Decorative Origami Boxes

by Rick Beech

Overview

Forget the giftwrap — these unique boxes are perfect for gift-giving. In fact, they're handmade gifts all by themselves!Choose your own paper, and make a keepsake treasure — or make dozens! Step-by-step diagrams make it easy to create a work of art.
A well-known British origami expert, Rick Beech is the author of several books. These unusual and imaginative designs appeal to paperfolders at every level of experience. This book features fifteen different patterns for boxes, along with some lid variations and decorative accents, offering a useful, affordable way to expand your origami repertoire.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780486174280
Publisher:	Dover Publications
Publication date:	06/19/2012
Series:	Dover Origami Papercraft
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	64
Sales rank:	296,809
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

A well-known British origami expert, Rick Beech is the author of 10 other books — including Dover's Origami You Can Use — that offer unusual models appealing to paperfolders at every level of experience.

Read an Excerpt

Decorative Origami Boxes

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By Rick Beech, Rikki Donachie

Dover Publications, Inc.

Copyright © 2007 Rick Beech
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-486-17428-0

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INTRODUCTION

This selection of elegant origami boxes, including some designs previously unpublished, will delight both the beginner and the expert enthusiast. We recommend attempting the easier models at the beginning of the book first.

Rikki Donachie's beautifully-crafted and artistic diagrams will enable the reader to competently fold many differently shaped boxes and containers from one or several sheets of paper (this branch of origami is called "modular" or "unit" folding).

By way of a few tips, always fold carefully and accurately, and remember the "look ahead" rule of checking the next diagram to see that you have completed a particular stage correctly

Never allow yourself to become impatient or frustrated with your first results; try the design again and again until you are totally delighted with the outcome. Origami is to be enjoyed!

Paper Choices,

It is important when folding origami boxes to choose paper which is strong and sturdy, and which holds a crease well. The ideal stock to use is 80-100 gsm (grams per square meter), especially if the particular design is to fulfil a practical purpose; you may be making a confetti container for a wedding or a candy holder for a party, for example.

There are many sources for such material, including art suppliers, specialist gift shops and craft markets. You will notice on the covers of this book that for the best results highly coloured and patterned paper is recommended. Be creative!

Some instructions refer to A-size paper. This is an international paper size standard that uses the metric system. Some commonly used sizes are: A4 (8.27" x 11.69"), A5 (5.83" x 8.27"), and A6 (4.13" x 5.83"). These sizes are based on a single aspect ratio of the square root of two. The proportions of A-size paper always remain the same. For example: when an A1 size paper is folded in half, it becomes the size of an A2, when an A2 is folded in half, it becomes an A3, etc.

If you wish your box to be very sturdy and long lasting it is a good idea to glue flaps down and then to apply 2 or 3 coats of polyurethane varnish. Try the varnish on a scrap of the paper first as colours may run.

Creating boxes

After folding all of the boxes in this book you may be tempted to create your own designs. It is easier than you might expect. Just by changing a valley to a mountain can have a dramatic effect if done in the right place. Keep experimenting with different shapes and maybe more than one piece of paper. Have fun!

When you have created a new design it is always a good idea to diagram it. This is also easier than you might expect. Rikki Donachie has, on his Web site, simple step-by-step instructions on how to draw origami diagrams.

Just visit; www.itsjustabitofpaper.com

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Decorative Origami Boxes by Rick Beech, Rikki Donachie. Copyright © 2007 Rick Beech. Excerpted by permission of Dover Publications, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Title Page,
Copyright Page,
Introduction,
Guide to symbols,
Diving an edge into thirds,
Printer's Box - Traditional,
Nik-Nak Box - Traditional,
Shallow Box,
Box in One,
A4 Thin Box,
Masu Box with Divider and Lid,
Flower Box,
Fancy Box with Ribbon,
Shell Shaped Box,
Snap-Lock box,
Pachetto Regalo,
Heart Shaped Box,
Box with Peace Crane,
Triangular Box with Rose Motif,
Pentagonal Twist box,
Twist Lid 001,
Twist Lid 002.,
Twist Lid 003,
About the Authors ...,