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Humanities LibreTexts

2.17: Origami

  • Page ID
    359682

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    A stylized illustration of a deer with large antlers, set against a black background with blue accents.

    Artist: Various
    Medium: Folded paper
    Art Historical Time Period: Traditional to contemporary Japanese art

    Origami is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. Artists transform a single sheet of paper into animals, flowers, and geometric designs without cutting or using glue. It’s a creative process that requires both imagination and technical skill.

    Origami is important to Japanese culture as a symbol of simplicity, mindfulness, and discipline. It’s also used in education, where it teaches students about geometry, symmetry, and focus. Today, origami is practiced around the world and has inspired modern design, including in architecture, engineering, and fashion.

    Vocabulary

    • Symmetry A balanced and equal arrangement of parts.
    • Geometry A branch of math dealing with shapes and space.

    Student Authors

    • Camila Ramirez ’24 and Raul Fernandez ’25

    References and Image Attribution

    • Lang, Robert J. Origami Design Secrets: Mathematical Methods for an Ancient Art. A K Peters/CRC Press, 2003.
    • Robinson, Nick. The Encyclopedia of Origami Techniques. Running Press, 2004.
    • Image: “Origami The God of Deer” via Wikimedia Commons by Hotspot Observer, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. Modified from original.

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