ABOUT PAPER
Creating origami art takes more than just perfecting folding techniques. As I mentioned in the previous chapter, it also takes vision. An important part of achieving your vision is selecting the right paper for your model. Selecting the ideal paper complements your origami project. There is a great sense of satisfaction and triumph when you find the perfect paper. Although there are many hand papermakers around, most of them have other purposes and other types of customers in mind. Maybe your needs and goals will coincide with theirs, but with the complex model you have in mind the chances of that happening are slim. This is why we make our own origami papers and why we encourage you to do the same. Starting on page 106 of this book, you will find a section on how to make your own paper. Although much time and effort are involved, the results can be stunning. But whether you create your own paper or not, it is still important to be aware of paper composition and available commercial papers.
PAPER QUALITIES
We deal with paper every day, but few paperfolding enthusiasts understand enough about the composition and manufacturing process of paper to know which paper is best for a particular project. Most folders use whatever paper is readily available, such as office paper, wrapping paper or those thin, brightly colored sheets of square-cut “origami paper.” Many believe that you must use origami paper if you are doing origami. When you are making origami art, focus on the art. Use real artists’ materials. So-called origami paper is an inexpensive craft-supply item designed to satisfy the casual hobbyist, crafter and grade-schooler. It is not formulated to be a lasting material for high-end, museum-quality paper art. Similarly, rarely will a hobbyist or origami crafter choose paper larger than a 10-inch (25-cm) square. Paper is by far the most limiting of the many limitations to good origami, yet the folders nearly always blame themselves! As a former chef, I like to use a cooking analogy: “You can’t make an exquisite angel food cake if you only have egg yolks and wholegrain flour. Get the right ingredients!” Become familiar with paper types and qualities. Try to understand what makes a good piece of paper, or what makes a certain kind of paper right for your project. Here are some things to keep in mind when selecting paper for your origami.
The majority of fibers in a paper with “grain” lie in the same direction. Hold a small piece of the paper horizontally by one edge, then hold it by an adjacent edge. You will see that it droops more when held in one orientation because the fibers are generally aligned parallel to the greatest bend. (Think of the way that grass beach mats roll easily with the “grain.”) Grain is critically important to wet-folding. As cellulose fibers swell, they grow wider, not longer, just as a cactus, when watered, expands wider, not taller. Imagine what this does to a perfectly cut square piece of paper with pronounced grain when you wet it before folding.
Paper Strength
Paper strength is one of the most crucial elements in complex origami art. The strength of paper is related to fiber choice, length, suppleness and the characteristics achieved in the beating process. The ideal paper will have a high resistance to bursting and tearing. Paper strength can be rated when the paper is wet, and again when the paper is dry.
The extreme technical demands of today’s super complex origami designs have also pushed the strength limits of readily available papers. Now our papers must be formulated to take numerous intricate creases. These additional stresses come not only from folding multiple layers multiple times, but modern origami artists are constantly turning portions of their models inside out to sink areas, or for clever color-change effects. Add to this the way that several of today’s most popular origami models are “action models” with movement that often stresses the paper at key creases. In addition, now that the powerful and important technique of wet-folding has gained worldwide popularity, paper must be even stronger.
Fiber Choice and Blends
The source of the fiber and its processing dictates the qualities of the paper. Today, many communities recycle paper, and much of this fiber is processed so much that it becomes extremely short and weak. Without special chemical binding agents, much of the recycled fiber would be useless. The origami artist has a wide variety of fiber sources to consider, and each one has its strengths and weaknesses.
The most common paper fiber used in our archival papers is abaca. This fiber is from a plant in the banana family (Musa textilis) and is prized for its long, strong, relatively hard fibers. It may be the strongest known plant fiber! Cotton is at the other end of the spectrum, yielding a soft, fuzzy fiber that wicks moisture easily, making it one of the most desirable fibers to use in clothing, especially in humid, tropical climates. Other common plants used for hand paper-making include flax (linen), kozo (mulberry) and hemp. These fibers can be beaten to varying degrees, and blended in countless ways to produce a mind-boggling spectrum of handmade papers suitable for wet-folding. (See page 122 for more on paper fibers.)
