The origami crease pattern has an ancient history, going back to the very beginnings of origami itself. Before there were step-by-step diagrams, there were crease patterns, which served, variously, as a guide to the folder, and as decorative item form in itself. Even today, the fold-dyed paper known as itajime-washi reveals its initial crease pattern whether folded, flat, or however used. Today, however, they provide a glimpse into the mind of the origami creator, whether you are an origami artist seeking to replicate (or approximate, or build upon, or go beyond) another's work, or simply an aficionado of pattern, form, symmetry, and/or beauty. The sections linked from this page provide an entree into the world of origami crease patterns, whatever your interest or motivation.
- Crease Patterns as Art — Since the beginning of the technical revolution in the world of origami in the 1960s, the rapidly growing complexity of origami crease patterns has made them interesting and beautiful as standalone artworks. This page shows some of my own explorations into artistic crease patterns since the turn of the new millenium.
- Crease Patterns for Folders — To a small, but growing, number of origami artists, crease patterns can serve as something more than a hint, less than a guide, for how to fold a figure. If you're interested in getting into crease patterns, this page contains some thoughts and useful links.
- Crease Pattern Gallery — Forget the discussion, just show me the crease patterns! This page contains a gallery of all crease patterns on the site, along with the folded works that they correspond to.
