Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

Volume 2 Issue 1

January 1, 2010

Origami Bonsai E L E C T R O N I C M A G A Z I N E

“We have only just begun.”

In this issue: Upside‐Down Flower Parasitic Vines

Copyright 201 C 10, Benjamin John Colemaan, All Rights R Reserved.

Clickk‐On n Conten nts

Click on th C e page num mber to jump to the article.

quentlyy Aske ed Que estions Freq Origami Bo onsai Updatte Folding the Upsiide‐Do own Fllower Creaating P Parasittic Vine es Origami Bo onsai with V Vines

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Origami B Bonsai Electro onic Magazinee Vol. 2 Issue 1

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Copyright 2010, Benjamin John Coleman, All Rights Reserved.

Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Copyright 2009, Benjamin John Coleman, All Rights Reserved. This is a collaborative, quarterly production so your stories and suggestions are an integral part of this publication’s success. Please submit articles and input via email to: [email protected] For advertising rates and information, please click the link above. Our current circulation is approximately 10,000 readers, however this document will remain on the internet into the foreseeable future, so actual long‐term readership is more significant than the existing number of subscribers. “Origami Bonsai”® is a registered trademark of Benjamin John Coleman.

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Click here for more Information on Origami Bonsai books.

Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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Benjamin John Coleman’s Paper Craft Books Click the book cover to order or preview.

The first book in the Origami Bonsai (2010, Tuttle Publishing) series is available at bookstores worldwide. This book teaches how to fold the basic flower form from which many varieties of flower can be folded. Comes with folding videos on DVD. 112 pages.

Origami 101 includes more than 40 fun and interesting models from every genre of origami. This book is written for the absolute beginner with strategies to go from beginner to expert in one book! Origami 101 is the first origami book with glow-fold diagrams and videos making learning origami easy!

Advanced Origami Bonsai teaches how to make branches from newspaper using the Makigami technique. Also teaches how to create intricate branch networks for Origami Bonsai sculptures. 182 pages on DVD or through Scribd.com

Artist-inventor Benjamin John Coleman guides you with stepby-step instructions in how to make over 30 durable, wearable jewelry projects. Learn how to recycle ordinary newspaper into intricate, complex natural shapes. Instructions for making earrings, bangles, pendants and much more! 132 pages with 14 videos in full HD

Origami Bonsai Accessories teaches how to make durable Makigami jewelry, accessories, bangles, planters and other items. Make virtually anything you can conceive of from paper. 152 pages on DVD or through Scribd.com.

Books ordered through OrigamiBonsai.org ship the same day they’re ordered!


Frequently Asked Questions What is Origami Bonsai? Origami Bonsai is a new art form developed over the past three years by artist, author and inventor Benjamin John Coleman. Origami flowers and leaves are attached to branches to form dramatic, visually complex sculptures. These sculptures are either free standing (can be placed on top of tables), or wall hanging (attach to walls with a hook). Origami Bonsai is revolutionary. For the first time origami enthusiasts can assemble their work into sculptures. These sculptures are appealing and have both artistic and commercial value. While it could be argued that origami is a craft and not an art form, it is clear that Origami Bonsai is an art form as color, shape, and plant interactions can be used to convey thoughts, meanings and even emotions. We do not attempt to duplicate nature, as this would be impossible. Instead we mimic nature and use natural forms as inspiration for our works. The world of plants seems chaotic and complex, and it is in human nature to try to add order to that world. However, it is that chaos that is the source of much of the beauty of our work. Origami Bonsai artists aspire to express this chaos in a coherent manner in their work, using it to convey a message, or simply to create something beautiful. What is Makigami? Benjamin John Coleman invented Makigami to complement Origami Bonsai. It allows artists to make trees (networks of branches) from paper. Makigami means “roll‐paper” in Japanese. Newspaper is saturated in a solution and then rolled, much like the “snakes” you rolled as a child from clay. These wet Makigami strips are then attached to cylinders and allowed to dry. When dry, the solution the strips were rolled in acts as glue. The resultant paper product is stiff, durable, and easy to work with. Recent advances in Makigami have led to the ability to make items like bonsai planters, jewelry, and other items from the material. Do you use wires inside the branches? No. Origami Bonsai is about testing the limits of paper as a medium (material) and about discovering new applications for paper in our work. What is the difference between www.OrigamiBonsai.org and www.Benagami.com? Benagami.com is a web site featuring the work of Benjamin John Coleman. OrigamiBonsai.org is a web site dedicated to further developing Origami Bonsai. At OrigamiBonsai.org you will


