Secrets of Origami: The Japanese Art of Paper Folding (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Hundreds of diagrams help paperfolders at all levels create over 120 models ranging from a traditional sailboat, cicada, flapping bird and jumping frog to such less common subjects as a Japanese lady, gargoyle, octopus and a Moor at prayer. Also includes figures originated by internationally renowned origami experts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; 3 edition (July 3, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486297071
• ISBN-13: 978-0486297071
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #356,229 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Great Classics, Finally back in Print, December 20, 1999

By	Brian D. Swan (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

Rejoice, origami lovers of the world: Harbin's "Secrets of Origami" is back on the shelves. One of the first of my 40+ origami books, the old, battered, early 70s hardcover still holds a place of honor on my shelf. This is one of the best origami books EVER published. For the beginner, it opens the door to a wonderful array of simple to complex models, for the advanced folder, it provides a survey of the best Western folding from that formative period of 1960s. Fred Rohm, Adolfo Cerceda, Ligia Montoya - these are names that must NEVER fade from the annals of origami. Buy this book. Use this book. Treasure this book. Very few like this have been printed before or since.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A legend, October 29, 2000

By	"lhs1701" (Singapore, Singapore Singapore) - See all my reviews

The book which launch my interest in origami in the late 60s. If not for the discovery of this book, my interest in origami would have been lost.

The models are still very fresh even for the origamist of today. There is a very good range from traditional models, simple models to the intermediate stage. An excellent first introduction to origami.

It contains works of experts who are not around today. Among my favourites are those by Ligia Montoya. Simple but extremely effective.

Nowadays origami experts tend to concentrate on details making folding the models extremely difficult for a beginner. I prefer to concentrate on representing the subject just right with just the sufficient details to differentiate the model and avoiding the complexity of folding it.

There are also models with sufficient difficulty to challenge the slightly more experienced.

A must for all enthusiasts.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely the best origami book I've ever used., September 8, 1999

By A Customer

Of the dozen books on origami in my library, this is my favorate. This is the book that I used to learn to fold. The intro. section on bases is wonderfully presented. I still have my copy of this book from 20+ years ago. Though tattered and torn, I still pull the book out and create new forms. I like the background information on the artists who created the forms and I enjoyed the variety of challenges from easy to complex. My favorate form in the book is the bat...I also made a wonderful mobile of some of the various bird creations in the book.