Absolute Beginner's Origami: The Simple Three-Stage Guide to Creating Expert Origami [Paperback]

Nick Robinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1999

Foolproof origami—now in paperback! More than 30,000 copies sold



Love origami, but frightened off by those strange dotted lines and shaded areas that make it seem like a bizarre geometry exercise? Absolute Beginner’s Origami calms those fears, using a remarkable three-step system and step-by-step full-color photos to guide readers into the basics of folding, through intermediate steps, and on to putting it all together to make real origami. Twenty enchanting designs are presented in three easy-to-follow stages: first, bases and folds. Next, combining bases and folds and learning to interpret those line drawings. Finally, learning to fold origami paper into real, elegant origami animals and objects: butterflies, swans, dogs, and more! Ten sheets of practice paper are printed with folding lines; ten more sheets are blank for solo work. By the end of the book, readers will understand how to read those line drawings and explore the wonderful world of origami with excitement and confidence.




• Color photos and clear three-step method make anyone into a foldin' fool

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Nick Robinson has taught origami in schools, youth centers, hospitals, and art centers for almost two decades. He is the author of several books on origami and paper airlines, and more than 100 of his original origami creations have been published in 18 countries.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823000540
• ISBN-13: 978-0823000548
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,331,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for begginer's, easy enough for anyone, April 30, 2001

By 

Angel Lee "Liocorno Amethyst Moonstone" (Cleveland, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Absolute Beginner's Origami: The Simple Three-Stage Guide to Creating Expert Origami (Paperback)

I've used a number of books trying to get started in origami and found most of them lacking or disappointing in some way. This one is the exception. The projects are basic, yet fun. They are great for kids or anyone who has struggled with origami in the past like myself. You won't be pulling out your hair trying to figure out what you are supposed to do next.

I was thrilled to discover folding guides for most of the projects. This is something I have not seen in any other book. You can photocopy them and practice before wasting good paper. If only every origami book would include this! Conveniently, some colored origami paper to get you started in also included. I really like the spiral bound binding as well allowing the book to lay flat as you practice.

The book starts out by helping you select paper and learn the basic folds such as the mountain, squash and rabbit's ear with clear step-by-step photo instructions to get you off to a good start. Then many bases are covered including the kite, diamond, fish, waterbomb, preliminary, frog, bird, and windmill.

The projects follow with some of my favorites being the star box, iris, butterfly and flapping bird. There is a beautiful gallery in the back showing examples of more advanced origami projects. This is the perfect book for anyone wanting to get started in origami.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great instructions with good pictures, May 6, 2007

By 

J. Braun (Pennsylvania USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Absolute Beginner's Origami (Paperback)

My 7 year old son recently became interested in origami. This book was just right for him. I had to help with some of the more complicated designs, but he was able to do most of them. The instructions are simple and easy to follow. Some of the folds can be used for more complex shapes which you encounter in other books.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Simple Projects, July 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Absolute Beginner's Origami: The Simple Three-Stage Guide to Creating Expert Origami (Paperback)

The cover in this book, when you order it, is different, and the models in the photo are not included in the book either. The projects are all for beginners. It has very good illustrations of the different folds and easy to follow instructions.