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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

Click here to learn how to make origami cats and many other origami animals.

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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