Origami. History of occurrence

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

Today, origami can be safely called one of the most popular types of creativity. Techniques for adding paper crafts are easy enough to learn, and anyone can do it.

In the article we will briefly tell the history of origami, dwell on the origin of art, and also consider some of its other techniques.

In Japanese, the word literally means "folded paper". But the very name "origami" appeared only at the end of the 19th century with the publication of the first books on origami. And before that, the techniques for making paper crafts were transmitted to each other visually and were called "orikata" ("folding activity").

History of occurrence

Of course, origami is primarily paper crafts. And the first paper, as you know, appeared in ancient China at the very beginning of the second century AD. Therefore, the history of paper origami must be associated with this country.

But not everything is so simple. It is believed that origami originated in Japan. Allegedly, the first figurines originated from the art of drapery of fabrics, which was necessarywhen making traditional Japanese clothes.

In addition, while paper was expensive and available only to temples, in both China and Japan, origami was used only by clergy for religious cults.

Over time, origami crafts appeared in Japanese noble families. A true nobleman was even now considered such if he could entertain a bored lady by folding these angular, but arousing figurines. And the samurai used crafts to fold notes. Read this message, unfolding the figurine, could only "his" person. Even later, origami began to decorate the premises during all kinds of festive celebrations.

A traditional Japanese wedding, that is, a wedding held according to the canons of Shinto, for example, assumed the obligatory decoration of the interior with butterflies folded from paper, which symbolized the bride and groom.

The spread of origami. Japan

In general, the real art of origami, probably, can only be talked about with the advent of the Japanese paper crane - one of the simplest and most popular crafts created without any practical purpose.

By the way, the first origami textbook published in Kyoto in 1797 was called How to Fold a Thousand Cranes. This name clearly referred the reader to an old legend that promised the fulfillment of a wish to the one who folded a thousand paper cranes. True, despite the name, the publication talked about the methods of addition and other figures.

After SecondWorld War II and the bombing of Hiroshima, the paper crane acquired special significance. The Japanese girl Sadako Sasaki, ill with leukemia, folded cranes in the hospital, believing that with the thousandth that came out from under her hands, a terrible disease would recede. The girl managed to make only 644 figurines…

Akira Yoshizawa

Great achievements in the promotion and development of origami art in the 20th century are attributed to Japanese origami artist Akira Yoshizawa (Yoshizawa).

Once upon a time, a young draftsman Akira, working at a machine-building plant, explained the basics of descriptive geometry to beginners, folding origami figures for clarity. He achieved such mastery in this art that the owners of the factory allowed him to practice origami even during working hours.

However, only after the war did Akira Yoshizawa manage to continue his activities. In 1954, his book "The New Art of Origami" was published, and soon a Center for the study of this art, founded by him, was opened in Tokyo.

This famous master developed a whole charter with universal symbols for origami folds. These instructions essentially served to convey origami techniques in writing. The book collected basic models for mastering the first steps in this art.

Akira Yoshizawa lived a long life, created more than 50 thousand previously unknown models, and after the well-deserved triumph of his first book, published 18 more books on origami.

Thanks to his activities, lovers of classic origami realized that there is an ideal constructor -square sheet of paper. Only with the help of hands, simple techniques and your imagination, you can learn how to create thousands of the most diverse images - animals, plants, objects.

Origami and the Western world

It is believed that in the history of origami there were two independent sources: Japanese and Western.

This art appeared in Europe by the 16th century. So says the history of origami. Then they knew how to fold mitres (headdresses of priests) and women's caps from fabric without the use of threads and needles. The specially folded table napkins, or simply crafts used to decorate interiors in European homes, may also have been precursors to this art form.

With the development of industry, paper crafts have become popular in the West. Moreover, today it is already impossible to say for certain whether the original models were borrowed. For example, the Spanish symbol of origami - a paper bird "pajarita" from the city of Toledo, according to legend, was made almost in the 12th century. Moreover, "pajarito" was also called a bird, and in general any origami figurine. That's why people in Spain, when they say "make pajarites", they mean paper folding.

Origamists of the West

Spanish writer, poet and philosopher Miguel de Unamuno, who lived at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, created many figurines and wrote two books on origami. His name is today associated with the Spanish and South American schools of this art.

About the same time, paper figurines appeared in France, this time with magicians on the stage. SuccessfullyThe famous American illusionist Harry Houdini also tried his hand at the art of making paper crafts.

A significant contribution to the history of origami for children was made by the German theorist of preschool education, the founder of the kindergarten system, Friedrich Froebel. Back in the 19th century, he worked on the development of the logical thinking of the child, folding the simplest figures. The basics of geometry, embodied in the trick of folding a paper square, were borrowed by a German teacher, probably from the teachings of the ancient Arabs.

