Origami Heaven A paperfolding
paradise
The website of
writer and paperfolding designer David Mitchell
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Modular
Sculptures |
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Modular
sculptures are any abstract geometric modular designs
that are neither straightforward mathematical models or
kusudamas. They can be simple designs made from just two
modules or quite complex designs made from sixty modules
or more, but in either case they are necessarily based
on, and developed from, an underlying polyhedral
structure. Some modular sculptures will also function as
macromodules that can be combined into larger
macromodular sculptures. Many modular sculptures are good examples of
partnership art, a concept that expresses
the partnership that often exists in origami/paperfolding
between the designer, who first conceptualises and
defines the design, and the folder, who realises one
expression of it at one particular point in time, so that
both contribute in equal partnership to the finished
work.
I also sometimes
use the term 'paper crystal' as a synonym for modular
sculpture. Paper Crystals is also the title of a book which contains folding diagrams for many of
the best of my designs in this category.
Larger pictures of
many of my own modular sculpture designs can be found in
the Gallery of Modular Sculpture.
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Name: Andromeda
is a skeletal octahedron whose edges
have been developed into a twelve point star. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 12 modules folded from
squares using mock platinum folding geometry. 6
extra 'end cap' modules folded from squares using
standrad folding geometry can be added to clad
the central skeletal octahedron and produce the
result shown in the photo.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2012.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.
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Name: Andromeda
60 Modules / Paper shape / Folding
geometry: 60 modules folded from squares using
mock platinum folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2012.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.
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Name: Aurora Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 30 modules folded from
squares using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1989.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.
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Name: Apollo Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 20 modules from
hexagons, squares or other rectangles using 60/30
degree folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1992 and 1996.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: The Banded
8-point Star - an 8-point Stubby Star
surrounded by under and overlapping bands of
colour which are integral to the structural
modules Modules / Paper shape / Folding
geometry: 12 modules from symmetric, asymmetric
or doubly assymetric banded modules folded from
various paper shapes.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2001.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: The
Banded 20-point Star, or just the Banded
Star - a 20-point Stubby Star surrounded
by under and overlapping bands of colour which
are integral to the structural modules. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 30 symmetric,
asymmetric or doubly assymetric banded modules
folded from various paper shapes.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2001.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Ariadne
30, or just, Ariadne -
a 20-point Stubby Star to which the metamorphosis
1 distortion has been applied. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 30 modules folded from
squares using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1990.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Artifact Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from silver
rectangles .
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1990.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Binary Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 2 modules from squares
using various folding geometries.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1988.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Binary 2 Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 2 modules from stars of
David using 60/30 degree folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2008.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Celestial
(version 3) Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: From 60 Semi-Sonobe
modules folded from 2x1 rectangles using standard
folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2013.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Cloud
of Stars (version 1) - a version of
Hachiro Kamata's Star Decorative Ball in which
the modular method allows each star to be
coloured independently. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: From 30 compound
modules each made up of 1 module folded from a
2x1 rectangle and 2 modules folded from squares,
all using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1999.
Diagrams:
In the first edition of Paper Crystals - Water
Trade - ISBN 0-9534774-2-8.
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Name: Cloud
of Stars ( version 2) Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: Made by adding 60
cladding pieces to an underlying Star Decorative
Ball made from 30 Sonobe-type modules. All
modules from squares using standard folding
geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2007.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Cloud
of Stars (version 3) Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: From 60 Semi-Sonobe
modules folded from 2x1 rectangles using standard
folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2013.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Curvaceous Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: Made from 6 modules
folded from squares using standard folding
geometry and 12 folded from silver rectangles.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1998.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4
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Name: Cushions are
a series of 2-part designs from squares and other
rectangles developed from Molly Kahn's
Preliminary Ornament and the Oblong Ornament. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 2 modules from any
rectangle.
Designer /
Date: In 2004, soon after seeing Paulo
Mulatinho's UFO, I realised the same idea could
be applied to larger grids and other rectangles.
In 2005 Tung Ken Lam realised that the divisions
of the grids need not be uniform.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Darkstar Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from silver
rectangles.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2002.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Decorative Rhombic
Dodecahedron Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: Made by adding a 6-part
cladding to David Brill's Skeletal (or Nolid)
Cube, which is itself made from 12 modules. All
modules from silver rectangles.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1992.
Diagrams:
In Mathematical Origami - Tarquin Publications -
ISBN 1-899618-18-X
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Name: Duality Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 12 modules in 2 sets of
6 from squares using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2016.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Electra
30 or just Electra - a pierced decorative
icosidodecahedron. Modules / Paper shape / Folding
geometry: 30 modules folded from squares using
mock platinum folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1989.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4 // On-line
diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Electra
60 - a pierced decorative
rhombicosidodecahedron Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 60 modules folded from
squares using mock platinum folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1989.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4 // On-line
diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Elite Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 24 modules from silver
rectangles.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1991.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Elite
2 Modules / Paper shape / Folding
geometry: 24 modules from silver rectangles
applied as a cladding to ZYX. ZYX is made from 12
modules folded from silver rectangles using
standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1993.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Enigma Cube (2-part) Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 2 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1988.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) - Water Trade -
ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.
