Orimoto Guide - Creative folding books - DIY tutorial

• Basics of Orimoto
  • Orimoto measurement method
  • Orimoto graphics method
• Turn a book into a decorative Christmas tree
• Worth knowing at the end

You have an old book at home that you do not really need anymore ">

Orimoto sounds like another craft coup from the Far East - no wonder, after all, the word is composed of the Asian terms "ori" (fold) and "moto" (book) together. Nevertheless, it is in fact the invention of a German: Dominik Meissner, a trained computer scientist, worked since the late 1990s on the creative bauble. There are now many different types of Orimoto folding. We would like to introduce you to two of them: To get started, we will show you how to fold any motif of the free templates on orime.de into your book. And since we are approaching Christmas time with big steps, in the second part we will tell you how to conjure up a Christmas tree in the pages of your book without a template. Ready for the wrinkled adventure called Orimoto? Then go ahead!

Basics of Orimoto

You need this:

• Book (with 350 to 450 pages)
• ruler
• pencil
• possibly folding bone
• Folding template (by orime.de)

How to proceed:

Step 1: Create the template! To do so, log in to orime.de for the free template program. In order to get to the desired template, you have to fill in a kind of form. Indicate how many pages your chosen book has.

Note: When using the free template program of orime.de the book must have between 350 and 450 pages. You currently have no copy with the corresponding number of pages ">

Tip: In addition to the free, there is also a paid version of the template program. This greatly expands the range of possibilities (also in terms of the page number), but is recommended only for advanced and passionate Orimoto fans.

The page number is typed? Then select in which form the template should be created:

a) as a table with dimensions or
b) as a graphic.

Both variants work perfectly. At first we present you working with table, ruler and pencil. After that, let's talk about the graphics method, so you'll know what to do in each case.

Finally, choose what you want to fold into the book at all:

a) a freely definable word or
b) one of the (currently ten) available silhouettes?

To a: If you want to fold a freely definable word into the book, then the area "lettering" is the one to which you must pay attention. Enter your desired term - such as a name or emotional term such as love or happiness. Important: The word may consist of a maximum of five letters. After entering the term you decide on the font (currently there are five variants).

To b: If you prefer to use one of the given motifs, then look down on the website to "Image / Silhouettes". There are various objects to see, including a double heart and the yin and yang symbol. Mark your wish picture.

Then click Preview to see how the template will look. If it meets your expectations, enter the command "Create template". You can open the pdf document with a suitable reader. Once you have decided on the method of measurement, you do not necessarily need to print the template. In the graphic version, however, the expression is unavoidable.

Step 2: Once you have created the template and printed or saved it, you can start with the actual work. We now explain how to proceed with the table (measuring method).

Orimoto measurement method

The template table has three information areas:

• page
• Mark 1 (= mark 1)
• Mark 2 (= mark 2)

Open the first (to be folded) page in the book. Adjust the book so that the outer edge of the page you are looking for is facing up. Our picture illustrates it.

Grab the ruler and pencil to draw the markers on the page in question (here on page 1: 15.4 cm and 15.5 cm). These markings are always placed on the outer margin. Work in a concentrated and precise manner to create a harmonious overall picture. Repeat the described procedure with all dimensions and (to be folded) pages of the book.

Note: If you are using a book with more than 450 pages, you will of course not be able to orient yourself directly to the page numbers given in the table. Then it is recommended to write the page on which you want to start in the table. Delete the first page number specified in the template (ie the 3) and write in your individual start page number. The other specified page numbers also replace those that are meaningful to you. Example: You start on Book Page 51. Then swipe the 3 and write a 51 in the box. Then swipe the 5 and write a 53 in the box.

All pages are marked "> Repeat this on each page until you're done, turning a book into a beautiful decorative element.

Orimoto graphics method

Now we would like to explain to you how you work with the graphic template. This is quite faster and easier than the measuring method. First, some general information about the template in the free version of orime.de: It is called "Broken G" or "45 ° only wrinkles". As a rule, the template is composed of several Din A4 pages. On each of these template pages, you will see a variety of template lines (one template line per book page). And each of these template lines contains a black highlighted break. Their ends indicate where you have to fold the dog-eared ears of each book page.