The 20th century has become a real open gate in the history of origami art for the fusion of all its traditions and united origami lovers from all over the world. To this day, textbooks are published in many languages of the world, centers are opened in which origami masters teach, and its forms and methods are developing and becoming more complex. However, the basic models, which seem to be the simplest to sophisticated craftsmen, can arouse keen interest and even admiration among beginners taking their first steps in the world of origami crafts.

Basic models of classic origami

It is very possible that it is thanks to Froebel that today it is so easy to tell the story of the emergence of origami for children using the example of such simple models as a cap, a boat, a cup. Well, airplanes and jumping frogs probably did everything at least once in their childhood.

And here is another model that occupies the initial position in teaching beginners. Today in textbooks it is called "Sanbo box". Various offerings to the gods in temples were once placed in the ritual Sanbo. In the future, she, stepping overtemple threshold, began to be used for table setting. This is quite a versatile container for storing, for example, nuts, candies or paper clips.

And one of the most popular origami models was a miniature bird with spread wings. It probably appeared in Japan, because the instructions for assembling this figure appeared in Europe only towards the end of the 19th century. The World Exhibition in Paris, held in 1878, where the Japanese brought this figurine and revealed the secret of its folding, became an incentive to unite the traditions of the West and the East and to develop a new world origami.

Modular origami

This technique looks like a natural extension of classic origami. In contrast, to create a model, not one, but several sheets of paper are used, and the restriction on their number was nevertheless lifted, which made it possible to significantly expand the possibilities and imagination of their creators.

With the help of modular origami, three-dimensional figures are assembled: balls, boxes, stars, flowers. Then they are assembled according to the plan into even more complex and intricate models.

The history of modular origami calls the name of Mitsunobu Sonobe, who became the founder of this technique and still enjoys well-deserved recognition in Japan. Various variations of the basic models, in fact, are even called "sonobe" (or "sonob").

But the American mathematician Robert Lang looked at this technique from a special, engineering point of view and developed algorithms for constructing figures that are stillamaze with the accuracy of their forms and filigree performance.

Technical origami products also belong to his genius: an airbag folded using the techniques of this art, and the development of a space telescope with a huge lens made in the form of a thin membrane. Folded with it, the rockets were transported into space, where it could be deployed and used without any damage or folds.

Kusudama

The modular origami technique is based on the production of sonobe cubes. Most often they have two "pockets" into which the edges of other models are inserted. This is how a classic kusudama ball is formed. Sometimes the models that make it up stick together or even stitch together.

From sheets of paper of different colors (some use candy wrappers or even banknotes as the basis for making) you can fold two-color or multi-color kusudama, similar to crystal balls or spherical inflorescences. They are also compared to regular crystals and molecules.

The many repeating flower segments with eight voluminous petals is one of the most fashionable flower patterns in this technique.

In the Land of the Rising Sun, figurines that could be used in practice, in everyday life, have always been loved. So, Japanese healers put aromatic herbs into the pockets of kusudama and hung them over the patient's bed. And flower kusudam was used to make bouquets for the bride at wedding ceremonies.

Other types of origami techniques

The history of origami knows a large number of techniques for folding paper crafts. The simplest of them - the usual origami - is designed for those who take the very first steps. It helps to master the most simple models, such as a box, a flower, a hare, a cat, etc.

And here is the "wet" origami. It was invented by the tireless origamist Akiro Yoshizawa. To work in this technique, paper of increased plasticity is required, for which the sheets were moistened with water from a spray bottle. Or a thin layer of adhesive solution was applied to them. Figures made using this technique look a bit like papier-mâché crafts.

The kirigami technique, which appeared thanks to Masahiro Chatani, a Japanese architect, made it possible to use scissors in the manufacture of handicrafts. Thick sheets of paper are cut and folded in a special way, which helps in the manufacture of not only postcards, but also architectural models and three-dimensional ornaments.

There is also folding according to a sweep or pattern - that is, according to the drawing, where all the folds that should be present in the finished product are marked. The drawing contains many lines, and working with it requires the skills of an experienced origami player.

On the benefits of origami

The fact that origami is an absolutely invaluable activity for kids, many teachers have said and will continue to say. Firstly, it develops fine finger motor skills and imagination, brings up such important skills as perseverance and patience. Secondly, the little origamist in practice studies the initial geometric concepts,such as square, triangle, diagonal, vertex, angle, median. The technique of folding figures sets before him specific logical tasks, which, if solved, will certainly reward the child with another elegant model. Finally, origami is inexpensive. All you need is the right size paper and a little patience to follow the instructions.

However, almost all of the above can be attributed to adults. Moreover, the field of origami, it seems, will never be scarce and will constantly present its followers with more and more new techniques and options for the realization of their fantasies and bold projects.