The word "origami" means paper folding. "Oru" means "to fold" and "kami" means "paper" in Japanese. Altough the word "origami" is Japanese, but it is now accepted as part of English, and also many other languages, including Frence, Greek, Russian, etc.
Since paper originated from China,origami is most likely to have originated there, too. Slowly, origami is spread to the West and to other parts of Asia, like Japan, which is where origami was developed. Paper folding might have been discovered independently in the West, or, unlikely as it seems, it was first discovered in the West and spread to the East.
Origami was developed mainly in Japan, so we should focus on there for the time being.
PAPER FOLDING IN JAPAN
Paper folding was, before the 20th Centuary, considered as a pastime for kindergarden children, or taught by mother or grandmother to daughter. Traditional designs, like the Crane, was passed around and taught for hundreds of years, till all Japanese children knew how to fold it.
However, in the mid-1900s, an article from Reader's Digest mentioned that Akira Yoshizawa from Tokyo created more than 5,000 models, and the magazine also featured origami models, all created by Yoshizawa, from the Chinese Zodiac. Yoshizawa also created wet-folding, where the paper has to be dampened before folding. So, the model could be "shaped", and the water will dry afterwards.
PAPER FOLDING IN THE EAST
In Great Britain, most paper folders got started with Rupert Annuals. Alfred Bestall included diagrams, and also mentioned origami in stories. Soon, he became the first President of the British Origami Society. After him, it was Dave Brill who became the President of BOS.
MODERN ORIGAMI
In the modern world, origami is now accepted as an art form. People opened companies such as Paper Magic and the Origamido Studio, Origami is also used commercially, like advertisments, using animations to move the origami model. Instead of Flapping Birds, Cranes, and other traditional models, there are now dragons with scales and everything, dollar bill folds, and an origami Merlion that spouts water, which came in third for the Origami Merlion Challenge held in Singapore during 5OSME (2010).
There are origami organizations all over the world, and the larger ones issue monthly or bi-monthly newslatters or magazines.
Since paper originated from China,origami is most likely to have originated there, too. Slowly, origami is spread to the West and to other parts of Asia, like Japan, which is where origami was developed. Paper folding might have been discovered independently in the West, or, unlikely as it seems, it was first discovered in the West and spread to the East.
Origami was developed mainly in Japan, so we should focus on there for the time being.
PAPER FOLDING IN JAPAN
Paper folding was, before the 20th Centuary, considered as a pastime for kindergarden children, or taught by mother or grandmother to daughter. Traditional designs, like the Crane, was passed around and taught for hundreds of years, till all Japanese children knew how to fold it.
However, in the mid-1900s, an article from Reader's Digest mentioned that Akira Yoshizawa from Tokyo created more than 5,000 models, and the magazine also featured origami models, all created by Yoshizawa, from the Chinese Zodiac. Yoshizawa also created wet-folding, where the paper has to be dampened before folding. So, the model could be "shaped", and the water will dry afterwards.
PAPER FOLDING IN THE EAST
In Great Britain, most paper folders got started with Rupert Annuals. Alfred Bestall included diagrams, and also mentioned origami in stories. Soon, he became the first President of the British Origami Society. After him, it was Dave Brill who became the President of BOS.
MODERN ORIGAMI
In the modern world, origami is now accepted as an art form. People opened companies such as Paper Magic and the Origamido Studio, Origami is also used commercially, like advertisments, using animations to move the origami model. Instead of Flapping Birds, Cranes, and other traditional models, there are now dragons with scales and everything, dollar bill folds, and an origami Merlion that spouts water, which came in third for the Origami Merlion Challenge held in Singapore during 5OSME (2010).
There are origami organizations all over the world, and the larger ones issue monthly or bi-monthly newslatters or magazines.