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Name: Enigma Cube (6-part) Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1988.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals - David Mitchell - Water Trade
- ISBN 9780953477494.
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Name: Enigma Cube (12-part ) Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 12 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Brill, 1988.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals - David Mitchell - Water Trade
- ISBN 9780953477494.
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Name: Ethereal Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry. Each module is
in the form of a nolid octahedron. The modules
are gently twisted together inside the form to
hold each other in place.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2003.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Four Cubes Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1995.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Gaia Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1989.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals - David Mitchell - Water Trade
- ISBN 9780953477494.
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Name: Gemini
30 or just Gemini - a
decorative icosidodecahedron. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 30 modules folded from
squares using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1990.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.
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Name: Gemini
60 - a decorative
rhombicosidodecahedron. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 60 modules folded from
squares using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1990.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.
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Name: Metamorphosis
- arrived at by applying the
metamorphosis 1 distortion to one complete corner
of the Paul Jackson Cube. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1990. In its final clean
form the design is my own but it owes much to the
earlier work of Iris Walker, Ricky Wong and Wayne
Brown.
Diagrams:
In Building with Butterflies - David Mitchell -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-7-0.
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Name: Neon Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: Made by adding 30
embellishments in the form of tear-shaped tubes
to a 30 module Matrix base. All modules from
squares using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2015.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Odditty Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1998.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Odyssey Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: Made by adding 30
strengtheners to a 30 module Cube-Corner
Dodecahedron. Strengtheners from silver
rectangles, other modules from squares using
standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2015.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.
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Name: Omega
Star (12-part) - developed from the
12-part XYZ in exactly the same way as the
original 6-part Omega Star was developed from the
original 6-part XYZ. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 12 modules using
standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: Independently discovered by at least Robert
Neale, Michael Naughton and David Mitchell in the
late 1980s. I do not know who has creative
priority.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.
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Name: Omicron Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry. Designs of many
different proportions are possible.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1990.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Phaedra30
or just Phaedra - a
decorative variation of Ariadne. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 30 modules folded from
squares using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1990.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Proteus
30, or just Proteus - a
decorative pierced icosidodecahedron Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 30 modules folded from
squares using 60/30 degree folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1992.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.
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Name: The Rosebud
Octahedron - created by applying the
rosebud distortion to one dimple of Robert
Neale's Octahedron. Up to 4 of the 8 dimples can
be distorted in this way. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1999.
Diagrams:
In Building with
Butterflies (2nd Edition) - Water Trade - ISBN
978-9534774-7-0.
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Name: The Rosebud
Octahedron (Fully Distorted) Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 8 modules folded from
3x1 rectangles using standard folding geometry. A
module that will achieve a similar result can be
folded from a 2x1 rectangle but the final result
is less successful.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2014.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Rosebud
Icosahedron Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 30 modules folded from
squares using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2014.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: The Semi-Star Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using mock platinum folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1988.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals - David Mitchell - Water Trade
- ISBN 9780953477494.
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Name: Six
Intersecting Rhombic Tetrahedra Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 36 modules of two
different kinds, all folded from silver
rectangles, 12 tubes and 24 joining pieces.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1999.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Spiral
Cluster 120 Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: From 30 compound
modules, each of which is made from 4 modules
folded from squares of paper using standard
folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1999.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4
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Name: Star
Contrast Ball Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 30 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1991.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Stella
Nova 30 or just Stella Nova Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 30 modules folded from
a custom rectangle using 60/30 degree folding
geometry, although they can also be folded from
4x1 rectangles with only a small loss of
elegance.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2008.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Stella
Nova Duo 30 or just Stella Nova
Duo Modules / Paper shape / Folding
geometry: 30 modules folded from a custom
rectangle using 60/30 degree folding geometry,
although they can also be folded from 4x1
rectangles with only a small loss of elegance.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2008.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Thingamy Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 2 modules from silver
rectangles.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1990.
Diagrams:
On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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Name: Upsilon Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry. Three separate
methods of folding a suitable module are known.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1992.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Vulcan
30 or just Vulcan - a
decorative pierced icosahedron. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 30 modules folded from
a custom rectangle using 60/30 degree folding
geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2008.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Waterbomb Star Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1988.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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Name: Zigzag
30 or just Zigzag - a
simplification of Sappho. Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 30 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2012.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.
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Name: Zigzag
36 Modules / Paper shape / Folding
geometry: 36 modules from squares using standard
folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2012.
Diagrams:
In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) -
Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.
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