Origami

Origami, like other art forms, has many styles. The more common ones include:

1. Realistic: Creations that exhibit the main features of the subject, often resulting in complex designs with many steps.

2. Minimal: Creations that capture the essence of the subject with minimal folds and with an emphasis on simplicity.

3. Modular: Multiple geometric "units" made from multiple sheets of paper whose flaps and pockets tuck into each other to form polygons or polyhedra. Typically, all sheets are folded in the same way or in a small number of ways.

4. Composite: As with modular origami, multiple sheets of paper are used, but in this style each sheet is folded differently to realize a different part of the subject. Composite origami was one of the most common styles in the 1950s and ’60s but is relatively uncommon today.

5. Practical: Models that have a real-life application, such as for use as envelopes, boxes, cups, dishes, etc.

6. Pureland: A concept suggested by John Smith of England, who proposed a composition system using only square paper and “mountain” and “valley” folds, resulting in models that are easy to duplicate.

7. Tessellations: A geometric folding technique in which the image is created by the pattern of folded edges across the paper. Tessellations are often periodic (repeating) and may be flat or three-dimensional, and many of them exhibit further structure when held up to the light. Not surprisingly, many of the leading practitioners of this technique have been mathematicians.

8. Wet folding: A technique invented by Akira Yoshizawa in which the paper contains a water-soluble glue (known as sizing) and is dampened slightly before folding. The dampness permits the paper to be folded into soft curves, which then harden in durability as the paper dries.

9. Crumpled: A technique created by Paul Jackson and developed by Vincent Floderer that involves the crumpling of the paper before folding. This technique can produce highly realistic organic forms.