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💗 Origami for Valentine’s Day and our New Beginner Course
Published 26 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader,
In Japan, Valentine’s Day has a slightly different meaning than in many Western countries. It’s traditionally the day when women give gifts, often chocolates, to people around them.
These can be romantic gifts, but also small, thoughtful gestures for friends, colleagues, or family. A month later, on White Day, men return the gesture with a gift of their own.
I’ve always liked this focus on intention rather than grand gestures. It makes Valentine’s Day a nice moment for handmade creations. In this edition, I’m leaning into that spirit.
You’ll find our newly launched Valentine’s origami bundle, a beginner-friendly course to build solid foundations, and an inspiring origami rose by a Japanese artist known for his remarkably realistic flower designs. I’m also sharing two heart-themed tutorials, perfect for simple, meaningful Valentine’s touches.
▶️ New: Origami Beginner Course on Patreon
If you’re new to origami or feel unsure about the basics, we’ve just published a beginner-friendly course to help you get started.
You’ll learn essential folds and techniques, then practice by making a bookmark, a swan, and the traditional origami crane. The course is taught by Boice Wong and is designed to build confidence before moving on to more complex models.
👉 The full course is available on Patreon for both free and paid members.
💗 Paper in Love, A Valentine’s Origami Bundle
We’ve just launched our online shop 🎉, and Paper in Love is our very first release. This Valentine’s bundle features exclusive origami designs by experienced artists, created for gifts, decorations, and small personal touches.
The bundle includes models from easy to intermediate levels, each with high-quality diagrams and folding videos.
This week’s inspiration comes from Naomiki Sato, a Japanese origami artist renowned for his highly realistic roses and floral designs. Many of his roses are folded from pentagons, a distinctive approach that gives his models their natural depth and movement.
Realistic origami roses aren’t easy to fold, but they’re deeply rewarding if you enjoy a challenge. If you’re ready to go further, Naomiki Sato’s book, Origami Roses, is an excellent place to start.
You can also explore more of his work on Instagram or learn about his design approach via OrigamiUSA.
Origami Rose by Naomiki Sato
I hope this edition inspires you to fold something thoughtful, whether it’s for someone you care about or simply for the pleasure of making it by hand.
As always, take your time, enjoy the process, and happy folding.
Florent Fabre
Co-Chief Folding Officer
If you enjoyed this issue, consider joining Origami Friends or forwarding it to someone who might enjoy folding too. It only takes a few seconds. Putting this newsletter together (tutorials included) took our team about 10 hours. Your support means a lot.
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