MMXXII
Happy 2022! This is my first fold of the year, and as usual I wanted it to be something related to the new year. Since 2022 has a rare symmetry when rendered in Roman numerals (MMXXII), I chose this representation. I also recently received a package with my big order of papers from CDO store, so I wanted to start the new year with a new type of paper. The model is therefore folded from Miyaginu paper which I never folded before. I plan to write a full review later on, but my first impressions are very good after folding this rather challenging design.
In the second image, you can take a peek at my design technique and see the stages a design like this goes through: first, the doodles of individual molecules, each folded from a test sheet with 16×16 grid, then planning for the layout of molecules and grid size (the final model ended up being from 64×16 grid), drawing the precrease pattern (PreCP), and the final work. A very important stage not shown here is the concept (hard to show since it’s an immaterial thing): writing out the year in Roman numerals had been in my plans for a few years at least, and the design of the molecules went through at least two earlier designs (each using a number of doodles during development), quite different from the improved molecules I ended up using. Also note the double-headed arrow on the design drawing, indicating preferred paper grain direction.
Since the molecules for letters M and X are much more complex than the I-molecule, and correspondingly, use more paper horizontally, the thickness of the model varies considerably along its length: it is thickest at the left and becomes thin towards the right end. This affected the model’s shaping and warping — I had to take special precautions in order for it to not be distorted in the end. This is similar to some figurative origami designs where an animal’s head has most detail, therefore also most paper, and the model may become unbalanced, causing the animal to tumble forward.
The year 2022 will also mark Shuzo Fujimoto’s 100th anniversary of birth. I’m working on some projects to commemorate this designer whose influence on geometric origami has been great. I also plan to prepare his biography and make it available online. If you have any interesting information about Shuzo Fujimoto and his life, whether firsthand experience, or interesting resources on-line or in print, do let me know.
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