Archive for the ‘Teaching Resources’ Category
New modular “Woven Wreath”/”Sun Dial” and some links I like
For people who have sent requests for things I apologize as I spent the better part of the last three weeks away from home and if it is for computer based candy container diagrams my other computer is not functioning right now. I will send stuff when I have the computer up and running.
As usual if anyone has seen this modular please post information and links as applicable. The unit was designed to create the same effect (although with a completely seperate unit) that another 3d wreath has. The units are not remotely similar, and sadly my unit does not have the flexibility or strength that the other one has. The modular can be done in 8 or 20 depending on the variation, of which there are many. The instructions are for the 20 unit variation. As for the oddly bolded sections that is something the blog is doing and I can’t fix-since wordpress is free I can’t complain.
1. Get 20 square sheets. I recommend between 4-6 inches square. Fold in half diagonally.
2. Fold as indicated and crease and then undo.
3. Fold the bottom right edge to crease line
4. Fold tips around edge and tuck them inside.
5. Take top point and fold to bottom point and crease.
6. Take the two flaps folded in the last step and fold inside the pocket. You will have to reverse the direction of the crease on the front fold.
7. Put the unit sideways and fold the tip so it is roughly parallel with the vertex of the obtuse angle. Do it one and then rotate the unit and do it the other way.
8. Take the top point and fold down to 1/3 from the bottom and then let fold the unit back on step sevens creases.
8. Finished unit, make twenty total
9. Tuck in as indicated. Make sure that you are tucked in on both sides.
10. Keep adding units until you have the original photo.
Some fun sites.
http://www.archicentral.com/origami-chapel-st-loup-switzerland-local-architecture-771/
http://www.designshell.com/architecture/origami-inspired-bamboo-house.html
http://fcms.its.utas.edu.au/scieng/arch/cpage.asp?lCpageID=267
http://www.architecture.com.au/awards_search?option=showaward&entryno=2008031648
http://www.internimagazine.it/Dynamic/Publication,intCategoryID,72,intIssueID,306,intLangID,2.html
Instructable: Easter Egg Box
Made an instructable for one of the containers
http://www.instructables.com/id/Easter-Egg-or-Candy-container-computer-aided-orig/
“Origami Tessellations” by Eric Gjerde and Most Recent Creation-Sortof
So I originally was waiting until my ordered copy of Origami Tessellations: Awe Inspiring Geometric Designs came to write a review about Eric’s new book, but while it hasn’t come a copy has come from another source. To be fair this review is hardly unbiased as I know Eric and he is in part responsible for sending me down this path of obsession. He is always trying to bring people into the tessellating fold and his book is part of this.
The book starts off explaining what a tessellation is, a basic history of origami tessellations, and how to do a basic grid. He shows the fundamentals of tessellation design, such as how to create pleate intersections both with a square based grid and a equilateral triangle based grid. Interspersed throughout are pictures of tessellations that appear in Islamic architecture. After showing basic twists and folds with computer illustrations he has a beginners section on tessellations. Number two, Spread Hexagons, is my favorite, probably because it was the tessellation that he had out that I looked at when we met at OUSA (Oops edit 2.5 not 3.5 years ago). Five by four has a beautifully modern look, while Chateau-Chinon by Christiane Bettens evokes traditional tilings. His intermediate projects are great introductions to folding designs with more than one type of fold/twist. My personal favorite in the book is Negative Space Stars, a design that seems impossible without cuts is clean and compelling. The one side clean negative stars and the other a pattern that really evokes the Islamic Tessellations that I personally love so much.
At the end of the book is a gallery and has tessellations from a wide range of people; Robert Lang, Joel Cooper, Christiane Bettens, Chris Palmer, Polly Verity, Sipho Mabona, Eric (of course), and me. I have to say it was very surprising when Eric first asked if he could include some of my tessellations as I hadn’t been folding tessellations very long. The creating and designing of tessellations has exploded recently and I know that it is in large part to Eric, to the Flickr group he started and his website http://www.origamitessellations.com. The book is as clear and concise as a book can be in teaching origami tessellations. Purchasing a copy is a great idea for the math lover, origami lover, art lover, or just anyone who can find the beauty in the transformation of paper into art.
So order here http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568814518?ie=UTF8&tag=origamitessel-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1568814518 or go to his website to order.
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Recent mod of an old and problematic tessellation. I made the grid about a mm to small and it created a host of problems so I took photos and then modified it a bit.
Pretty old school for my tessellations design, but I like it well enough.
Prodigious Paperologist Published
Eric Gjerde, the talented tesselator and blogger, has entered the ranks of the published. Now mere mortals cannot buy the book just yet, but with bated breath we wait. I realize the vast majority of you reading this blog know who Eric is, but if you don’t here is his blog
http://www.origamitessellations.com/
Reserve ahead, because, to my knowledge he is the first American too create a book on tessellation basics, and his book is going to be sweet. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/1579909795/ref=dp_image_0/002-2187515-5652026?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
You can get it for less than $13 dollars on Amazon, less than a few specialty coffee drinks and a scone. Teachers this would be a great resource to have in the classroom and a must for anyone who is an origami officianado.
Excel Student Journeys
This website was kindly put together by DePaul’s New Media Studies Class. It chronicles many of the struggles that our students go through. This anthology of prints and stories was done in Mrs. Walker’s Art Class. The students have done magnificent work and I highly recommend you walk a “mile” in their shoes.
Praise goes to Mrs. Walker and all the students who participated in this project.
Science, Math, and Origami
This is just a few articles I stumbled across in surfing. They are not the newest out there and I’m sure you’ve read the article about origami(including Hull, Lang, and Kamiya), but you may find them interesting if you havn’t seen them.
http://jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/11/2/262
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0917/p01s03-woap.html
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn5033
http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jul/origami/?page=1
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/02/19/070219fa_fact_orlean (this has a cute little cartoon)
http://www.sciencentral.com/articles/view.php3?type=article&article_id=218392855
http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20051224/mathtrek.asp
http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060617/mathtrek.asp
Easy modular sites for platonic solids and other stuff for teachers
http://www.arttowermito.or.jp/johokuchu/johokuchu3.html
http://www.paperfolding.com/math/
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Origami.html (this has a great animated sequence folding the Crane and beyond)
http://itlab.coe.wayne.edu/elearningdimensions/end/resources.html
This would be an amazing course to teach