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find the latest techniques and folding diagrams, and can submit your ideas to be included on the site. How do I get started making Origami Bonsai? All you need to begin is some small squares of paper. If you would like to build a sculpture you will need either the printed book “Origami Bonsai” (Tuttle Publishing, available in April 2010 ) or “Advanced Origami Bonsai” an electronic book available through www.Scribd.com or on DVD or CD on www.Etsy.com. There is a clickable advertisement for this book on the second page of this document that will take you directly to the books. What is the difference between the books “Origami Bonsai,” “Advanced Origami Bonsai,” and “Origami Bonsai Accessories?” “Origami Bonsai” is the first book in the series. It is published by Tuttle Publishing and will be available in book stores in April of 2010. The book teaches how to fold many varieties of flowers and leaves and then assemble the flowers and leaves onto real tree branches. This is largely an origami book. “Advanced Origami Bonsai” is the second book in the series. It was published electronically on June 1, 2009. It teaches how to fold a few different types of flowers and leaves, but more importantly, it teaches how to make branches from paper using the Makigami technique. While there is some origami in this book, it is mostly about Makigami. “Origami Bonsai Accessories” is the third book in the series and is still in the research and design phase. This book teaches how to make bonsai planters, jewelry, and other items from paper. It will be entirely Makigami.


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Origami Bonsai Update ‐ January 1, 2010 by Benjamin John Coleman “Biodegradable Auto Parts” The G20 recently met in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in the United States. One of the many chants shouted by protestors outside the meetings was “biodegradable auto parts.” This chant made me smile, because I’ve often thought of making an automobile from Makigami. A Makigami automobile would be light, durable, and biodegradable, making it the ultimate “green” machine. However because Makigami uses moisture as a catalyst for biodegradation, using this material for automotive production is probably not a good idea. Biodegradation of something like a car made from Makigami and exposed to the elements is unpredictable. An intensive auto‐part recycling initiative might be more appropriate. Varying Newsprint Weights Most newspapers use the same weight of paper for their entire publication. Recently, some newspapers started mixing weights. For example, pages printed in black and white will be a heavier weight than those printed in color. I assume they’re doing this to save money, however it might also be that they’re using more than one type of press, and that these different presses require different weights of paper. It is hard to tell the difference in weight when the paper is dry, but it becomes apparent when used for Makigami. One sheet will roll properly, and the next will behave like wet toilet tissue ‐ a disaster. If you’re getting mixed results like this you will need to identify which sheets of your local newspaper are usable, and which are not.


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New High Definition Folding Videos I have begun to release new folding videos in high definition. These videos are of much greater clarity the older ones, and have been optimized for YouTube, so they appear much larger on the typical computer screen. I would like to update the older videos, but YouTube has no provision for doing updates. This means that links in the book and from other web sites would no longer function. Because of this, older videos will not be updated to high definition. Origami Bonsai Accessories The third book in the Origami Bonsai series is proceeding well. I’ve developed some new planters which will be included with the book. Below are some pictures of what I’m calling “Fractal Wave” planters, because they mimic the shape of ocean waves and are surprisingly easy to make. Ben Coleman


