How To Make Heart Origami
With lockdown in full-swing, it’s about time we all started picking up new hobbies to help pass the time. There is only so much banana bread you can bake and online quizzes you can do after all. With this in mind, why not try something along the lines or origami. Defined as the art of paper folding (Japanese words oru (to fold) and kami (paper), there really is no limit to what you can create! Not only does it look pretty but it also makes for the perfect homemade gift. Show your friend, children, or partner just how much you love and appreciate them with this simple to make origami. We’ll start off with something easy like how to make heart origami and then if you want to, you can try your hand at more intricate origami, such as a swan or a rose!
History of Origami
While most people may be familiar with the practice of origami, they are probably unaware of its rich and complex history. Paper itself was first invented in China around 105 A.D. It was then brought to Japan by monks in the sixth century. At the time, the paper was a luxury item, available only to the few who could afford it. Paper folding in Japan was strictly to be used for ceremonial purposes only, most of which were religious in nature, there was no such thing as a fun how to make heart origami session
At the beginning of the 15th century, paper folding in Japan transcended the ceremonial into the recreational. Featuring multiple cuts and folds, it soon became known as a new art form. Written instructions first appeared in the late 18th century, under the name of Sembazuru Orikata, or “thousand crane folding”. By the mid 19th century, Adachi Kazuyuki published a more extensive compilation and by the late 1800s, the term origami was first invented.
It was not just Asia that practised origami, Europe also has a tradition in this art form. Dating as far back as the twelfth century, or possibly even before, when the Moors brought to Spain, a tradition of mathematically based folding. Known to the Spanish as papiroflexia or pajarita, this artistic practice was developed further and by the 1800s, children all over Europe and Japan were learning the art of paper folding and very like how to make heart origami came up at some point.
Modern Origami
Like most things, origami has undergone a few changes over the centuries. While it was traditionally characterised by folding patterns and sequences passed on through word of mouth and from generation to generation, it now often features models created by designers. It should come as no surprise that many of these models are now considered copyrightable material or intellectual property, such is the way of the world these days. What truly differentiates modern origami from traditional origami is that the former priorities a puzzle aspect to the folding, as well as the challenge of folding a single square of paper without the use of cutting or glue.
Often hailed as the forefather of modern origami is Akira Yoshizawa, who died in 2005 at the grand old age of 94. In the 1930’s, he was responsible for developing a system of folding patters using a set of symbols, arrows and diagrams. By the 1950s, these patterns were published and readily available for most people to buy, contributing to origami’s global reach and standardisation.
Origami today has developed into something entirely more mathematical. Complex based crease patterns are now made prior to folding, emphasising the puzzle aspect of origami. It has recently seen a resurgence in popularity, with abstract paper folder such as Paul Jackson and Jean-Claude Correia!
How to Make Heart Origami:
This may be obvious but in order to get the most out of your origami, it is necessary to buy the right paper. Standard paper just won’t cut it in this instance. With stationery shops closed, you must turn online to buy it but fear not, for it is extremely inexpensive and packs come in a variety of gorgeous colours! If you are feeling extra, order some gems or stickers to decorate your creations with!
How to Make Heart Origami Step 1:
Start with a piece of origami paper with the white side up in a diamond shape.
How to Make Heart Origami Step 2:
Fold the paper in half by folding the top corner to the bottom corner, then unfold.
How to Make Heart Origami Step 3:
Fold the left corner to the right corner, then unfold again.
How to Make Heart OrigamiStep 4:
Fold the top corner to the centre of the square.
How to Make Heart Origami Step 5:
Fold the bottom corner to the top edge.
How to Make Heart Origami Step 6:
Fold the bottom left and right edges to the centre crease.
How to Make Heart Origami Step 7:
Fold the top and side corners back.
And there you have it! Now you know how to make heart origami!
The more you make them, the easier it will get and soon you will be telling everyone how to make heart origami! They don’t just need to gather dust on your bedside table though, create hanging decorations out of them, customised cards or even turn them into petals on flowers and make some DIY pictures to hand on your wall. If you are more visual, see the snaps below. The opportunities are endless!
