Tuesday, 22 August 2017

Geometric Origami, by Mark Bolitho. Review.

Perfectly Mindful Origami
By Mark Bolitho, Photography by Brent Darby
Jacqui Small 2017
Paperback, comes with 30 sheets of origami paper  UK £14.99/US $19.99/CAN29.99
ISBN 978 1 91127 11 6

Star rating: *****

The British Origami Society is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and the author of this delightful new collection of origami models, Mark Bolitho, is a former Chairman of the society. He worked for many years as an accountant, and is now has a flourishing second career as an origami consultant. (I always enjoy hearing about do-what-you-love success stories.) So, kudos to Mark Bolitho.

On to Geometric Origami. This new title is a beauty. The models are visually stunning and fascinating to construct. The chapter headings are One-Piece Projects, Twists and Turns, Modular Projects, and Advanced Modulars. Folding complexity of the models is indicated with a star rating. Detailed step-by-step illustrations accompany each model, with additional photographic step-by-steps where required. There’s a showcase pic of each project, in well-chosen origami paper.

My favourite section is Twists and Turns. It is right on trend, with its emphasis on pleated construction. The spiralling Twister is a vase-like shape, a bit like a spiral staircase. The DNA Wheel is a self-locking spiral – its construction process is a beautiful to behold (this is where the contemplation comes in). The Modular Projects section contains some pretty nifty models, such as The Octahedron Nolid, made of two interlocking shapes. You get the papercraft equivalent of construction toys, plus the buzz of puzzle-solving – an excellent mix.

At the back of the book, you will find a pack of 30 well-chosen origami papers – some techie-looking prints, ombres, and sophisticated plains.

There are other geometric origami titles out there, many perplexingly challenging - this new one is extremely accessible, even for the origami newcomer. Makes a nice gift!

Note: I was given a review copy of this title.



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