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Folding the Upsid de‐Down Flower by Benjam min John Co oleman I love discovering n new flowers, aand the “upsiide‐ o exception. FFrankly, it’s so o down”” flower is no easy to fold I don’t understand w why I didn’t discovver it sooner. This flower has chaaracteristics that make it similar to a flo ower bud, an nd with a littlee shading you u can achievve dramatic reesults. But probably the m most imporrtant attributee of the upsid de‐down flow wer is that itt can be foldeed in almost m microscopic siizes. In the picture at lefft, a tiny yello ow upside‐down flowerr is nestled in a much largeer purple upside‐ t down flow wer. The yello ow flower is lless than 1/8th inch long. I named this folding paattern the upsside‐down flower because it requires a different painting pattern. N Normally we paint leaf collor on one, and floweer color on the other side o of our paper. The patteern for the upside‐down flo ower requires tthat you paintt a small amo ount of leaf color in th he center of yyour flower sh hading. On the rigght you’ll see a folded upsiide‐down flower alo ong with its co orrespondingg leaf and flower sid des of paper. Notice that tthere is a small amo ount of leaf co olor in the ceenter of the flower shaading, and that the leaf sid de of the square is painted entirrely in flower color. In factt, very little o of the leaf sidee of the square is visible in n the ower. folded flo The upsid de‐down flower is based on n the Basic Flower Form II,, but I’ve included compleete instruction ns here to avvoid confusion regarding tthe painting d diagrams. As always, theree’s also a videeo on YouTub be to help you w with folding it. I hope you u will enjoy th his new addition to the eveer‐growing family of Origami Bonsai flo owers. Origami B Bonsai Electro onic Magazinee Vol. 2 Issue 1

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Upside‐Down Flower Folding Instructions Click on the image at left to watch video instructions for folding, or follow the diagrams below: 1. Start with a square of paper. If you want to paint your flower, the paper should be painted with flower color on both sides with a small patch of leaf color on one side. 2. Fold and unfold the square horizontally and vertically and then flip your square. Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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Copyright 2010, Benjamin John Coleman, All Rights Reserved. 3. Now fold and unfold your square diagonally as shown. 4. Fold and unfold each corner to the center. Do this for all four corners and then flip your square. 5. Fold and unfold the top and bottom edges to the center. Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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Copyright 2010, Benjamin John Coleman, All Rights Reserved. 6. Now fold and unfold the vertical sides to the center. 7. Push the center points of the outside edges towards the middle of the square. The square will collapse into the Basic Flower Form II. (You may want to watch the video on Page 9 for clarification of this step.) 8. This is an exploded view of what your model should look like. The thick horizontal and vertical lines are edges of paper. Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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World, meet flower. Flower, meet world. Plastic

Introducing the world’s first mass-produced, pre-folded Origami flower. The Origami Bonsai® Instant Flower ships flat, but with two simple movements, opens to reveal a beautiful flower.

Copyright 2010, Benjamin John Coleman, All Rights Reserved. 9. Pull each of the corners at the center of your model to the outside while folding the inner pleats on the line indicated. It is important that you do not fold the top pleat of paper. 10. Your model should look like this. 11. Insert your index finger into one of the petals and then push it in and towards the center. Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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Copyright 2010, Benjamin John Coleman, All Rights Reserved. 12. Push each petal in the same manner. 13. Shape the flower by pulling each of the little tabs at the bottom outward. The completed flower.


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Parasitic Vines By definition, a parasite is an organism that benefits from a relationship with its host, while at the same time the host suffers some detriment from the parasite. In nature most vines are considered parasites. Because they have narrow stems, they are unable to gain much height on their own, but they are able to grow quickly, so they’ve evolved an insidious technique for obtaining light. Instead of growing thicker stems they climb trees by coiling around them, much like a snake would. If left unchecked, a vine will grow to the top of a tree, sprout leaves, and block sunlight that would normally reach the tree. As the host tree continues to grow, vines that are wrapped too tightly around its trunk begin to choke it. If the vine doesn’t break, the tree will die and eventually fall. This ends up killing both plants, so it’s in the vine’s best interest to keep the tree alive. On your next walk keep an eye out for parasitic vines – they’re incredibly interesting. They almost seem to have some “intelligence;” an odd pattern of growth that is hard to model, and the ability to overcome obstacles. The projects I illustrate on the following pages are for Origami Bonsai artists that have a bit of experience. Working with narrow strips of Makigami can be frustrating, but the results are well worth it.