Take the first sheet of paper and open your book. Place the document sheet in front of the first page to be folded - if you start on page 1, as we did, place the document sheet on the dirt title or open book cover. Adjust the document sheet so that the book page to be folded touches the original line you want to fold. It does not matter which of the orientation lines you use at the top edge - you just have to be careful to use the same line for all sides to plant.

Note: You can also insert the Orimoto template from the right under the page to be folded. This way you always fold on the right side of the book. But if you fold as we do on the left, you can use the previous folds directly as an attachment for straight edges in the typeface. So you do not need to put in any templates at these places.

Imagine the ends of the black break are the marker lines from the tabular approach. In turn, fold the corners so that the side edges meet these marks. The top and bottom of the page numbers can be seen - so you can always make sure that you are also on the right page. And since we are aware that this is once again a moment when pictures say more than a thousand words, we refer to our illustrations, which are guaranteed to quickly eliminate any ambiguity.

Tip: Fold the document sheet in the middle - so you can super push it into the book.

The advantage of working with the artwork template is that you no longer have to draw the marking lines painstakingly, but you can start folding immediately. With a little practice, you'll certainly get the hang of the graphics in no time and save a lot of time on Orimoto crafts.

The blank pages, which result, for example, in lettering between the individual letters (there are no markings in the template), are simply folded inwards, and as far as possible. The folds of these pages must not be visible at the front in the lettering. An alternative: You can cut out the blank pages cleanly.

Already the own Orimoto art is finished! In the bookcase, such a noble piece of course makes the best.

Turn a book into a decorative Christmas tree

You need this:

• old book (about 300 to 400 pages, hardcover, stable binding *)
• Cuttermesser
• scissors
• patience

* These characteristics are required because you have to bend and push very much at work.

How to proceed:

Step 1: Separate a page from the book. Cut three steps into the paper - in such a way that the top part gives a square that is cut in half when you fold it diagonally. The other two steps cut each one slightly less deep.

Step 2: Cut the page along the font (in the two lower steps) so that you can fold the stepped areas diagonally downwards as in our picture. This edited page will serve as a template below.

Step 3: Open the first page of the book and place the template just opened on it. Mark the step areas.

Step 4: Now comes the first tricky part: you have to cut out the entire book block along the step marker. Working with scissors side by side would be a tedious task. So you better take a craft knife and courageously cut out several pages at once. After a short while, the whole thing looks something like this:

Tip: The edges do not have to be particularly straight or smooth. When they fold, they disappear inside the tree anyway or form the underside of each level.

Step 5: Now it is time to make the cuts along the font - as in the production of the template. Here is your patience required, because you have no choice but to act with the scissors page by page.

Step 6: Once all pages of the book have been prepared, you can start folding at the front. Again, you work as well as in the design of the template. Fold until the last page of the book is closed.

Tips:

• After only about 20 pages you can set up the book and imagine how the tree will look in the end - a useful motivation in the face of the lengthy act.

• The further you go, the harder the matter becomes. You always have to keep the already folded pages with one hand in order to be able to fold the next page with the other hand. Of course, the tree is also becoming increasingly beautiful.

And in the end, the Christmas tree looks something like this:

Worth knowing at the end

While you could theoretically still read the book in the first presented method (with table or graph), this is no longer possible with the Christmas tree variant. This is because the template version only folds. In the case of the magnificent tree, on the other hand, the scissors are also used and parts of the font are destroyed.

If possible, you should always prefer bound books. They generally provide a better stand. However, Orimoto works well with simple paperbacks. If the work is not stable at the end, you can help with Dekoband or similar: Tie this extra around the book.

The materials for composing an (old) book are very cheap. At best, they cost nothing (except a little print cartridge and paper). But the time required is not to be underestimated. Especially beginners have to plan several hours until they have folded through hundreds of pages. But as you can see, it's always worth it!