Origami Insects (Paperback)

by Robert J. Lang (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Create a swarm of cleverly designed paper insects. Noted origamist presents step-by-step instructions and diagrams for 20 challenging projects: treehopper, spotted ladybug, orb weaver, tarantula, tick, butterfly, grasshopper, dragonfly, praying mantis, scorpion and more. Helpful sections on symbols and terms and general folding directions. Intermediate to advanced level.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (June 20, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486286029
• ISBN-13: 978-0486286020
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #281,672 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can I give it 6 or 7 stars?, November 20, 1999

By	Sen Peng Eu "ESP=Math+Music+Literature" (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In my opinion, the books to date containing the most complicated and outrageous origami models are the following: Kawahata's Dinosaur, Issei's Supercomplex , and this CHAMPION , Lang's Insects. Every model here needs a lot (really a lot) patience and many-year folding experience. Or you MUST fail in folding over half of them. There are lots of unexpected and new technics, every model is in a neatly calculated mathematical proportion and with the exactly right number in every part (eyes, legs, antennas, etc.) In Facing such a book, I completely, deeply, adore the art of origami.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book, November 16, 2000

By	Eric Anderson (Swarthmore, PA United States) - See all my reviews

Origami Insects and Their Kin is absolutely my favorite origami book. All but the first model are extremely challenging, and the first one would be given a "complex" rating in any book. I can't stress this enough: if you are bored with the origami books you have because they are too easy, THIS is the book you are looking for. The only downside is that everything else pales in comparison afterwards! The insect models in this book are what one expects of Robert Lang, and then some. They are all beautifully rendered, and amazingly, they're simple enough in design that it's hard to imagine taking any of the details away. The models are so difficult because Lang chooses great subjects, from the exotic-looking Black Pine Sawyer, Samurai Helmet Beetle, and Long-Necked Seed Bug, to the common (but still beautiful) Pill Bug, Dragonfly, and Ant. It's difficult to continue elaborating on Origami Insects and Their Kin, because after several years it still makes my jaw drop, leaving me speechless. This book stands head and shoulders above any other origami book I have seen, for complexity and model quality. If you can't stand insects, perhaps this isn't the book for you. If that's not a problem, then why haven't you already put a good fifty hours into this book?

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, July 14, 2003

By A Customer

An awesome book! Contains some of the most beautiful folds I know, as well as some of the hardest. Here's what you get:

1. Treehopper: A rather simple bug, good introduction to the book.

2. Spotted Ladybug: An AWESOME exploration of color-contrast! Looks great when folded from the right paper even though it is not 3D.

3. Orb Weaver: What should I say, well it's a spider...

4. Tarantula: Another spider but with ten legs. If you do it right it looks much like the real thing.

5. Tick: This comes as a hungry and a sated tick. Easy to fold and looks good.

6. Ant: This is absolutely my favourite origami model! The ant is so awesome, I can't find words for it. You just have to fold it to believe it plus it's pretty easy to fold too.

7. Butterfly: Well folks that's a real butterfly with legs and it's really hard to fold.

8. Scarab Beetle: Egyptian bug.

9. Cicada: Looks GREAT when folded well but is probably the hardest model in the book.

10. Grasshopper: Green, long legs.

11. Black Pine Sawyer: Has really long antennae and looks really cool.

12. Dragonfly: Not very realistic, has a "cartoon" style look.

13. Hercules Beetle: A fat bug that looks good when folded well.

14. Long-Necked Seed Bug: I had never heard of this bug before. Doesn't look bad though.

15. Pill Bug: Not easy to fold but a great-looking and unique model.

16. Praying Mantis: Very hard.

17. Stag Beetle: Good looking and fairy easy.

18. Paper Wasp: Requires you to do something I would have thought impossible before reading this book. Extremely hard.

19. Samurai Helmet Beetle: Beautiful model but hard to fold.

20. Scorpion: Comes out pretty thick but can look nice too.

After all, a great book, if you are an advanced folder buy it!