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Copyright 2010, Benjamin John Coleman, All Rights Reserved. 1. I am going to add a parasitic vine to this sculpture. The first step is to wrap the sculpture’s planter in a plastic bag to protect it from paint or glue splatter. 2. Tear off some strips of masking tape approximately four inches long, and then tear those strips in half lengthwise. Use the tape to create a path around your sculpture which the vine will follow. Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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Copyright 2010, Benjamin John Coleman, All Rights Reserved. Here’s the path my parasitic vine will follow. My vine will consist of a main stem growing out of the planter, winding up and around the main stem of the tree, and then splitting into two shoots which then wind in two directions out to the edges of the sculpture. 3. I cut four long pieces of newsprint to create one thick stem and two thin ones. I also cut six shorter pieces of newsprint to create six shoots (or you can think of them as branch tips). I use the Makigami technique to roll two long pieces of newsprint into one thick stem. I roll the other two long pieces of newsprint into single, narrower stems. I roll the short pieces of newsprint and then attach them in groups of three to a mold being sure to wind them in opposite directions. Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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4. Mold the wet, longer Makigami strips you made in Step 3 along the path created by the masking tape in step 1. a) Start at the bottom of the sculpture, taping the thickest end of the thicker strip to the tree trunk and then wrapping it around following the tape path. Now tape the loose end to the nearest branch or trunk on the existing sculpture. b) Tape the thick end of one of the other Makigami strips to the tree overlapping the Makigami strip you attached in (a). Then wrap the strip following the masking tape path, and tape the loose end to it’s a corresponding branch on the existing sculpture. c) Do the same with the third, last piece of Makigami. Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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Copyright 2010, Benjamin John Coleman, All Rights Reserved. 5. Allow the Makigami vine segments to dry. Once dry, cut the overlapping pieces and glue them together. 6. Cut and glue shoots to the vine stem structure. Also glue shoots to the ends of the vines. The sculpture shown will have large upside‐ down flowers attached to the vine, so I’ve also glued arc‐shaped pieces of Makigami to it.


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Copyright 2010, Benjamin John Coleman, All Rights Reserved. 7. Paint your vine with its first coat of paint. In this example I’m using yellow. To create a realistic looking vine that has a bright yellow‐green color, I paint my vine with an initial coat of yellow (mixed with glue in accordance with the book “Advanced Origami Bonsai”) followed by a coat of green mixed with glue. 8. Remove the masking tape from beneath the vine. 9. Paint the vine with a final coat of paint and glue. If you use the same color for the final coat of the vine that you used for the final coat on the existing sculpture you’ll have a lot less touchup work to do. Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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Copyright 2010, Benjamin John Coleman, All Rights Reserved. Here is my sculpture with its parasitic vine. The vine is ready to have leaves and flowers attached. Please refer to “Advanced Origami Bonsai” for final assembly instructions. At left is the completed sculpture with a flowering parasitic vine.


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Origami Bonsai with Vines This sculpture was built just after I invented the Makigami technique. The primary plant is a real tree branch, only the vine is Makigami. I call the sculpture at right “Arrested Development.” The vine in this sculpture has wrapped itself so tightly around the tree that the tree “died.“ Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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This sculpture also appears on the cover of this magazine. It has a vine with ten leaf sizes. Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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This sculpture has a vine with leaves in ten sizes. Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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The vine on this sculpture has leaves in five sizes. The vine also has clusters of red berries.


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Ow wn a p piecce o of H Historyy! Click here for a list of available sculptures.

Here is an opporrtunity, no ot only to own an original o Origami Bonsai sculp pture created d by Benjamin John Coleman, but also tto help sup pport prod duction of f this magazin ne, and co ontinued d developme ent of this new form m of art. W When you click this advvertisemen nt you will be transfferred to tthe Benagaami page o on Etsy. A A list of available sculptures alo ong with pricing will be disp played. Thank T you u for supportting my eff fforts! Origami B Bonsai Electro onic Magazinee Vol. 2 Issue 1

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This sculpture includes a vine that wraps around the tree and then the planter. Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 1

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Origami Bonsai Electronic Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1

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