Origami literally means "fold paper" in Japanese. Ori means fold and gami, or kami in Japanese, means paper. The art form was started in China and then brought to Japan where it became quite popular by 1614.

Traditional origami is performed on a square that is colored on one side. There is no tearing or cutting allowed.

Origami folding patterns have been used in the design of spacecraft parts since the 1980s when Koryo Miura's origami-based solar panels flew on a Japanese rocket.

A mass-produced origami folding pattern is as close to you as the air bag in your car. The first mass-produced origami flower was introduced in 2010 by the author of this book.

Origami is increasingly used in engineering consumer products. Cellular phones with self-folding antennae for better reception and microchips that automatically reconfigure themselves through folding are likely under development.

One newer origami technique is called "crumple folding," where the paper is crumpled rather than folded. This has led to highly complex paper models that cannot be repeated exactly.

Origami has moved beyond traditional squares.

The flowers on this page were made with a star shape, which is then folded using an origami pattern, but a glass cutter is used to impress the folds on the paper first.

How to Use This Book

This book was designed by an origami enthusiast to teach those unfamiliar with origami how to fold. Directions for folding origami figures always include symbols, and the key to success is learning what these symbols mean and how to execute them. Rather than create a long introductory chapter consisting of folding symbols and their descriptions, folding symbols are explained as they are encountered. Each folding symbol is explained in a blue box near the step where it is introduced in a pattern. This gives you immediate explanation of a new symbol. Detailed photographs help you along the way. You will find a Symbol Index Bookmark at the back of the book, which shows the folding symbols and the page numbers where they are explained. You can cut out one bookmark to mark pages while you fold and keep the other one in the book for quick reference. Whenever you don't remember what a symbol means, just flip to the Symbol Index and turn to the page indicated.

The DVD-ROM included with this book is an additional learning tool that will show you how to fold each of the models presented in the book.

The models are arranged in chapters just like the book contents. Whenever you are having difficulty folding a model, select that model from the DVD menu and watch the steps. The disk also contains files for printing additional origami paper from your home computer and printer. It is both PC and Mac compatible, and can be viewed using Quicktime software. To download the latest version of Quicktime for free, visit http:/www.apple.com/quicktime/download.