A Cat in its Essence

Origami USA posted on its website a gallery with beautiful pictures of origami models published in calendars of 2005 and 2006. Scanning through the gallery, a photo of a cat created by Hiroaki Takai (Japan) caught my attention. I loved the simple, elegant lines of this model, which evokes the essence of a cat with such few folds.

Takai’s original cat is the yellow one, folded from a ratio 2:3 rectangle. The black cat is my variation, folded from a 1:2 rectangle.
I worked with thick Canson paper. (No video tutorial or diagrams available at the moment)

My choice color honors my niece’s cats, which are having a birthday these days. The male cat, Tjap, is yellow, and the female cat, Tjoy, is black.

black and yellow cats

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8 thoughts on “A Cat in its Essence”

  1. this model is one of my favourite cat models !
    I love origami when it’s stylisyed at the extrem. the title of your article is very true.

    Reply
  2. Hi! I just have to write you now, because I LOVE your black cat! I’m a beginner in origami and I tried so hard to fold it, but i can’t (the yellow one is quite easy) … Please, can you give some advices who to fold the black cat? That would be sooo great!

    Simone

    Reply
    • Hi Simone,
      Thank you for your interest. I quote here what I have stated as another comment to this post:
      “I’m sorry I do not have diagrams or instructions to share. All I can tell you is that I used paper whose proportions were 1 unit by 2 units (for example: six inches by twelve inches) and swiveled the head in a way that the rest of the body could be set in a vertical position.
      I’m not too happy about the tail, and I feel I need to work on it a little more to be worth making a video about it. I think this is a cat still in process… I recommend you play with how its head can be moved. By doing this, you can arrive at an upright cat with no tail, but still effective. As for paper, I have been successful using Canson paper.”

      Reply
  3. Hi! I found your blog fairly new and really like the fact that you try to help us with your videos on every new pattern. I like diagrams too but videos are always the best. So thank you:)
    Love the first cat but I think yours is better :) Was wondering if you plan to add that cat’s diagram too? I would love to fold it as a surprise for one of my cat-lover friend .

    Reply
    • Hi Newrum,
      Thank you for your input and nice message. Regarding the upright cat… I’m sorry I do not have diagrams or instructions to share. All I can tell you is that I used paper whose proportions were 1 unit by 2 units (for example: six inches by twelve inches) and swiveled the head in a way that the rest of the body could be set in a vertical position.
      I’m not too happy about the tail, and I feel I need to work on it a little more to be worth making a video about it. I think this is a cat still in process… I recommend you play with how its head can be moved. By doing this, you can arrive at an upright cat with no tail, but still effective. As for paper, I have been successful using Canson paper.

      I’m planing a video for a cat, not this one for the moment, but I’ll keep it in mind!

      Reply
  4. Pingback: origami cats | modcatlove

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