Finding paper

Specialist shops often sell packets of square, thin origami paper from Japan, brightly colored on one side and white on the reverse. These papers are convenient to use, but can sometimes be expensive. Artists' supply stores and good stationers occasionally sell locally manufactured origami paper at a better price, though quality cannot be guaranteed.

If you are unable to buy special origami paper, any paper which can take a crease without cracking or unfolding is suitable. Good papers for practicing on include typing paper, writing paper, brown wrapping paper, photocopy paper or computer paper. For making origami displays the best papers include gift-wrap papers (useful because they have a pattern or color on one side and are white on the other), colored photo¬copy paper and any attractive papers and paperbacked metallic foils found in artists' supply stores or stationers. Even thicker water-absorbent papers such as Ingres (Strathmore) paper or watercolor paper ore suitable if lightly dampened before folding. Unsuitable papers are newspaper, paper towels, tissues and coated papers such as poster paper, as the colored pigment cracks when folded.

If you cannot find papers with a different color on either side, lay two different colored sheets back to back and fold them as one layer. Do not glue them together.