Papercraft Research - Wet Fold Origami

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Upon reading the list of articles given to our class, one stood out to me: "Wet Fold Origami Technique Gives Wavy Personality to Paper Animals by Artist Hoang Tien Quyet." Origami is something close to my heart as I did it often as a child, and had dozens of books and papers to play with. Hoang Tien Quyet took this age-old technique and changed it, giving up sharp folded angles for organic waves of paper. I decided to do more reading on the topic of wet folding origami as it seems like such a simple change that makes a major difference.

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According to Origami.me, wet folding origami requires a lot of trial and error to learn. Many new origami artists go through many rips, tears and dissolved papers before getting the appearance they are looking for. Origami.me suggests using a heavy paper intended for use with water, such as a watercolor paper. Ordinary origami patterns are still used the same way, but no sharp creases are made. It is suggested to fold the paper in the air to prevent creasing against a table surface. Because of the differences from traditional origami and the limitations of paper many origami artists struggle with this variation on the traditional art form.

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Hoang Tien Quyet has gone far beyond the initial struggles of this medium and has progressed to a mastery of the craft. His website explains that he's been making origami since he was a child, and has continually striven to further the craft ever since. As a result of his hard work in the medium, he has been invited as a guest to many origami conventions around the world and has a strong social media audience online. His unique style of origami has been featured on many websites, such as Colossal, Huffington Post, and Bored Panda. All of the origami photos on this page are photos of Quyet's work.

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Personally, I find Quyet's work to be inspiring. Seeing a familiar art form such as origami shown in a vastly different way is incredible. Origami is a medium traditionally associated with hard lines, sharp corners and flat surfaces. Many origami artists focus on mathematical, geometric forms and tessellations as a result of this association. Quyet has turned this on its head and is using origami for curved, organic shapes. An added bonus: The thicker paper leaves the models stronger and more durable. These sculptures will be around for a long time, for many people to enjoy and be inspired by. It has definitely inspired me to try for organic, curved forms in my future papercraft projects. Seeing paper in a new, organic light has really opened my eyes to new possibilities for my own future projects.

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Sources:

Wet Fold Origami Technique Gives Wavy Personality to Paper Animals by Artist Hoang Tien Quyet: http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2015/05/wet-fold-origami/

Difficult Wet Folding Technique Allows This Vietnamese Artist To Create Curved Origami: https://www.boredpanda.com/origami-wet-folding-animals-hoang-tien-quyet/

'Wet' Origami Artist Turns Damp Paper Into Gorgeous Sculptures: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/wet-folding-origami_n_7285182

How to Wet Fold Origami: https://origami.me/wet-fold/

Hoang Tien Quyet: http://htquyet.origami.vn/