Mind-Blowing Kusudama Origami - by Byriah Loper (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Discover the intricate world of modular Kusudama paper folding!

Kusudama are elaborate geodesic spheres assembled from many small folded pieces of paper. They were originally used to hold incense in Japanese Buddhist temples. Modern Kusudama consist of dozens of colorful papers folded and fitted together to form ornate spherical sculptures.

In this exciting new book, master paper folder Byriah Loper presents 30 of his own original and spectacular Kusudama creations, including:

• Capstone: a spiky sphere resembling a sea urchin
• Ortygia: an unusual cube-shaped Kusudama
• Shakespeare: an elaborate model resembling a ball of flowers
• Trallia: a ball with petal-like projections that looks like a huge chrysanthemum
• Plus many other incredible models!

Assembling Kusudama is an exciting challenge, however Loper's clear diagrams and detailed, step-by-step photos and instructions make the art accessible to anyone even if you have no prior origami paper folding experience. And the astonishing finished pieces are well worth the effort!

Review Quotes

"This wonderful book contains 30 stunning kusudamas with very interesting and original names designed by Byriah Loper. Each of them is unique and elegant. The book shows you how to fold each of them with colorful and easy to read diagrams...Highly recommended for all the kusudama lovers." --Mariela Recinos (@origamimaniacs)

Praise for Loper's previous book:
"Paper-folding enthusiasts and math fans will likely find this book a welcome challenge..." --Booklist

"...a must-have for low intermediate to complex folders for its uniqueness, easy-to-understand directions, visual clarity, and creative mind-blowingness." --Origami USA's "The Paper"

"Mind Blowing Modular Origami is definitely one of the most interesting origami books I've ever seen and I'd highly recommend it." --Origami.me blog

"It was soothing to fold each unit repetitively, and it was also a fun challenge to tackle the assembling, sort of like working on a puzzle...I recommend this book to any origami enthusiasts, but especially those who enjoy modular origami!" --Yuki's Origami blog

"Loper's models take patience, persistence, and skill, and are best suited to experienced origami artists who are looking for a unique and eye-catching challenge." --Library Journal

"This book has easy to follow instructions to make some amazing polyhedra origami projects." --Crafty Moms Share blog

"This book lives up to its title--and is ideal for those who are up for a fascinating origami challenge. Congrats to Byriah Loper on his cosmic constructions!" --The Papercraft Post blog

About the Author

Byriah Loper is an origami artist known for his spectacular modular works and pleated tessellations. His interest in origami began early with the discovery of a paper airplane calendar, which inspired him to try more complicated folding projects. Loper soon discovered modular origami and has since designed and folded over 1,000 original works. He was a featured artist in the Surface to Structure exhibition at the Cooper Union school in New York in 2014, the Origami Universe exhibition at the Chi Mei Museum in Taipei in 2016, and the Into the Fold exhibition at the Science Museum in Oklahoma City in 2018. He has been a guest instructor at the annual OrigamiUSA convention and the Origami Tsunami Convention, has presented and exhibited his work at various universities and has developed artworks for banks and private commissions. Byriah lives in Wilmore, Kentucky.