Michael Lafosse's Origami Butterflies - by Michael G Lafosse & Richard L Alexander (Mixed Media Product)

Book Synopsis

Fold beautiful papercraft butterflies with this easy origami book.

Whimsical, exquisite and fragile, butterflies and moths have enchanted and inspired people for centuries. Origami artist Michael G. LaFosse is no exception. His original butterfly paper-folding techniques are a dramatic new development in origami--which some have hailed as the most important advance in origami since the first paper cranes appeared centuries ago. Hundreds of LaFosse butterflies have been featured in exhibitions around the world and his iconic designs are now eagerly sought and widely imitated by folding enthusiasts everywhere.

Michael LaFosse's Origami Butterflies presents original paper folding projects from LaFosse's extensive butterfly and moth repertoire, including all his personal favorites. This collection has many rarely-seen origami designs, and several of the models illustrate new technical and design achievements made possible by the ingenious "LaFosse Origami Butterfly Folding System." This exciting new book with accompanying DVD represents the culmination of a lifetime of designing and perfecting the art of origami butterflies. It contains everything you need to create your own unique collection.

This origami book contains

• 112 page, full-color book
• 26 original designs
• Step-by-step instructions
• Colorful diagrams and pictures
• Advanced paper folding techniques and tips
• Accompanying DVD video tutorials
Videos are also streamable or downloadable online

These elegant forms--each created from a single square sheet of paper without cutting or glue--showcase the versatility of the origami folding system. All are deceptively simple, yet provide a solid foundation for creative flights of fancy in the hands of an experienced folder. Clear step-by-step instructions show you how to make hundreds of different variations by making small adjustments to a few key paper folds! Whether dry-folded from recycled candy wrappers or wet-folded from expensive handmade papers, these designs exemplify the best aspects of the paper folder's art today.

Origami butterflies include:

• A Butterfly for Vanessa Gould
• The Butterfly for Robert Lang
• A Butterfly for Eric Joisel
• A Swallowtail for Guy Kawasaki
• The Boston Butterfly
• The Mudarri Luna Moth

All media content is alternatively accessible on the Tuttle Publishing website.

Review Quotes

"LaFosse and Alexander have built up an enviable reputation for producing top quality origami products, carefully and expertly crafted for folders of all levels. Their work is an inspiration." --Nick Robinson, author of Origami Kit For Dummies and World's Best Origami

"LaFosse and Alexander have observed and passionately captured the essence of the butterfly with their exceptional designs. These magnificent butterflies undergo their metamorphosis in the authors' hands." --Reiko Nishioka, Director of Education at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

"Noted origami experts LaFosse and Alexander focus on folded-paper butterflies in this elegant how-to guide. After presenting the basic architecture for an origami butterfly, the authors provide a number of variations, most named after well-known origami enthusiasts. Fully illustrated step-by-step directions for each butterfly are included, and five hours of video instruction are provided on the enclosed DVDs."-- Library Journal

"The combination of butterflies, origami and Michael LaFosse cannot be anything but magical. I guarantee that this book will enchant you." --Guy Kawasaki, author of Enchantment and former Chief Evangelist at Apple

"These pages present a kaleidoscope of colorful origami butterflies. The authors uphold the philosophy of Akira Yoshizawa sensei, who opened LaFosse's eyes to origami's endless possibilities, which you can now also explore." --Dave Brill, former President of the British Origami Society, and author of Brilliant Origami

"This book lends itself well to folders of all levels--including but definitely not exclusively for beginners. The designs are beautiful, elegant, a total eye-catcher." --The Fold blog

"Within a couple of days I folded over a dozen butterflies from the book. It meant less sleep than I need to stay sane, but one or two nights of that are okay. Anyone who's visited an origami convention can probably relate. And it was so immensely fun and energizing to fold those absolutely amazing butterflies." --Origami USA

"You cannot go wrong with any book by these authors, much less with this delightful collection of origami butterflies!" --Origami Spirit blog

About the Author

Michael G. LaFosse has been an origami artist for decades and is considered a leading authority and master of the art. An avid teacher, LaFosse co-founded the Origamido Studio, a learning center and design studio dedicated to the art of origami, and the only place in the world specializing in hand papermaking for the origami artist. LaFosse co-curated Origami Now!, a wildly popular, year-long exhibition at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts. He was also prominently featured in the recent, Peabody Award-winning film, Between the Folds, by Vanessa Gould.

Richard L. Alexander co-founded the Origamido Studio with Michael G. LaFosse in 1996. He has been the chief papermaker since 2003 and is a frequent collaborator with other famous paper artists. Together, Alexander and LaFosse have created dozens of origami exhibitions, and over 70 books, kits and videos about paper and paper arts.