Origami Tutorial: Sonobe unit and a glimpse into Sonobe Variations

The last few months have been a great journey while we explored the world of 3D and modular origami. In the process, we discovered beautiful models designed by several origami artists around the world. Most popular is, of course, the Sonobe model. On digging out the internet we found that their origin is still unknown. Two of the possible creators could be Toshie Takohama and Mitsunobu Sonobe, who have published several books together and are members of the Origami Group. 

The beauty of the Sonobe unit lies in its flexibility to combine in several different combinations that can be used to build a simple triangular bipyramid, cube, trisoctahedron to many complicated polyhedrons. Origami artists around the world have experimented with this basic unit and have built several variations using the same unit. 

Here's a picture tutorial you can follow to make a Sonobe unit.

Sonobe Unit: Picture Tutorial by Art Hours

The model made of three units results in a triangular bipyramid. Using six units results in a cube. Using twelve Sonobe units, results in a triakis octahedron.  Using 30 units you can make a triakis icosahedron. 

Here's a picture of a bipyramid (also called a dipyramid) that was built using 3 Sonobe units. Only 3 units were used to build the bipyramid which has 6 triangular faces and hence can also be called a hexahedron.

A Triangular Bipyramid using 3 sonobe units

Below is a picture of a cube that was built using 6 nos. of Sonobe units. This one has six square faces as visible in the picture.

Origami Cube using 6 Sonobe units

We found several models of the Sonobe on the internet and had fun building models from different types of variations. Below is a picture of a Trisoctahedron we built using 12 units of the Sonobe unit but its a slightly different variation of the Sonobe unit. The shape that resulted is actually an octahedron with triangular pyramids added on its every face. So, it has 8 extreme ends or tips and each tip has 3 triangular faces. Totally, it has 24 triangular faces.

We used magazine paper to build the model...one way of putting magazine paper to good use instead of throwing them away, and after all, recycling is the buzzword nowadays!

Trisoctahedron made from 12 units - variation of Sonobe unit

Here are two more models using the same variation of Sonobe unit used above for the trisoctahedron. The cube was made using 6 units and the Triambic Icosahedron was made using 30 units.

Left Front: Cube using 6 units
Right Back: Triambic Icosahedron using 30 units

We tried out several other variations too. Below is something splendid we tried using other variations developed by Maria Sinayskaya. She calls it the Rose Kusudama. You will find the model diagrams on her website. By the way kusudama is a Japanese word which means medicine balls (kusuri means medicine and tama means a ball in Japanese). They were used for incense and potpourri; nowadays typically used as decorations or gifts.

The first model you see in the picture below is a yellow rose kusudama, made from 12 nos. of 1:2 rectangular sheets. The second model is a pink rose kusudama, made from 12 nos. square sheets. Personally, I loved the second model, as it turns out to be a sturdy one. 

Rose Kusudama using 12 nos. 1:2 Rectangular sheet

Rose Kusudama using 12 nos. Square sheet

We are still exploring many other origami models and designing our own variations too.

Our journey is Origami is getting interesting day by day...keep visiting us more often to learn and explore the art world. 

Stay with us, learn, like and share. Your valuable comments and feedback are welcome.

Follow us on Instagram to explore what we are working on currently: www.instagram.com/archguide16 or stop by our FB page:fb.me/arthours to explore our tutorials and student workshops.

Thank you for stopping by.

Have a good day...

---

Learn to fold an Origami Camel: Origami Tutorial

New Year begins with several new resolutions, new wishes, new hopes and new directions. And as we proceed ahead with the new beginnings, we wish to learn and explore new things and add to our knowledge and skills.

Our first origami project this year begins with an origami camel...yeah..the ship of the desert and these unique creatures are recognized by their humps. And before we begin to learn how to fold an origami camel, here are some interesting facts about a camel that I found on the internet:

• Camels are social animals who roam the deserts in search of food and water. Also, they are known to be very peaceful animals.
• Asian camels have two humps whereas Arabian camels only one.
• Camels have two rows of thick eyelashes to protect their eyes from the desert dust. They can also close their nostrils and lips to keep out the dust.
• They have a strong hearing sense.
• A thirsty camel can drink up to 135 liters of water at a go...now that's what I call interesting!
• In Arab culture, the Camel symbolizes patience, tolerance, and endurance. Oh, and there are over 160 words for 'camel' in the Arabic language. 

Origami Camel

This post contains a freehand sketch of the steps to fold an origami camel. Also, follows is a picture tutorial that will show how to fold the same.

For those of you who know how to fold an origami bird base, the steps to fold an origami camel is easy thereafter. However, if you still wish to learn to fold an origami square base then here the steps to fold the same. Just click on this link that will take you to the tutorial for folding the square base.

Now follows a quick freehand sketch showing steps to fold an origami camel beginning from a square base as shown in step 01. Step 3 shows the bird base and thereafter the steps to fold the origami camel follows.

Steps to fold an Origami Camel

Here is the description of the steps to fold an origami camel.

1. Step-1 starts with a square base. Apply the folds as shown in the step-1.
2. Open the flaps of the model and flatten to get a diamond shape as shown in step 3. Repeat the steps on the back side also.
3. Now, fold along the creases as shown in step-3.
4. Apply pocket folds along the dotted lines.
5. Pocket fold on the back flap along the hidden lines shown to get the rear leg.
6. Fold down the flaps on the front and back side to get the two front legs.
7. Now focus on the head area. Apply pocket fold to get a beak-like shape. Then apply another pocket fold to get the final shape of the head.
8. Also, fold along the dotted lines as shown in step 7 to shape the rear end of the model. 

The picture below shows a pictorial diagram to fold the origami camel.
Only one drawback of this model is that it has one rear leg...so it is a three-legged camel!

Steps to fold an origami camel

Finally, this is how the completed model of the camel should look like.

Origami Camel Model Completed

Hope you find the tutorial useful. In our coming posts, we hope to post more such tutorials..so keep visiting this blog to learn and explore the world of art.

Thank you for stopping by...have a good day.

---