This is an instructable about how to create your own beautiful folding paper sculpture. This kind of origami is called tato and can be a little difficult to fold for beginners. They can be perfect for christmas ornaments or LED shades.

Step 1: Download Ori-Revo by Jun Mitani

There is a fabulous program written by Jun Mitani that allows you to design your own shape.

You can download the program here: http://mitani.cs.tsukuba.ac.jp/ori_revo/#install

Unzip the file and run the executable jar file called ori-revo-v101

Step 2: Using Ori-Revo

Variables you can change:

Resolution changes the resolution of the grid. Check the Show Grid check box to see the grid and snap to points on the grid.

Division Number sets how many repetitions/sides you want the sculpture to have.

Type sets the type of shape you will get. Disc type: closes one side of the shape, so that you can get a more box like shape. Cylinder type: the top and bottom will be open/not connected, like a cylinder. Perhaps the Cylinder type could make a cool lamp shade? Blade type: creates blades that protrude for the shape Gusset type: instead of blades, gussets come out from the shape.

Blade Size can be changed in Cylinder type. It changes the width to height ratio of the shape. If you want to change the Blade Size but are using Disc type, revert to Cylinder type to change the Blade Size and then go back to Disc type.

Draw Horizontal Line checkbox creates horizontal lines on the folding pattern. These are very useful, if you have a complicated shape.

Show Manual checkbox shows instructions for how to draw the lines

Suvdiv button will create new vertices between the vertices you made, which will make your line smoother and more curved.

Reset button will erase all of your lines.

Step 3: Drawing the Sculpture Line

To draw the line you want, start on the line in the middle of the drawing area. Snap to one the of the grid points if you want it to be completely closed. Play around with different variables.

You can use the 3D Model window to see what the sculpture will look like and rotate the view with left click drag. Make sure the folds aren't intersecting each other by checking that all edges in the 3d Model are lined in black. Intersecting areas will have edges that aren't outlined. If you put a vertex on the other side of the black midline, you will get intersections in the 3D view.

Click the Suvdiv button if you want to smooth out your lines. If you want them to stay angular, don’t click the Suvdiv button. You can keep clicking the Suvdiv button and get more vertexes making the line smoother. If you have Draw Horizontal Line checkboxed, the folding pattern will get very crowded with horizontal lines from the Suvdiv function.

Step 4: Export the Crease Pattern

Now that you are done drawing the pattern, export the folding pattern. Under the File menu, you have a couple options for what kind of file type you would like to export. Export the crease pattern as a dxf or png. You can export the input polyline, the actual line you drew, as a dxf and you can get the 3d model as an obj as well.

Step 5: Scale the Pattern

Next, open the crease pattern in a program of your choice to scale it to the size you want. I exported it as a png file and opened it in illustrator to make it as big as a letter size paper.

Now print out the crease pattern. If you don’t want the lines to be as visible, you can change the transparency of the image, or recreate the vectors and make them grey lines.

Step 6: Fold Your Sculpture

Folding:

First cut out the shape outline.

Crease all Blue lines as valley folds and all Red lines as mountain folds as seen in the video.

Now try to fold and shape each side of the sculpture one at a time.

Use the 3d Model as a guide to help you shape it. (If you don’t want your lines to be visible, switch the way you make the folds so that lines end up being on the inside of the sculpture, blue for mountain folds and red for valley.)