CHOOSING THE RIGHT PAPER
Realize that mastering any origami model requires a serious commitment on your part, and that you may have to fold the model many times. The paper you choose for a sketch, or rough draft, need not be expensive. We often work out designs on large rolls of inexpensive thin tracing or drafting thumbnail stock, called butter paper. A rough draft of your model may require foil or tissue-backed foil (see page 23), which is a common tool for most complex origami designers. We also go through a huge amount of “practice paper”—paper that approximates the characteristics of the desired finished piece, but this paper may be “seconds” or machine-made paper readily available in art supply stores. You can purchase wide rolls of “Fadeless” brand paper, which is colored on one side and white on the other. It is ideal for practice—a “dress rehearsal” that will allow you to explore your model in a larger scale than the sculpture you eventually desire.
Here is an example of a preliminary attempt, or practice piece, of my Big Brown Bat in red commercial paper before I folded it in higher-quality hand-made brown paper.
When learning a complex origami model, the search for just the correct paper for the final piece may take some time. Narrow your search for the correct choice by starting a collection of labeled scraps or samples, noting on each your likes and dislikes, successes or failures. All this searching and practice leads up to the big moment when you finally possess the skills, the vision and the perfect paper to execute your flawless rendition of that rascal skunk in your backyard!
Also keep in mind that after investing years of effort designing and executing a modern origami masterpiece, you want it to last, so the paper must be acid-free, or “archival.” Can you afford to take the chance of producing a piece of fine art using papers of unknown fiber content with questionable coloring agents or of dubious quality? And so we seek archival qualities in the paper, not only so that the colors will not fade but so that the sculpture will not disintegrate into dust from an acid attack. Perhaps there were great origami works in ages past that for one reason or another did not survive to the present. When you take proper care in making your own paper, you can be sure that your art will last for generations. That is the best reason for making your own paper.
If you are not inclined to make your own paper for your origami art, you will need to look beyond the traditional packs sold as origami paper and seek other suppliers and sources. Different papers are made for different purposes. A tremendous selection of papers are available today, some of which are suitable for origami art, but the jargon can sometimes be confusing. Here is a simple guide to easy-to-find paper:
Bond paper has become a catch-all category for office and letter paper, sometimes containing some amount of cotton rag. “Bond” paper was formerly used to print stocks, bonds and legal documents, but we now call nearly all office paper “bond.” When an idea comes to mind, most people grab the closest paper to hand, which is usually office bond. This paper is ideal for folding paper airplanes. It is rigid and smooth and it takes a crease well. Bond is a good all-purpose paper for designing and practicing most simple to intermediate origami designs. High quality bond is perfect for origami envelopes and fancily folded letters. Large sheets of bond may be cut from rolls, available at drafting supply and some art stores. It is not suitable for complex miniatures. Only the best acid-free, 100 percent rag varieties are suitable for permanent pieces. But colors are limited.
Kraft paper is brown stock with longer fibers. It is usually unbleached. It is named for the Kraft paper-making process that revolutionized commodity paper-making for cardboard boxes, bags, industrial containers and strong, economical wrappings. Kraft papers are inexpensive and are commonly sold on rolls, so large complex works are most easily explored using Kraft paper. At Origamido, we have rolls of Kraft paper in nearly a dozen colors and often fold party hats from it. The relative thickness is low since the papers are often at least 36 inches (91.5 cm) wide. On the downside, these colors fade quickly and Kraft paper looks old after a short time in strong light. It is not suitable for complex miniatures or permanent pieces. (The acid-sulfite process, the other major commodity papermaking process, is chemically harsher but it produces a brighter pulp, easier to bleach and beat.)
Kami means “paper” of any kind in Japanese. As an origami term, it is modern. Popular in English-speaking countries, it is used to indicate the most common types of origami paper used for origami experimentation and craft purposes. Standard packs have from twenty to forty colors, packaged in sizes ranging from 1 to 14 inches (4 to 35.5 cm).
Washi paper refers to any of thousands of kinds of handmade Japanese paper. It may be printed or plain, thick or thin, crisp or soft. Since these hand-made papers are often made in small batches, or lots, with ingredients that vary with each growing season, the changes in conditions, techniques and personnel compound to yield different qualities and characteristics. Consequently, specific types of handmade papers often are unobtainable, out of stock, discontinued or off-quality. If you can afford it, purchase and store a good supply of your favorite and trusted kinds. Avoid those kinds made with wood pulp adulterants or colored with poor-quality dyes. Beware of machine-made imitations—even from Japan.
Unryu and Chirigami papers are decorative, usually made from kozo (mulberry) fiber, with bits of bark or strands of underbeaten fibers. These papers make great backgrounds for mounted or framed paper art, but the inclusions often frustrate the folder since the unprocessed bits do not fold well (imagine a roadblock in the path of your crease). The chunks of bark or fibers never seem to stay out of your way when you need to fold the paper, despite your best planning. Sometimes the bits even pop out of the edges of your mountain creases!
