Customer Reviews

Folding the Universe: Origami From Angelfish to Zen

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The first half of the book is mostly text and reminds me of Godel, Escher, Bach (by Douglas Hofstadter) but for origami. I would like to see this half expanded out into a full book.

The second half is beautiful, intricate models such as the hummingbird, the octopus and the reindeer. I've been folding for about 6 months and I could tell just looking at the folding instructions that the later models like the crab were too hard. What I didn't realize was that even the relatively simple hummingbird is difficult.

At first I thought the folding instructions were unclear (and the hummingbird does have a typo, you should start with the butterfly fish instructions, not the angelfish ones). But after I puzzled my way through each step, I realized that these instructions are simply meant for a more proficient folder. All the information is there but the handholding is not.

If you are looking for some challenging models and thought-provoking text on creativity and origami, this is the book. If you are just starting out you could still buy it as a goal to work towards if that fits your personality. If that would be discouraging, I recommend "The Origami Handbook" as a simpler place to start.

Peter Engel has succeeded in adding a dynamic element to his origami which is by far the most lifelike that i have seen. The various animals and creatures in this book look as though they have been caught in mid-movement. I particularly liked the tiger, which could actually pass for any of the big cats, and looks as though it is running down its next meal. The Yawning alligator, the butterfly with its proboscis extended and the Octopus with its beautiful oval body and realisticly posed tentacles are my favourites. Models in other books look strangely static by comparison

This is the best book that has ever been published. The models go from intermediate to extremely difficult.The hardest models in the book are the deer, the two crabs, the knight on horseback (one sheet), the octopus (has eyes), the squid (has eyes), and the butterfly (has eyes). These are the models that get so small that you have to start out with a newspaper in order to even contemplate finishing them. I have made a few of these models like the knight on horseback and the two crabs, but I am still working on the butterfly because that one is simply amazing. This is a good book but it is definately not for beginners or people with patience that runs out after an hour or the tenth sheet.

Never before have I seen an origami book that brings in so much art, design, and mathematics. Not only does Engel make incredible and very challenging origami, but his sense of design makes it a delight to see come about. His first 81 pages are introduction and theoretical discussion of origami and the design concepts behind the artform. While he may be a bit esoteric at times, his discussion is quite interesting as he delves into fields ranging from music to geometry to architecture. The models show wonderful 3-D realism for the most part and will pose a challenge to all but very advanced folders (and if you still need a challenge use smaller paper). I especially enjoyed the octopus, squid and knight on horseback.

If you are not satisfied with those "follow me" origami books, and if you are very interested in how the origami designers design their own models, this book will provide the answer. The book begins on a long, superb essay about origami theory,then discusses the similarity of origami and other art, then unveils the secrets of the progress of creating new models. AND, what follows are 24 wonderful models, some of them are so hard that even a veteran will find it almost impossible. This is not for beginners,but for those who consider origami is really an art.

Wow, I Was Very Excited When I Got This Book, But Man! Are These Models Hard. If You Are Just Starting Out, This Is Not The Book For You, You Should Get (Super Simple Origami). This Is For The Very Advanced Origami Folder, Heed My Word.

It took a while for me to learn to appreciate Engel's folding style, but eventually I got hooked on all those little creatures.
Some models I love; those include tiger, alligator, squid, hummingbird and reindeer and some I don't (like the crab for instance).
Anyway, I have had 15 hour sessions with this book, so there must be something appealing in this.
Text section is also great.

This is the most challenging origami book I have ever seen. Although I have grown up with origami and consider myself very experienced, I am still not able to complete some of the models near the end of the book.

The models near the end of the book require huge and very thin paper. You will need paper that is at least several feet to a side.

But I still say this book is a must-have for intermediate and advanced folders. Engel's folding style is very unique in the world of origami. Works like the rattlesnake and the caterpillar use original and unusual folding methods to obtain amazing results. The works are all very enjoyable to fold.

The first half of this book is completly narrative. It explains origami in a way no other book I've read has. By showing the traditional bases as variations on a theme and then extending that theme Engel shows origami creators (not just folders) how to overcome the limitations in a piece of paper. The ties to music, fractals, geometry, the act of creation, the boundry of science and art, and computers really gets you thinking. The narrative is nice for the beginner and the advanced folder.

After the narrative is the more traditional diagrams for folding models. Except for a few these models are ONLY for the advanced folder. Some models include (all folded from one sheet of square or dollar bill paper without cutting) a 10 legged crab with antenna and larger forclaws, a horse and rider, a kangaroo with a smaller kangaroo in its pouch, Octopus with 8 tenticles. There are also some only moderatly advanced such as fish, reindeer, elephant, yacht, penguin, hummingbird, etc.

Among Origami books I have read the only one to hold a candle to this is Origami Omnibus. Both are stellar works, but this is my favorite of the two.

If you have entered the realm of the origami seniors, then your collection is incomplete without this book. The discussion at the beginning dealing with the history, art, logic and science of origami is superb, and the 24 models range from the very high intermediate to the seemingly impossible! The setback is that diagrams and instructions are on different pages and that makes it a little hard to follow, but the diagrams are at least clear enough. Do not buy this book unless you take origami very seriously. I have had it for almost two years and three of the models in the book (Elephant, Knight on Horseback and Butterfly) continue to stump me even to this day!