How to fold the Blade Runner origami unicorn (1996)

(web.archive.org)

233 points | by exvi 3 days ago

12 comments

  • sts153 8 hours ago
    • noughtnaut 13 minutes ago

      I'm having problems interpreting step 23, to arrive at 24.

      The archived Japanese instruction wants to unfold the paper entirely, and then ... what? I'm stumped.

      • comonoid 1 hour ago

        "Diagrammed by Kenneth Thompson". The name sounds familiar...

        • Wistar 5 hours ago

          Thanks. These are waaay better instructions.

        • saalweachter 8 hours ago

          I used to fold an origami unicorn design by Marc Kirschenbaum. I can't find any instructions on the Modern Internet, but I used to fold it out of gum-wrappers while sitting in class.

          The unicorn from the film itself wasn't "true" origami, being a prop consisting of several pieces glued together, but it really popularized the idea of an origami unicorn and a number of the current designs were prompted by it.

          • shevy-java 3 hours ago

            Are we losing old websites like that?

            I actually was unaware that this warranted a website. When I was young, I had one origami book. I completed it to about 40%; wasn't too bad but was far away from being really good. Origami is quite an art. These days I tend to watch youtube videos more than look at oldschool books but I loved that old handbook. Never folded a unicorn though.

            • puttycat 6 hours ago

              I recently picked up an origami book and started practicing in dull moments. I highly recommend it for anyone struggling with phone addiction.

              • MrPapz 6 hours ago

                Can you share any tips on good origami books for beginners?

                • puttycat 5 hours ago

                  The nice one I found randomly in a store is by Adeline Klam. (originally in French, but I see there's an English version)

              • chao- 5 hours ago

                I used to do origami obsessively in my youth, and recently picked it up again while spending time with my nephew. I'll have to give this one a go!

                • 21asdffdsa12 8 hours ago

                  Its not foldable from one paper sheet?

                  • jcl 6 hours ago

                    Correct… they “cheated” a little to make the props for the movie. There are other designs for single-sheet unicorn, winged unicorn, and Pegasus — particularly the ones from John Montroll — but they look a bit different from the movie props, and are harder to fold.

                    https://johnmontroll.com/books/dragons-and-other-fantastic-c...

                  • bisby 6 hours ago

                    https://web.archive.org/web/20071017100610fw_/http://cgi.lin...

                    On the final page it has a link to the "How to fold from a single sheet"

                    • skrebbel 6 hours ago

                      Okay?

                      • IAmBroom 5 hours ago

                        Origami by definition is folded from a single, square sheet.

                        • skrebbel 4 hours ago

                          When people write a statement and then tack on a question mark they force people to guess what they mean. Is it a typo? Is it an observation and the question mark is supposed to somehow signal disapproval? Or is it an actual question, with a little grammar error that's not uncommon for non-native English speakers?

                          Maybe this is just me being weird but I simply don't understand why people think a question mark means ", and that's stupid for obvious reasons that I can't be bothered to spell out and therefore I disapprove".

                          Admittedly my reply was even worse so yeah, pot, kettle.

                  • ge96 7 hours ago

                    Interesting it starts off the same as a crane

                    • etrvic 6 hours ago

                      As many origami folds do, I believe

                      • the_af 6 hours ago

                        Am I the only one who starts folding an origami design, gets distracted, and somehow ends up with either a crane or a frog?

                        • IAmBroom 5 hours ago

                          I got a rock.

                          • munificent 4 hours ago

                            I always end up with a Frank Gehry building.

                            • ge96 3 hours ago

                              Wow those are trippy like a building going through a dimensional rift or something

                              Some you could call a Dr. Seuss house the ones more boxy in appearance than curved

                      • Obscura- 54 minutes ago

                        Very Cool

                        • kittikitti 7 hours ago

                          Thank you for sharing, I really enjoy origami and look forward to learning this fold.

                          • lovegrenoble 8 hours ago

                            Nice

                            • mbfg 3 hours ago

                              Now we need the 1 cut and fold algorithm.

                              • notorandit 6 hours ago

                                Where is Bladerunner mentioned?

                                • Aardwolf 2 hours ago

                                  It does reference it in links on the 'COMPLETE' page