Origami

Origami (折り紙, from oru, to fold, and kami, paper) is the Japanese name for the art of paper folding. The Chinese term is 折纸 zhézhǐ. In Chinese, the two kanji are recognized as Chinese characters. Origami is the art of folding paper to create a shape representing reality (animals, characters, flowers, objects, etc.). Although this art originated in China, it is the Japanese who have become masters in this field. This is one of the reasons why we know the art of paper folding by the Japanese term ORIGAMI instead of the Chinese term.

Origami typically uses a square sheet of paper that is not cut. However, many creators also use sheets of different sizes and sometimes make cuts and glue parts (staples are sometimes used). This is particularly the case with Mr. Eiji Nakamura and his "Flying Origami."

Origami is a succession of folds called a diagram. It often starts from a base that is common to a group of origami. Origami can be very simple or very complex, with multiple sheets of paper folded and nested within each other.

Some tips:

1. Start by learning to recognize the symbols, folds, and bases before diving directly into origami.
2. Begin with simple origami models, otherwise you risk getting discouraged.
3. For origami, the choice of paper is important. It should be thin and strong. Simple printer or draft paper is mainly used to test a new model.
4. If you use a square sheet of paper (which is often the case), make sure it is perfectly square. This may seem obvious, but since we often only have A4 sheets on hand, the paper must be cut. Sometimes a millimeter difference can complicate the origami process.
5. In origami, it is very important to make the folds carefully and precisely. Again, a millimeter difference at the start can cause many problems later.
6. Finally, make sure to firmly crease the fold with your fingernail or a hard, flat object like a ruler (but be careful not to tear the paper!).