Gampi papers are glossy, somewhat translucent, and made from strong fibers from plants in the Daphne genus. These papers are available in many sizes and thicknesses. They are splendid for folding origami plants and flowers. Buy natural sheets and color them yourself. You will need to back-coat or surface-size these papers for most origami projects, wet or dry.
Rice paper is often used to refer to any Oriental, often white, thin paper. It is not made from rice! There are many theories as to the origin of the word rice paper but I do not know the truth about it yet. When you encounter the term in your search, ask questions about the origin and the fiber content. If you do not get an informed answer and you do not know what you have there, avoid buying the paper for serious work.
Yuzen is a general name for silkscreen-printed decorative papers. Wedding favors, party decorations and color-coordinated gift boxes folded from Yuzen are quite popular. We rarely use printed paper for animal or plant subjects unless the pattern is integral to the message. If the pattern would detract from the form and substance of the model, do not use it. Like most Asian papers, Yuzen is soft and cloth-like. Back-coat or surface-size, if necessary.
Chiyogami is decorated Japanese paper. These peaceful depictions of rural life and pastoral settings grace Asian-themed parties. Rarely would we use them for origami art although they make elegant wrapping decorations, envelopes and backgrounds.
Paper money is widely used for origami projects. There are many hundreds of designs. The US dollar is the most popular for these purposes, but other kinds, each with their own specific dimensions, have their following. Thick but strong, these papers are suitable for simple to intermediate folding. Do not hesitate to employ wet-folding techniques! Use new bills, where possible. Pattern, shape and color all figure into the final product.
If you enjoy paper, you will enjoy the adventure of discovering rare fibers and exotic blends. Learn as much as you can about each of the papers you like to work with. Purchase extra sheets when learning about a new paper. Keep samples and record your results. Be ever alert to new kinds and do not hesitate to experiment! The cost of even an expensive sheet is cheap compared to other materials employed in many other arts. Keep in mind that learning about the vast world of paper requires a serious, deliberate effort. Do not be discouraged. In short, buy and try, but be willing to learn from failure by keeping good notes.
CUSTOMIZING COMMERCIAL PAPERS
If you do not want to make your own origami paper from scratch, and if you are unable to find papers that satisfy your needs, there are ways of customizing paper for use in folding. We have already discussed back-coating two sheets together and adding size to a sheet of paper (pages 14–18) as ways to prepare paper for wet-folding. Many fancy high-quality papers will be unsuitable unless you laminate two or more sheets with this method. Here are some other ways you can create customized paper:
For some models, the tissue/foil paper combination creates the best results.
1. To bond tissue paper to foil, you will need these tools: wooden slat or dowel, commercial or handmade tissue paper, spray adhesive, aluminum foil, wide, dry brush for smoothing.
2. Fold the tissue paper over the edge of the foil twice to lock and register them firmly together.
3. Apply a thin coat of spray adhesive to the paper.Be sure that you have adequate ventilation and follow the caution label. (You may also use a glue stick, but take care not to rip the paper.)
4. Use a wide brush to smooth the foil evenly onto the glued paper surface. Use a wooden slat or dowel to control the free edge of the foil.
5. Apply a second sheet of tissue paper to the other side of the foil in the same way.
6. The finished, trimmed tissue-foil-tissue composite, ready for folding.
Adding Surface Color to a Sheet of Paper
For some models, simply adding a certain color greatly enhances the overall look of the finished product. When you cannot find duo paper in the colors you want, coloring the back of a sheet yourself is an easy solution.
1. To add surface color to paper, you will need these supplies: liquid acrylic polymer emulsion (blending fluid medium), artists’ acrylic paints (in tubes), wide brush, bowl, 10 percent methyl-cellulose gel emulsion (in bowl), plant mister and paper. A piece of glass on which to lay your work may also be useful.
2. Moisten the paper, front and back, using the mister.
3. Mix the acrylic paints. Blend equal amounts of the paints with the methylcellulose gel. For every 30 grams of paint, use 5 grams of emulsion.
4. Brush the acrylic colorant onto the paper, spreading it evenly from the center to the edges.
5. After application, smooth out the brush strokes.
6. Allow the paint to air-dry.
7. Separate the colored sheet from the glass. Adding additional coats will darken the color and increase stiffness.