami

If only they could talk.

Who wakes up one day and thinks they want to do Origami?  (Other than Robert Lang...) It is a thankless and tedious task where you give and give and give and never get anything back... ( unless you are Robert Lang)

Robert Lang,  A origami god!

  Oh the hours!    Wasted?   Maybe.   Does everything have to be measured in a dollar amount?   Sometimes.  If that is the case,  then I waste a lot of time on Origami.

Case in point.   I wanted to show the progression of one small fish.   Simple!  Right?   So without me blathering along...   I'll let the pictures do most of the talking...

Methylcellulose.   Wallpaper glue mixed with jello gelatin. Make it thick!

Rolling out tissue paper. (2-3 layers thick)  Let dry.

24 hours later.   Start folding the paper.

Fold 10x10 grid in middle.

Double that!

This will be the top.   Start from the head and work towards the tail.

Layer the paper, dividing each square in half. 

Continue this for the next two hours. 

Done!   With that part at least....Now the fun part!

On the underside.  Start from the tail this time.  Lock each scale into place.

Like this.  

Do this 421 more times! 

This is the top side.   Scales are locked in.

Sit back and watch your life drain away....

3 hours later.... Almost done.

Top side:   Checking in each scale to make sure they are set.

Want to add some color?   Do this as you make the paper.  Before folding.

Rinse and repeat!

Tada!   Wasn't that easy?   2 days per fish.  

And if you mess up anywhere along the way... say goodbye to your effort. 

Certainly easier than folding one. 

Now wasn't that fun?   I could stick with the "easy" stuff...   But then I would not have anything to gripe about.   ( Or blog) I still want to make an Asagi koi.    The blue paper was supposed to be that;  but stuff happens.   Mistakes were made,   usually upon various comets and asteroids. And when that happens,  the paper never makes it to the blog.

So before considering origami as a therapy,   consider fishing instead.   At least you get to eat your catch at the end of the day.  And it gets you out on the lake in the great outdoors!   Origami... not so much.

An Origami Pond Scene...With Goldfish!

So I folded up the remaining goldfish and added the lotuses,   I like all but the largest one, which just seemed fussy to mess with.  the little guys took on a nice lively appearance,

but the larger cardstock was just a challenge and refused to bend to my will.  Ah well,  Fold and learn.  As for tonight,  I have been working on an Origami Tiger.  


I found a cool video and have been inspired to try to replicate the tiger in it, however, I have not found that particular pattern for a tiger yet,


 so I have been wrestling with a John Montroll version and seeing if I can make it look similar.  I have been eager to fold some of Montroll's patterns ever since Cheryl gave me his latest book for Christmas.  We shall see what the end results are like, but so far,  they look promising! 

A new Dimension to Tyvek Origami

I am in experiment phase this weekend with the Tyvek paper/material that I have been folding with. COLOR! I discovered ( rather by accident) that paint DOES, in fact, stick to the material. I thin it out with water ( acrylic paint) and brush it on liberally. And then I brush it off with a towel. The results are this really interesting swirling pattern on one side and a solid soft color on the other ( treated side) My first attempt was with a frog. A new design that is a little challenging in that the folding patters are not exactly mapped out. I think it turned out pretty good for a first attempt. And the color adds that something extra that I may have been looking for. At least it takes a picture better than the plain white. Cheryl still likes the "artistic modern look" of the pure white paper. But there are a lot of colors out there that need to be explored. On a different level, I folded a dollar bill fish. I'm getting pretty good at this one now. It is, perhaps, one of my favorite dollar bill designs. They are great for tip jars.

The Totally Awesome Origami Koi

I finally figured out the secret behind the origami koi with scales. I know that seems like it should have been easy, but it was just a matter of the size of paper. I needed a rectangle instead of a square! However you put it, Here is the results: My first attempt was so cool I decided to try it again with a little more care for the head. I'm pleased with both attempts, and I may just try it once again. Cheryl says I have to make an entire school of them to put them on the wall. I'm not sure how ambitious I will be, but the thought does sound appealing. Other than that, Iowa has become rather boring as of late. The factory work keeps us tied up and wore out. Even though we get off rather early, we are so tired from standing and getting up early that we basically eat and sleep then go back to work. I'm not sure how people do this for thirty years....Regardless, it does give us a steady supply of income for the time being, and that is nice. But there are other things that are creeping back into our life....such as our spending and eating habits. Perhaps the glamor less work causes us to overcompensate in other ways. Well, at least the weather is pleasant for the moment and summer is almost here. Hopefully I will blog a little more than this once a week thing. Hope everyone is having a great week so far!

What will a Bluegill Processing plant look like?

After touring the Blue Ribbon Fish farm processing plant, And coming from Homestead Trout farm, My first thought is that it would be rather small scale. One or two people running a machine and trimming the filet's. However, after a little research and visiting Superior Seafoods, I see I might be thinking too small! Take a look at some of these processing plants in Japan, Alaska, and Mississippi! My first thought is that the skill involved for filleting a small-ish fish like a bluegill would prove to be a hindrance for finding good labor. However, I do know ( from experience!) that after you clean about a hundred of them, you will get faster and better. I still think that a machine that could cut off the fillets would be a time saver. I'm pretty sure that you are required by law ( may be different in different states) to leave the skin on the fish so the shopper can identify the species and not get tricked into buying a cheaper fish at a higher price. ( example Some stores sold ocean perch ( $3.00/lbs) for red snapper ($7.00/lbs). With no skin on the fish to Identify it, the shopper was paying more for the cheaper fish and couldn't tell!) I have read that some people who recognize the demand for bluegills, are substituting tilapia filet's for them. (again...it's illegal!) ( If you can't tell....The Bluegill is on the right, tilapia on the left!) It's too bad because tilapia, although a great fish, does not taste as good as bluegills. Whatever the processing plant may look like, there will definitely be a requirement for a third party to handle it. It could be as simple as an existing fish processor retooling slightly and integrating the smaller fish into their offerings. As of right now, to the best of my knowledge, Blue Ribbon Fish farm is the only one currently doing it with farm raised bluegill.

So where does a former Artist go?

Ah yes, the same question I have been asking myself over and over after the carving business no longer became profitable. There are moments where I look forward to the "next big thing" ( probably bluegills) but in the mean time and every now and then I get this brief flare up where I ask"what if I had done this?" People say things like," you should be an artist!" And all I can say is...."thanks." I don't have the heart to tell them that I was for the past 10 years and 6 of those years it was our exclusive income. I don't intend this to be a negative, but rather I feel like I've "been there, done that, now off to the next thing." I don't know where I'll end up, but I have not shaken the addiction to business or entrepreneur. There is still some areas that I might have to explore there. In the mean time, I still have my chisels ( even though I have not been eager to get back to carving anything) and I still have my origami to occupy my time. The bringing Bluegills to the masses idea is still on a slow burner in the back of my mind and every now and then I get an idea and have to write about it. Perhaps I'll look back at this post some day and smile at my ramblings.