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Our Origamido Jewelry Design System
Good design is most often simple, and so we begin by exploring the wealth of possibilities within the most simple and familiar bases.
All origami objects are abstract by virtue of the folding process. It is this abstraction of an idea into geometric planes, shadows, and angles that provides origami jewelry with the potential for achieving a unique and timeless elegance. Just as the crystalline structures of gemstones and the architectural windings of seashells have enchanted humans for longer than anyone can know, origami’s geometric underpinnings make it so inviting to the eye, intriguing to the mind, and entrancing to the spirit.
We often use the musical performance as a teaching analogy for folded art. Well-chosen paper is the instrument. If the paper is patterned, the scale of the patterns, colors, and textures will provide tone, and even play their own notes, too. The design is like the musical composition that provides the strength and substance necessary for durability. Elegant results demand a careful, heartfelt execution, or a cogent interpretation during your performance. Refining your folding skills takes “practice, practice, practice” as does playing any musical instrument artfully.
Beginning with the preliminary form—four sets of alternating mountain and valley creases radiating from the center of the square —numerous different, elegant, and durable “beads” result from varying just a few subsequent folds. These sturdy elements can be simply strung and hung as necklace pendants or earrings, or combined by tabbing and tiling. Most of our origami jewelry elements are folded from single squares such as these, but multi-piece, inter-locking designs (connected with tabs and pockets) are particularly useful for making interesting cluster arrangements, or adjustable-length necklaces, bracelets, belts, and bands.
Fancy papers make excellent jewelry after laminating (back-coating with paste) for adding body and strength.
Back-coated florist’s foils make versatile folded “beads.”
Wearability is Critical
Durability and comfort are the greatest concerns expressed by potential customers. Few materials available to the jeweler are as amazingly varied as paper.
Origami jewelry components are lightweight. Nevertheless, fancy papers, especially the most beautiful, are usually too soft for jewelry use, and so we recommend reinforcement by pasting them to a stronger material. Adding this extra layer with paste is called “back-coating” and it provides added body to otherwise flimsy papers.
Durability and comfort are not just about the materials, but also about the design of the piece. For example, our necklaces often have stone, plastic, glass, or metal elements placed around the back of the neck to ensure comfort where the necklace hugs the skin. Good design should allow the paper elements to be pretty up front, while letting the more durable materials do the job they do best.
Finally, the folded elements do not exist without support, and there is a huge variety of fittings, findings, and adhesives that integrate the components. Take care when attaching, stringing, mounting or connecting your painstakingly folded elements, and use the highest quality materials that you can afford.
Folded, multi-layer pasted paper “jewels” can be used with most conventional jewelry-making materials. Shown above left: Single Barrel paper “beads” held between chains with crimped, metal jingle-bells. Right: Triple Barrel paper “beads” on a glass bead necklace.
Origami “Jewels”
As Earrings...
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...and as Necklaces!
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