Origami: The Art and Practice of Paper Folding

Materials and tools

Papers used in origami are selected for their ability to hold creases and to tolerate repeated manipulation. Traditional Japanese washi and colored kami remain popular, while modern folders also use foil-backed paper, tissue-foil laminates and specially treated sheets that enable techniques such as wet-folding. Simple tools—bone folders, tweezers and cutting mats—may assist work, although many classical models require only a single uncut square of paper. For further notes on paper types and tools, consult paper and tools.

Basic techniques and notation

Fundamental folds include the valley fold and mountain fold, along with pleats, sinks, reverse folds and crimps. Repeatedly used crease patterns give rise to standard bases—such as the bird base or preliminary base—that serve as starting points for many models. During the twentieth century a system of graphical symbols and step-by-step diagrams became widely adopted, helping share designs internationally and enabling increasingly complex models to be learned from books and diagrams.

History and cultural role

Paper folding has ceremonial and recreational origins in Japan and appears in other cultures in various forms. Over time it evolved from practical uses—wrapping and ceremonial decorations—to refined artistic and pedagogical practices. In the twentieth century, practitioners such as Akira Yoshizawa popularized new techniques and a notation system that helped origami gain recognition as an art form. Contemporary reference works and media continue to shape public understanding; see mainstream descriptions at reference sources.

Varieties of origami

• Classic origami: single-sheet models folded without cuts or glue, often representing animals or objects.
• Modular origami: many identical units combined into polyhedra and decorative assemblies; for modular methods see modular techniques.
• Wet-folding: a technique that uses dampened paper to create rounded, sculptural shapes.
• Tessellations and mathematical folding: repeating patterns and crease networks that explore geometry and symmetry; see mathematical folding.
• Action and kinetic origami: models designed to move, expand or transform.

Simple and well-known models include the crane, waterbomb and paper airplane, while modern folders create complex animals, lifelike sculptures and intricate tessellations. For collections of traditional and contemporary models see popular models and modern models.

Mathematics, science and practical applications

Origami inspires mathematical research into geometry, algorithms and material behavior. Computational origami and folding algorithms have been developed to design crease patterns for specific three-dimensional shapes. Engineers and designers use origami principles to create deployable structures, compact packaging, foldable solar arrays and medical devices such as stents. The field exemplifies how simple folding rules can lead to efficient solutions in design and engineering.

Education, community and contemporary practice

Origami is widely used in education to teach spatial reasoning, fractions and geometric concepts, and it is also valued for its therapeutic and meditative qualities. A global community of hobbyists, artists and researchers shares patterns, holds conventions and publishes findings. Well-known contemporary figures include educators and designers who have advanced both artistic technique and computational approaches to folding.

Today origami remains a living practice that bridges craft, art and science. Whether pursued as a leisurely pastime, an artistic discipline or a research topic, the art of folding paper continues to evolve through new materials, notation systems and digital tools that expand what can be made from a single sheet—or many—of paper.