[Origami] Studio update and Artist question

[David Mitchell]

Seth  wrote:

>Wiring and/or gluing, acid free paper etc. are definitely necessary for
long living origami works.

Can I offer you another perspective? Acid free paper is paper so folding it
is, of course, paperfolding.

However, supporting an origami structure with wires, especially concealed
wires, or glue, or coating it with varnish, changes the nature of what you
are doing. The question is whether you are still actually producing origami
sculptures or rather now working in some kind of multi-media? I would
certainly be very disappointed in a paperfolder who presented such a
sculpture without pointing out how it had been achieved.

I believe that paperfolding at its best - and at its most artistic - is just
paper and just folding. If you need to strengthen or support a structure in
another way then what you have done is to out-design the paper - gone beyond
what the qualities of paper, and the process of folding, allow you to do. 

If I reach this point with my designs I pull back and try to simplify and
work within the parameters of paperfolding ... and I would recommend this
approach to you. It is a highly rewarding one.

Dave

Re: [Origami] Studio update and Artist question

[Leong Cbeng Chit]

If you use sufficiently thick paper and techniques to remove the tension in the 
folds, your works should last for a very long time.

I normally use Elephanthide paper (110 gsm) for my complex works. A 70 cm x 70 
cm or 50 cm x 50 cm paper should give a model size of up to 30 cm in length and 
height. Spray the whole model with water and clip it into shape. When dry, the 
tension in the folds should be relieved. You can spray the model with acrylic 
to give it a better finish. The model should maintain its form and look for a 
vey long time. I live in a country with vey high humidity. There are models I 
folded more than 10 years ago and they still keep their shape.

Another tension relieving technique you can use is blowing with a hair dryer. I 
have a large model 70 cm in height folded with Tetrapak paper:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/chengchit/12875993723/in/dateposted-public/
The paper is laminated paper and creases quite easily. 

Cheng Chit