My good friend Nick's latest book!

---

Product Description

Origami Kit For Dummies gives you all the material you need to get started in origami. Included in the kit is an expert guide book to origami, covering the different bases and techniques you need to create a huge variety of models. Illustrations and detailed instructions show you how to make 75 unique models, such as a frog, a settee, fantastic geometric shapes and even a festive Santa! There are also 25 sheets of 5x5" origami paper in five fun colours. So get folding, and show off your creations in style!
Discover How To:
∗ Get prepared to start folding
∗ Understand the international language of origami
∗ Fold all the basic bases
∗ Source your paper
∗ Design creations and draw your own diagrams
About the author
Nick Robinson is a professional origami artist, and has been "folding paper" for 25 years. He has been a member of the British Origami Society for over 20 years, and currently he edits their magazine, as well as maintaining their website.

---

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5389 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 292 pages

From the Inside Flap
Master the ancient art of origami with this straight forward guide that makes paper folding fun. Inside you’ll find step–by–stepinstructions to help you transform ordinary paper into a wide range of models – from the quic k and easy to the fingertwistingly challenging; firm favourites to contemporary works of art. And with 25 sheets of paper in five fun colours to get you started, Origami Kit For Dummies will keep you entertained for hours.

From the Back Cover

Includes hundreds of clear diagrams and folding instructions

Create 75 exciting models – from birds and beasts, to flowers and stars

Master the ancient art of origami with this straightforward guide that makes paper folding fun. Inside you′ll find step–by–step instructions to help you transform ordinary paper into a wide range of models – from the quick and easy to the finger–twistingly challenging; firm favourites to contemporary works of art. And with 25 sheets of paper in five fun colours to get you started, Origami Kit For Dummies will keep you entertained for hours.

Discover how to:

• Unlock the secrets of paper–folding

• Understand the international language of origami

• Impress your friends with elaborate models

• Create and draw original designs

About the Author

Nick Robinson is a professional origami artist and author of several origami books. He has been a member of the British Origami Society for over 20 years.

---

Customer Reviews

Origami Kit for Dummies Review
The book contains instructions for seventy-five models which are well chosen and contains a sufficiently wide range of subject method and folding styles to have something of interest from absolute beginners to the origami expert. A pack of origami paper accompanies the book and although the paper is coloured on both sides and a little small it is a crisp paper which provides an excellent folding experience and will enable the beginner to start using the book immediately.

Inside the book is divided into three parts. After the introduction the first part Coming to the Crease: Basic Techniques contains sections on getting started, drawing diagrams and getting creative. Each of the title pages for the book contains a cartoon related to origami, the whole book is characterised by a light touch and humour which is sadly lacking in a lot of origami books. This opening section is excellent and gradually introduces the reader to origami and introduces the beginner to symbols and techniques.

As with all Dummies books the text has bullet points indicated in the margins by icons drawing the reader's attention to important points or potential pitfalls. This section includes important and often neglected advice about diagramming styles and techniques and offers important sections on approaches to creativity. Also in this section is discussion of ethics and copyright in origami, including selling of origami and "e-books". This is the first time this subject has been discussed in a mainstream published book although discussion of these thorny subjects regularly appear in origami forum and chat rooms.

The book then moves into Part 2 Folding On: The Models starting with simple ones moving on through moderately tricky via geometric onto more challenging models. The excellent diagrams and folding methods will enable everyone to complete all the models enclosed and there is ample help along the way for beginners. Seventy five models are included of all styles of origami and the book continues with a nice balance of diagrams and text which makes for an easy reading style with sufficient text to be of interest but not too technical or heavy, making this a volume of more than a book of just origami diagrams. Throughout the book the author adopts the method of introducing a technique and then immediately showing a model using the technique so the beginner is producing origami models from the start including excellent minimalist designs such as the Horizon and a simple Sailboat.

