Origami Heaven

A paperfolding paradise

The website of writer and paperfolding designer David Mitchell

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Active Play Designs
 
Active play origami is the design and realisation of origami toys which change their shape when played with. Active play origami designs are often also referred to as action folds.
 
 
 
  Name: Dogfish - minimalist double-image / active play design.

Paper type / shape: Square / Irogami.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1997

Reference: 140

Diagrams: BOM 184 June 1997 // Origami - Barnes and Noble - ISBN 0-7607-3331-7 // Origami Alfresco 2nd Edition - ISBN 978-0-9534774-6-3 // On-line diagrams are available on the Single Sheet Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Fiddler - endlessly revolving flexible toy made from a 2x1 rectangle using cuts and glue.

Paper type / shape: Square / Homogeneous paper

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1997

Reference: 141

Diagrams: BOM 186 October 1997

 
  Name: Flapping Dove

Paper type / shape: Square / Any kind of paper.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2009

Reference: 326

Diagrams: Kid-O-Gami - Sandy Creek - David Mitchell - ISBN 978-1-4351-2338-0 // On-line diagrams are available on the Single Sheet Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Flapping Parrot

Paper type / shape: Square / Any kind of paper.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2007

Reference: 315

Diagrams: Complete Origami - Collins and Brown - David Mitchell - ISBN 978-1-84340-397-5 // Rencontres de Mai 2009 - MFPP - Paris // On-line diagrams are available on the Single Sheet Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Frog Eat Frog - cut and fold design. Adaptation of a Paul Jackson design (which was itself an adaptation of a Robert E Neale original). Frog Eat Frog Eat Frog is also possible.

Paper type / shape: A4 or similar rectangle / Homogeneous paper.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2005

Reference: 278

Diagrams: Office Origami - Adam Russ - Universe Publishing - ISBN 0-7893-1313-8 // On-line diagrams are available on the Single Sheet Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Hip Hop - action toy.

Paper type / shape: Square / Homogeneous paper.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1991

Reference: 077

Diagrams: BOS Convention Pack Autumn 1991

 
  Name: Holy Ghost - an active play origamidada design.

Paper type / shape: Square / Homogeneous paper.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2002

Reference: 245

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Single Sheet Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Hull Down - minimalist seascape / active play paperfold.

Paper shape / type: 4x1 rectangle / Irogami.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1993

Reference: 101

Diagrams: Origami Alfresco - Water Trade - ISBN 0-9534774-3-6 // Origami Alfresco 2nd Edition - ISBN 978-0-9534774-6-3 // On-line diagrams are available on the Single Sheet Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Kamikaze - adaptation of the traditional business card jumping frog design so that it works from ordinary square origami paper.

Paper type / shape: Square / Any kind of paper.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2012

Reference: 340

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Single Sheet Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Mr Yapper - double action design from a blintzed bird base.

Paper type / shape: Square / Any kind of paper.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1987

Reference: 008

Diagrams: Diagrams not yet available.

 
  Name: Naive Butterfly - naive active play design.

Paper type / shape: 2x squares of any kind of paper.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1992

Reference: 552

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Multiple Sheet Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Piranha - biting action toy from the windmill base that can be used to demonstrate catastrophe theory.

Paper type / shape: Square / Any kind of paper.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1993

Reference: 103

Diagrams: Complete Origami - Collins and Brown - David Mitchell - ISBN 978-1-84340-397-5 // On-line diagrams are available on the Single Sheet Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Shark Attack - simple seascape / double image / active play design.

Paper type / shape: Square / Irogami.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2000

Reference: 219

Diagrams: Origami Alfresco - Water Trade - ISBN 0-9534774-3-6 // Origami Alfresco 2nd Edition - ISBN 978-0-9534774-6-3 // Origami Alfresco 2nd Edition - ISBN 978-0-9534774-6-3 // On-line diagrams are available on the Single Sheet Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Snap Dragon - variation of a jumping design by Dorothy Engleman.

Paper type / shape: File card

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2005

Reference: 294

Diagrams: Office Origami - Adam Russ - Universe Publishing - ISBN 0-7893-1313-8

 
  Name: Whippersnapper - scissor action snapping toy from a fish base.

Paper type / shape: Square / Any kind of paper.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1987

Reference: 011

Diagrams: Origami - Barnes and Noble - ISBN 0-7607-3331-7 // On-line diagrams are available on the Single Sheet Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Woodpecker - simple action toy - adaptation of Paul Jackson's fold of the same name.

Paper type / shape: Square / Any kind of paper.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1988

Reference: 033

Diagrams: BOS Convention Pack Spring 1989 // Origami Animals - Greenwich Editions - David Mitchell - ISBN 1-86288-770-4.