Introduction: Pleated Origami Chess Pawn

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About: A fellow hobbyist venturing into creative ideas

I saw the Prison Break movie series and was inspired by the construction of chess pieces in prison, with limited number of stones. Seeing this and an origami pleated vase (an origami vase with pleat folds), made me think in the direction of combining the two to create an origami chess piece using pleated folds which requires minimal number of folds.

You can make this pawn to add a replacement to your chess set for a missing piece, using minimal resources, just a piece of paper (printed) and a stapler.

Supplies

  1. Printer - For printing the pattern.
  2. The pattern image file ( find attached)
  3. Stapler with pins, or fevicol/glue as required to stick the two ends of the model together.
  4. Pair of scissors.
  5. A software to change size of image (optional, any document software can resize the printout image as per requirement)

Step 1: Introduction

A pleated origami pattern is a form of origami in which the different shapes are visualized with the help of creases and repetition in the pattern over a strip of paper. In this type of origami, the same pattern is repeated to obtain a shape which can look as expected by the pattern, some common examples are pleated vase, pleated pattern origami, etc. A vase can be easily obtained using this pattern with a desired curved shape.

Step 2: Print the Pattern

  1. Print out the pattern with the desired size, keeping the width x height ratio the same.

Step 3: Fold All the Lines.

  1. Refer diagram for the colors, fold the blue lines towards the sky (mountain folds).
  2. Fold the red lines inwards towards the ground (valley fold).
  3. Fold the base-line at the bottom of the sheet in blue in mountain fold similar to point 1.

Step 4: Attach the Two Ends

Attach the two ends of the paper together, use a small rectangular paper piece to attach the two through the length so that a circular piece of sheet is formed using stapler or glue.

Step 5: Re-Fold

Refer Title Diagram for the original model, try to bring the shape at the top towards the center and at the bottom towards outside in such a way that the reference image is formed.

Make sure the curved surface of the pawn head is realized. Try to blow the shape outwards while folding to maintain the curvature.

Rotate the piece to verify all ends are appropriately shaped.

If not able to fold in the first step, try for 2-3 more times, it takes 2-3 times to really grasp the shape.

Step 6: Conclusion - E2 Moves to E4

  1. Use it as a chess piece, as decorum, or simply a totem (Inception!).