Sunday, April 05, 2009

Won Park Dollar Koi Tutorial


Part I: Introduction and diagram corrections



Part II: Folding the scales



Part III: Folding the head and fins





Part IV: Continuing with the fins and crimping the head




Part V: Folding side crimps on the head




Part VI: Folding the lips and whiskers



Part VII: Rounding the body, shaping the lips and whiskers




Pt. VIII: Shaping the illusion of dorsal fin, shaping tail and finalizing body




Photo compliments of Yukie
From left to right: Michael (he doesn't drink), Won (drinks), Yukie (probably)




*UPDATE* March 25, 2012 15:41

Don't know why I didn't do this sooner, but I'm adding in the link to the step photos I took during the time when Won first taught it to me at OUSA (2007? 2006?). A bit dated on the cross-pleating technique that Won uses, but it still works.

46 comments:

Deb Pun said...

Wow, Michael Saunders & Won Park, Thank you for the video tutorials & corrections to the koi diagrams. It'll be a wonderful reference for the $ bill enthusiast in all of us!

Anonymous said...

Fantastic videos. Thank you for sharing your secrets. I've been able to fold decent looking models from the diagrams, but haven't been able to figure out how to make them look truly phenomenal like those of the original artist. The videos are very enlightening.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the videos! however, they are very hard to follow when the koi fish and your hands are blurry. I cannot fold the head because i can't see what you are doing :( !!! can you please help! There is sometimes a macro function on the camera which helps film objects up close.

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Sorry for the difficulties. Won had a limited amount of time in LA, so there really wasn't much chance of doing multiple takes.

Realize, too, that I filmed using a digital camera, not a camcorder. Trying to get any closer would more than likely blur the camera image.

The videos should be used as a supplement and "hint". Ultimately, to get it "right", it really takes practice and one's own expertise at folding and sculpting. Rely on the diagrams, images, and video and study as closely as you can.

Hopefully, it won't be too much longer before Won comes out with his dvd/book.

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

We did try to intersperse still photo close-ups as well into the videos, but with only moderate success. Just wasn't enough time to spend, "getting it perfect".

藤島明輝子 said...

The Koi has to be one of the most beautiful and useful things I've ever seen a dollar used for. Hehe! ^__^

Simply stunning, both in it's simplicity in the appearance and nuance of the finished product and in the mathematical complexity of it's creation. I am in absolute awe. ^__^

I have been doing origami since the age of 5 (over 25 years), and I don't know if even I could do this.. n_n

Brenda said...

Do you ever sell your creations?
bmitchell@cusd.k12.az.us

Anonymous said...

Darn, the only part I really need help on is the beginning. The diagrams don't explain how to get the scales( back half ) done. I've spent hours trying to understand how to do it, but the wording with the pictures doesn't make sense either. I'm sure I could do it if I had a visual but I cant find a single video of someone making this fish. If anyone here who knows how to do the bottom half of the fish would post a video that'd be great.

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Brenda,

I sent you an email with no response back; I'm going to assume your question was actually meant for Won (who does sell his models; and considering the time and artistry put into it, real cheaply, I might add).

Anon,

Not sure what you mean about "back half" of the scales.

Did you see the old step-photos from before Marcio's diagrams were created? Don't know if those would be helpful or not.

dining table said...

I think I see this amazing Dollar Koi in one of the event that sets in our school. I was so impressed on how they do that. I want to learn that but that are not teaching in that day. Thank god that I found this blog. Now I can learn it with the use of this tutorial.

Jeannine said...

i get just about everything, but I'm really stuck at step 38, the one with those three complex folds. Can anybody help me?

Anonymous said...

Of all the fantastic origami out there, the dollar koi fish is the most beautiful. Thank you, Won!

Ultimate Origami said...

This is amazing! I've been looking for instructions to make this Koi for forever!

You sir are both a scholar and a gentleman.

Sam James said...

Hi is there any sites online that i can find information on Won Park? I am an art student and researching him but there do not seem to be any online resources on him? Any ideas? Thanks

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

I'll call him up later tonight and let him know to get in touch with you.

Is there a contact address you can provide me with, aside from Won posting somewhere indiscriminately on your blog?

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

There are some interviews he's done that you can find on YouTube (or check the category channel here).

christina said...

i need help with the beginning :[

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

What level folding expertise would you say you are?

By "beginning", what exactly are you having trouble with? Folding the creases for the scales? The actual cross-pleating?

Saftey_pin_kisses said...

Can I possibly get someone to email me some help for steps 29-33? I've got all the folding done for the scales themselves but when it gets to the part to actually fold the scales and make the tail I"m totally lost as to how to do it.

I can be emailed at dragon_tamer_kai@hotmail.com

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Maybe I'll ask Won if I can make a tutorial for the very beginning part. I don't know when I'll have time to really sit down and get into it, though.

In the meanwhile, maybe this will help. Those are step photos of the first time Won taught the model informally at OUSA 2007 (I believe the year he designed it). I don't know if they'll help you or not.

