Welcome to The Origami Guild!
Welcome to the guild, everyone! Although the art of origami was typically passed on by Japanese mothers to their children, it's become much more than that today. Origami has spread across the world and has captured the minds of people from small children to wizened mathematicians. No matter how good (or bad) you are at it, there's always a new challenge waiting to stretch your creativity and imagination. This guild is dedicated to the study and practice of origami for people at all skill levels.
What Is Origami?
Origami (折り紙, literally "folding paper") is the art of folding paper to create various patterns and designs, ranging from animals to furniture to envelopes. Although the word is Japanese in origin, it applies to all types of paper folding, not necessarily only the stuff that originated in Japan. More specifically, the word "origami" has also come to encompass the Moorish tradition of paper folding, which focused more on geometry and tesselations than creating life-like figures. The marriage of the Moorish and Japanese styles of paper folding have produced many new and interesting models.
Many origami "purists" believe that real origami never involves cutting or gluing of the paper, but many other people don't see the harm in it. Using scissors or glue can be very helpful in fortifying fragile origami structures, making folding easier, and more. Still other purists believe that true origami only originates from a square piece of paper, or that a model can only be created out of a single piece of paper, or that you shouldn't use shiny foil paper. In this guild we'll cover many points of view - so if you absolutely hate cutting or gluing your paper or anything else, just ignore the models that require that. wink (All the appropriate information is located at the beginning of every model thread.)
Helpful Threads
First off, head on over to the Rules and Regulations thread. You are responsible for knowing these rules and adhering to them.
Now that you've read the rules, go ahead and introduce yourself!
For people just getting started with origami, check out the The Basics + Tips and Tricks thread.
For those who are looking for more substantial resources, take a look at the Resources and Book Reviews threads, which will help you find some cool stuff online or let you know which origami books are appropriate for your skill level.
Also, if you have an idea that you think will help improve the guild, feel free to post it in the Suggestion Box. If you want to suggest specific origami models you'd like to see featured in the guild, please do so in the Wanted Models thread.
Contributing to the Guild
First off, we do not want your gold. If you donate to the guild account, the only way we can use that money is by purchasing subforums, which we really don't need. Please refrain from donating for now!
A much better way you can help out the guild is by contributing instructions on how to fold different pieces of origami. If you feel like making an instructional thread, check out the second post of the Rules Thread for more information. Thanks in advance!
