Artist Joseph Hwang has harbored a deep fascination with marine biodiversity since he was a child. Alongside this passion was an interest in folding origami that transitioned from folding traditional models into a singular focus on designing his own models. Inevitably, these two passions collided in his first series of figurative designs, which comprise this book.
From innovative locking techniques to refined shaping methods, Marine Origami presents, through photography, essays, and step-by-step diagrams, twenty-six original models inspired by the diversity of coastal marine life. Ranging from minimalistic squid to lifelike dungeness crab, this carefully selected collection of models elevates the standard of contemporary origami design.
Introduction (from the book)
Twenty feet under the surface of the ocean, I was holding my breath, floating between the kelp. Suddenly, a large outline of a massive sea creature emerged from the depths. A fish, weighing at least three hundred pounds, swam towards me. Fear changed into awe. And as quickly as the fish appeared, it was gone. That was my first encounter with a giant sea bass, a large endangered fish native to the California coast. As a child, I spent numerous days at the beach exploring tidepools and piles of kelp that washed ashore. I loved catching shore crabs, prying open kelp holdfasts, and lifting algae-covered rocks to see what interesting animals dwelled underneath. As the years went by, this fascination for marine biology grew, and by high school I became an avid ocean diver.
Compared to urban areas where animal life is scarce, the ocean is bursting with abundant biodiversity. A single shore dive can reveal dozens, if not hundreds, of unique species: crustaceans, fish, mollusks, and more. These experiences have opened my eyes to the amazing complexity of marine ecosystems. However, they have also allowed me to witness firsthand the alarming changes that have happened and continue to happen within our generation, from kelp forest loss and sea urchin barrens to coastal eutrophication. As a diver, I am profoundly appreciative of the beauty of life in our oceans, but also deeply concerned about how our various activities are affecting it and the planet.
Folding origami has been a pastime throughout my childhood. In the early years, I mainly folded simple traditional designs or paper airplanes. Later on, I came across books such as Animal Origami for the Enthusiast and Origami Sea Life, which introduced me to a variety of figurative animal designs. But while I enjoyed folding, origami was just one of many activities I participated in.
In the summer between fifth and sixth grade, my family went to Australia to visit my grandparents. It was during those two long months that I discovered the world of super complex origami from designers such as Satoshi Kamiya. With a lot of time to spare, I spent numerous hours each week folding models with whatever paper I could obtain. It was there that I also designed my first figurative models. After the trip, my passion for folding and designing origami continued through middle school. However, once high school started, I took a long hiatus from folding. It was not until my senior year that I rediscovered my love of origami. Inspired by my experiences in the ocean, I began designing the series of sea life models which comprise this book.
The models in Marine Origami were designed and diagrammed in a four year period between 2015 and 2018. There are twenty-six designs, many of which are based on species I have encountered in the ocean. I hope that the models are worthwhile to fold. My goal is to inspire more people to appreciate the art of origami, and to bring attention to the beauty and importance of the natural world that we depend on.
About the Book Design
In creating Marine Origami, I aimed to produce a book that portrayed origami, not as a childish activity, but as a form of fine art. I designed the book as high quality as possible: hardback 10 by 10 inch with a dust jacket and full color pages. It contains photos throughout the book and short sections on folding and designing topics.
One benefit of having a large square hardcover book, is that folders do not need weights to keep the book pried open—this can be an issue for many origami books.
The models are diagrammed in a traditional format with the step descriptions displayed in a side column. I did this to make the diagrams look cleaner. When I folded from diagrams as a child I usually did not pay attention to the step descriptions. The symbols and diagrams should be intuitive enough to follow in most cases. The diagrams are also larger than average, so they are easier to view.
Near the end of the book, I included a section on the general design method I used to create the series of models.
I do not plan on releasing an ebook version. This is due to the massive problem of piracy in the origami world.
About the Models
The theme of the book is sea life. I tried to create a diverse collection of marine species I directly encountered while exploring the local waters or that have a special meaning to me.
Aside from the models I designed as a child, the designs in the book represent the first series of figurative designs that I created. They were designed from senior year of high school though the first year or two of college. During this time, I produced a steady stream of designs which I test folded with members of the origami club in college.
Some of the models were based on each other or variations on a base. For example, the cuttlefish came soon after the squid, followed by the octopus. The sperm whale and beluga were derived from the orca base. The angelfish was an attempt to simplify the original fish design by making the body a square. The sea turtle shell graft was an addition to the sea turtle base design.
A few of the models are not what I consider to be exceptional designs today, but I decided to keep them in the book because the series represent a complete body of work during that design period. They show the development of my designing skill over time.
Four Models
Now, here are four models from the book:
Cuttlefish
This model is derived from a modification of the squid base. The body locks with a folding sequence similar to wrapping a gift box, the pleats are twice reversed so that the tentacles point down, and the extra flaps around the body are folded out to create the side fins. The cuttlefish is one of my favorite models in the series; all the parts come together in a way that seems so satisfying to fold.
Green Sea Turtle Hatchling
The green sea turtle hatchling is one of my most successful and favorite models. Several features highlight this design: the distribution of layers in the body allows the shell to be lifted from the belly, and the hind flippers are folded with a triple interlocking flap sequence. Interestingly, this model requires almost no precreasing at the beginning.
Bull Shark
It is a good challenge to attempt a subject more than once. In this case, I had already designed a great white shark, but felt compelled to design a new species in a different style—22.5°, instead of grid based.
The bull shark is an excellent choice for a subject, with its uniquely aggressive, streamlined form. This model is loosely based on a kite base. I closely focused on the hierarchy and placement of the layers to best mimic the form of this shark. Each edge is positioned to define the muscle structure of the body. Careful observation of this piece will reveal additional hidden symmetries and repetitions within the lines.
Giant Sea Bass
Ever since I encountered the giant sea bass on a dive, I have always wanted to add this species to my collection of designs. I was able to design this fish by forming the tail first, then progressing toward the front of the body. For this model, I maintained a consistent boxpleated style and made sure all the angles and proportions were as accurate as possible. Sometimes strict boxpleating in design can make certain models look unnaturally gridded, but in this case, the angles helped emphasize the bulkiness of this fish.
The presentation of this fish design is what makes this piece stand out. I folded two models and positioned them over a section of manzanita wood. The wooden base contributes greatly to the balanced, natural look of the artwork.
Many Thanks
I have to thank a number of individuals, whose contributions made this book a reality. I could not have done it without them. First is Mai Saito who helped begin the design and layout of the book in the early stages. Second is Dang Chau who carried on the graphic design work through publication. He had the patience to work with me through the many drafts. I cannot thank him enough. In addition to my graphic designers is Kendall Younglund, who was willing to take some of the photos when I was inexperienced at taking photos. I still am. Bruce Gemmell who supported me and test folded the designs every week at the local origami club. And my close friend Michael Wibowo, who helped catch a significant number of errors.