This pre-columbian origami frog was inspired by a visit to the Gold Museum (Museo del Oro) in my native Bogotá, Colombia.
The museum collection illustrates the social and cultural life of many different groups of people such as Muiscas or Chibchas, who lived in what is now known as Colombia from approximately 500 BCE until the time of the European Conquest.
Frogs were a recurrent theme of these Pre-columbian cultures and often featured on pendants, pins, necklaces and bracelets.
Frog Folding Paper
This frog can be folded from many different kinds of paper including kami, or even a page from a magazine. But to fold the frog as a pin or a pendant I needed a paper with specific characteristics:
- The paper couldn’t be too thin.
- It needed to take creases well.
After a bit of experimenting, I discovered that Tant and Stardream papers satisfied both requirements and come in a variety of beautiful colors. Stardream includes some gorgeous golden tones.
Each one of the golden frogs in the photographs was folded from a square red piece of Stardream (3 x 3in.). After folding, a couple of shellac glazes were applied followed by gilding with 23 carat gold leaf. For an antique look, the gilding process leaves some tiny gaps through which the red of the paper shows through.
My husband, an expert in antique furniture restoration, taught me the gilding process. I have to admit it was a bit disconcerting to see flakes of real gold drifting all about my work table, but I think the result was worth the effort and anxiety. Please note that some finished frog pins are available at my Etsy store.
In celebration of World Origami Days (Oct 24 to Nov 11), I’d like to share a video on how to fold this pre-columbian style origami frog.
Diagrams: Published in Creased Magazine, issue 4
Have you folded this frog?
Leave us a link if you have posted a photo in the internet
or share with us a comment on how you liked it.
This is fantastic, just what I was looking for, for the intro to my animation of Aesop’s “The Frogs Who Wanted A King”, will send you the youtube link in about a week. Thank you!!!!!
Hola, me gustaría saber que clase de barniz es apropiado para dar brillo y dureza a las figuras de origami, cuando se hacen para bisutería, de antemano te doy las gracias por atender mi pregunta.
Un besito
Lucía
Estimada leyla: muy interesante el video para hacer la rana, a mi me gusta leer digramas, más que ver los videos, tenés algunos que me puedan ser de utilidad, el de los corazones ya me lo hice. si tenés l de la rana te lo agradecería. Yo te mandé mi mail, para recibir novedades pero nada me ha llegado, sólo te ubico por el facebook. Cariños Micaela Baroni
Hola Micaela,
Gracias por tu interés. En un futuro he de ofrecer algunos diagramas para la venta. Si te suscribiste muy recién y aún no te han llegado notificaciones de nuevos artículos es por que ando en unas cortas vacaciones y no he publicado nada nuevo. Ya los recibirás. Pero te invito a que explores los archivos de artículos publicados en Origami Spirit.
Sigue este enlace: https://www.origamispirit.com/es/privacidad-2/
Hay más de 150 publicados en español que puedes explorar por lo pronto.
Here is mine!
Click on this link: The frog dreams about love by Ekaterina
The frog dreams about love… (like in farytale)
Absolutely love your frog!
Thank you for sharing Ekaterina. Lovely composition and great folding!
That is so cute! I can’t wait to fold it. :-D
How delightful! :)
Thank you Ryynette!
what a beautiful model, leyla! thank you very much for sharing!
happy folding!
evi
Thank you Evi.
Hello Leyla,
Thank you for sharing the instructional video for this frog. I did give your model a try and this is the outcome: http://origamiancy.com/2011/11/pre-columbian-style-origami-frog-design-by-leyla-torres/
I liked the simple and easy to follow folding sequence for the model and the fact that no shaping is required.
Great Ancella, it looks terrific and the paper is perfect.