Samuel Randlett; 1982 OUSA (FOCA) Convention Annual Collection, via “The Art of Origami” by Randlett (as “Songbird”)
Grade: A-
Another graceful, easy fold. The diagrams are very explicit, with plenty of supporting verbal descriptions of each step. I chose 6″ gold Japanese foil since it looked like the head might require some sculpting, but I think this model would come out well in any paper, and 6″ seems like a good size. The model is not self supporting, but would look great if hung with a loop of thread from a mobile or Christmas tree.
Note: The next model in the 1982 Convention book is Alice Gray’s Fish, which was also printed in the 1981 book. I reviewed it on December 2, 2015.
Robert Neale; 1982 OUSA (FOCA) Convention Annual Collection via “The Best of Origami” by Samuel Randlett
Grade: A
After the last two models, it was nice to relax with this easy project. The diagrams are clear and are accompanied by ample verbal explanations. I folded it twice, in 6″ kami, which worked well. The last curved fold, forming the belly, holds well in kami and is essential to the pose. The only problem I see is that the head has a tendency to spread open. Though a very simple model, it strongly suggests the droll bassets drawn by James Thurber, as shown below:
The model reminds me of a stuffed toy animal, and a friend gave me some black and white patterned kami-like paper for a Christmas gift, so what could be better than this model folded out of a “houndstooth” pattern?
John Montroll; 1982 OUSA (FOCA) Convention Annual Collection
Grade: C
The last model was the Bull, so here’s his mate, and it was another challenging model which I never really did justice to. My first attempt, with 10″ kami, went into the trash when the udder folds went hopelessly wrong. The second try, shown below, was a pretty pathetic rendition. The diagrams are hand drawn and very small on my iPad’s screen, so I was very grateful for the ability to zoom in on them. They were not perfectly reproduced, so they were hard to read in places. A few notes would have made things go easier: first, step 1 should begin with the colored side up and a white triangle at the bottom. That white triangle, by the way, has to be estimated and adjusted so that things line up properly by step 3. It would also have been helpful to know that diagrams 20 and 21 show the fold in progress; the model will not lie flat again until step 22. I used 10″ American foil for the model shown above, and paper thickness made the crimp on the forelegs impossible (I did succeed in making the crimp on the kami model, but it’s really ugly). On the foil model, I compensated by making a hoof by turning the tip up twice, and that was ugly too. The face on the kami model refused to look cow-like; I thought it looked more like a puma. On the foil model, I was able to pinch the horns as instructed, which came out much better. The color change for the udder works nicely, and folding the base was an interesting process, but I was frustrated by my inability to get a good looking result.
I never saw a purple cow; I never hope to see one. But I can tell you anyhow, I’d rather see than be one!
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