Putting in the cross-pleats is just like the scales on Ronald Koh's King Cobra or Fumiaki Kawahata's dragonhead.

Unknown said...

Thanks for adding my blog (www.AspiringFolder) to your sidebar!
~Flora

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

My pleasure, Flora!

RS300 said...

Thanks for the videos!! This is actually my first time ever attempting origami! Came out great thank you!!

http://imgur.com/a/SzINn

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

First time?! Wow, that came out really well. Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Thank you so so much for the video tutorial! I had so bad problems with the diagram and thought I had made some kind of mistake myself. Now I could finish the koi properly and it turned out really well. I'm completely loving it! :)

Anonymous said...

Many thanks to all that have contributed to this video, and many thanks to you Mr. Wordsmith for posting this on your blog. I had problems with the diagrams, but thanks to this very helpful tutorial, I was finally able to finish this beautiful model!
Much admiration and gratitude for Won Park who obviously spent alot of time in making this video, and he is a patient teacher to boot. I learned origami from a patient and generous teacher and Won Park is all that and more. Perhaps I am gushing because I have encountered less generous souls in some of the origami clubs that are out there. After all, what is the definition of an origami enthusiast right? Again, many thanks and please keep posting!

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Thank you for taking the time to comment and compliment.

Now if I could only find the time to restore all the lost sidebar links from the unintended ugly template makeover...

Anonymous said...

I watched all the videos and as I get to the last one I thought I heard the paper rip when you were working on the body/fins and I thought to myself "Oh my God no way he's pretty much done with it." Then when I saw everything was alright I laughed to myself and went to sleep still thinking --man that would just suck!

Anonymous said...

and how long does it take a master to accomplish the koi?
After reviewing all the diagrams I'm thinking 4 hrs for me sounds reasonable....NOT! LOVE that beautiful koi, thanx, master Won :<)

Kasone said...

Hey! Thanks for the videos!
Even after two years I STILL come back to this blog.
I can't seem to find the video on won park and his koi fish else where. AwEsOmE ^^

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the awesome videos! Does Won sell his origami creations? Here's me email- zzdr2011@yahoo.com
Thanks again!!

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Sorry for the slow publish and response. Yes, Won does sell his work. I'll forward your email to him.

Lady Absinthe said...

I have been doing origami for about 5 years now, and I usually don't have problems following diagrams, but for some reason, I cannot understand steps 10 through 12. Are there any visual instructions out there that can take me from step one to the finished product to help me out?

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Sorry again for the slow response; haven't checked in here and my regular email doesn't notify me of unpublished comments.

Did you manage to figure this one out, Lady Absinthe? Are you looking at diagram v1.4 or the one in the book?

Perhaps these step photos would help give you an idea of what to do.

Brenda Burns said...

Is there a place where classes are help for this folding?
I can do some but this koi really sparks my interest. Please contact me at jodyburns@roadrunner.com

Anonymous said...

Does won have a email address cuz I would like to buy some of his great creations for my 7 year old son you can email me at elijah10_20_2004@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Hello. I have been trying to find a way to contact him to purchase his Koi pieces. Can you send me contact information please. red1416@cfl.rr.com
Thank you.

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Sorry for the late response. I just now noticed there were 3 comments that needed to be published. I will let Won know to check in here and contact those of you who want to purchase his koi.

Brenda,

Do you live in the LA area? I belong to the Westcoast Origami Guild which meets next Sat (every 2nd Sat of the month from 1pm to 5pm).

Anonymous said...

i need help on step 15 on the origami dragon its not working well
or maybe it could another step please help!!

Unknown said...

Somehow I have some diagrams for his koi that someone gave me, and they're separate from anything else. I'm not sure how they got them.

Paper Paladin said...

Are the diagrams attributed to Marcio? The diagrams did go through a few revisions.

Or are these diagrams made by someone else?

Unknown said...

Yes, they are attributed to Márcio Noguchi. I folded a couple Yodas for a parent not asking for anything in return, and she gave me the diagrams and a crisp dollar saying that she couldn't fold something like that....

George said...

Hey, I was wondering if anyone is going to update the diagrams as Mr Won Park showed in the videos. I'd like to try it just from the diagrams and not have to refer to the videos. Thanks!

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Hey George,

I wouldn't expect any further updates to the diagrams from Won and Marcio.

I think the real challenge for most people is in understanding how to shape the model. And that's difficult to illustrate.

Unknown said...

Jeez this model is hard!!! I really need some help, i cant get past a step!!! On Part III: Folding the head and fins at around 2:40 he is unfolding the first pleat. I just cant get this to look right? Can someone maybe take a few pictures of them doing this step and send them to me? Or maybe give me a few pointers? I bought his book, and looked at other videos of people folding this model, but still cant get it! I'm a pro up until this step -_-

Giobel Koi Center said...

I can't see the photos?