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Origami is fun, until someone tells you that you need to fold a thousand cranes and do it sharpish. Cranes are my favorite model, and I do enjoy folding them, but my fingers are starting to hurt and I don't think I've folded more than thirty today.
Origami papers have different personalities. Some are more forgiving than others, some are lazier than others, and some are just weird.
Basic origami paper: Moderately forgiving of mistakes, holds creases well. Can come plain or in pretty patterns. Cheap like dirt.
Rice paper: Very forgiving of mistakes, but a bit harder to get a good crease in. Creases, once pounded in, tend to stay and stay crisp though. Most commonly seen printed with kimono patterns. A little more pricey than basic paper.
Cotton-rice paper: Phenomenally forgiving of mistakes. So soft it's hard to get a good crease, and usually doesn't stay in creases well. Best used for models where the vital creases are locked into place by the folding itself. Runs about a US dollar a sheet, but is always gorgeously patterned, incredibly textured, and good for show models. I give good luck cranes folded from this and strung on thread or wire for housewarming and thank you presents.
Foil origami paper: VERY unforgiving of mistakes, with a mind of its own. Creases go in easily and stay put, no matter what. Not good for beginners. Shiny, though. Slightly more expensive than basic paper.
Mesh origami paper (yes, it exists, because I own some): Looks like brightly colored screen. Holds creases VERY badly. Hard to fold, tears up fingers, hard to find guide creases (or edges). Melts if splashed with water. Not easy for a beginner to work with. More entertaining for novelty value than anything else. Tends to run expensive.
Parafilm: Okay, this isn't exactly origami paper. It's closer to the science geek's version of duct tape. It's a paper-thin sheet of paraffin. If stretched over things, it forms an airtight seal. I've seen it used as band-aids before. If creased properly, it sticks to itself. It's forgiving of mistakes, though a bit hard to crease. Once you get it creased, though, it stays. It's semi-transparent, so it makes for very spiffy-looking, if small, models. I folded a crane out of this stuff for a lab teacher.
Origami papers have different personalities. Some are more forgiving than others, some are lazier than others, and some are just weird.
Basic origami paper: Moderately forgiving of mistakes, holds creases well. Can come plain or in pretty patterns. Cheap like dirt.
Rice paper: Very forgiving of mistakes, but a bit harder to get a good crease in. Creases, once pounded in, tend to stay and stay crisp though. Most commonly seen printed with kimono patterns. A little more pricey than basic paper.
Cotton-rice paper: Phenomenally forgiving of mistakes. So soft it's hard to get a good crease, and usually doesn't stay in creases well. Best used for models where the vital creases are locked into place by the folding itself. Runs about a US dollar a sheet, but is always gorgeously patterned, incredibly textured, and good for show models. I give good luck cranes folded from this and strung on thread or wire for housewarming and thank you presents.
Foil origami paper: VERY unforgiving of mistakes, with a mind of its own. Creases go in easily and stay put, no matter what. Not good for beginners. Shiny, though. Slightly more expensive than basic paper.
Mesh origami paper (yes, it exists, because I own some): Looks like brightly colored screen. Holds creases VERY badly. Hard to fold, tears up fingers, hard to find guide creases (or edges). Melts if splashed with water. Not easy for a beginner to work with. More entertaining for novelty value than anything else. Tends to run expensive.
Parafilm: Okay, this isn't exactly origami paper. It's closer to the science geek's version of duct tape. It's a paper-thin sheet of paraffin. If stretched over things, it forms an airtight seal. I've seen it used as band-aids before. If creased properly, it sticks to itself. It's forgiving of mistakes, though a bit hard to crease. Once you get it creased, though, it stays. It's semi-transparent, so it makes for very spiffy-looking, if small, models. I folded a crane out of this stuff for a lab teacher.