The models chosen are excellent the only traditional models are the Flapping Bird and Lazy Susan (which deserves to be republished). Most are contemporary and new including unpublished works by recognised origami experts Dave Brill, Robert Lang, Eric Joisel and John Montroll amongst others. Highlights include Ted Norminton's Santa, Robinson's own take on the Dummy Man logo, Max Hulme's flying Aladdin, Grzegorz Bubniak's Beetle and the first mainstream publication of Louis Fernandez Perez's classic Perro Liberando ( a dog attending to it's basic needs!) complete with "complemento" and the new symbol of a gas mask. Perhaps uniquely in any origami book all the models deserve folding and it is difficult to find any "fillers" or sub standard models.

The third section The Part of Tens is a part of every Dummies book, a concise and quirky set of small but perfectly formed chapters which deserve reading and re-reading. This section includes ten top tips, ten styles of origami including the little mentioned school of ultimate realism. The book is complemented by an excellent index. Such an excellent book has few drawbacks - some of the layout of the diagrams is a little careless with too much white space (a fault of the publishers not the authors) and the front cover photo of the crane is not included in the model diagrams but these are minor points. A few minor errors have crept in but these should not prevent anyone completing any models or enjoying the book, hopefully these will be corrected in future editions,

A video promoting the book has been viewed over 30,000 times on Youtube and so proves the interest this book has generated. The popular and well trusted Dummies brand deserves to have a book about origami and this book delivers the goods. Although origami is new to the Dummies format and there are a few minor niggles in adopting the in house style of the format this book has lived up to its promise, providing an excellent introductory and reference book. Unlike most origami books this one has excellent sections on diagramming and creativity and has a superb collection of mostly unpublished models and not just a collection of already well known traditional models. As such this book is heartily endorsed as an excellent buy for anybody, and would make an ideal gift. It's the perfect introduction to origami for the complete novice and has much to interest even the most proficient origami expert.
Wayne Brown

Origami Kit for Dummies (For Dummies)

What's not to like (as well as fold)?
For me, Origami Kit For Dummies scores amply & abundantly well in areas which users of an origami book would want - It's clear, precise & illustrated well; It contains a very diverse range of models of varying complexity to fold; There's a pack of paper squares to get readers started; It includes tips for folding, designing, & diagramming; There's an overview of origami's history, lists of folders' materials & tools, a recap on folding classic origami model bases, advice on recognising creators' rights, glossaries of model/folding styles, a Top 10 of master creators; And much, much more.
But having seen, read, & used many origami books over equally many years, including several from this author, Nick Robinson, what sets this book (& others from him) apart from many others on the subject are the warmth, humour, & humanity that he always injects. Yes, he's also included comic origami-related cartoons here (& to good effect) but Robinson's books are not as staid & arid as so many others in the genre, & this is so welcome to see!

A great book for origami beginners, of lesser value to more experienced folders
Wayne Brown has already provided a very extensive review, which I more or less agree with, so I'll only make a few comments.

Basically, if you want to start origami or are an origami beginner then this is a great book to buy. Don't hesitate, order it right away. The range of models is good and the difficulty is well scaled, letting you develop your skills step by step. You get to try all diferent types of models and really get a good idea of what origami is capable of.

The only real negative is the lack of photos of models. It really would have been good if colour photos of the models were included instead of drawings. Also, the 'Dummies' theme/styling/structure is a little irritating but I suppose that couldn't be avoided as that's the style of the franchise.

If you're an intermediate or advanced origamist I'd think twice before buying. You won't find that much that you haven't seen before and won't be very challenged by any of the models.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad book by any means but is of limited value as you'll be familiar with most of the contents, and you have to consider that the book really isn't aimed at you anyway. However, the price is currently cheap and if you're a collector then you might want to consider this title for your origami library.

If you're new to origami then I'd rate this book 4 out of 5. The lack of photos is the only negative.

If you're an intermediate or advanced origamist I'd rate it 3 out of 5. It's good but just doesn't offer enough, although to be fair it's not really supposed to, seeing as how it's for 'Dummies'.