6/2/2020 Origami/Techniques/Yoshizawa-Randlett system - Wikibooks, open books for an open world

Origami/Techniques/Yoshizawa-Randlett
system
Many origami books begin with a description of basic origami techniques which are used to construct
the models. The folds are normally described using the Yoshizawa-Randlett diagramming system.
There are two main types of origami symbol, lines and arrows.[1] The arrows show how the paper is
bent or moved. Lines show various types of edges:

A thick line for the edge of the paper

A dashed line for a valley fold
A dashed and dotted line for mountain folds (there may be one or two dots per dash depending on
the author)
A thin line for a previous fold
A dotted line for a previous fold that's hidden, or sometimes a fold that's not yet made.

Paper representation

Side color

Crease

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Invisible line

Operations

Valley fold

Mountain fold

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Fold and unfold valley

Fold and unfold mountain

Pleat fold

Pull

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Inside crimp fold

Outside crimp fold

Inside reverse fold

Outside reverse fold

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Open

Sink

Inflate

Roll

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Cut

Repeat action

View

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Rotate

Turn over

Zoom in

Zoom out

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There are some symbols that have been used by some authors but are not accepted into the
Yoshizawa-Randlett system. Robert Lang has introduced a “view from here” symbol that looks like an
eye which has proven to be very useful, especially with his signature three-dimensional models.

View from here

Several different methods have been introduced to point out to the folder to pay attention to a certain
spot; these range from a letter or number to a circle, dot, or other geometric symbol.

References
1. Peter Engel (1989). Origami from Anglefish to Zen. Dover. p. 8. ISBN 978-0486-28138-4.

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This page was last edited on 30 September 2017, at 18:17.

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