Origami Christmas Tree – Modular Design

Here is a Pictorial to make up the squares. I used painted book paper squares for the tree, but I am using plain book paper to show the technique I used.

Slits were cut on the back of each square to thread the string through.

I used coarse string to create enough friction to keep the shapes from slipping down and out of position.
The tree was laid out on the floor before each string was threaded.

The rod at the top of the mural was made from a large rectangle of waste paper, rolled obliquely into a long paper rod and secured with some wood glue.

Each string was knotted around the paper rod. Colourful tissue paper squares were inserted inside some of the shapes.
Next  I’ll tell you about painting the book paper and the pattern I randomly printed on some of the squares.

 The paint layer softens and almost hides the underlying print and gives the paper a lovely firm handle.

  Each square was covered with a layer of white acrylic paint on both sides.

I rolled the acrylic paint on to some good quality recycled paper with a sponge roller. To speed the drying process up, I placed the painted sheets in my thermo-fan oven for a few minutes.  I only just switched the oven on, relying more on the moving air than the gentle heat.

Afterwards I put the squares out to cool

Once the squares were folded  I printed them with a simple pattern.  I made up a Collagraph plate – so named because of the collaged materials that created the patterned print.

I used thick cardboard, and wound small string coils, which I glued on the corners. I sealed the string and cardboard with diluted wood glue.  When this was dry, I brushed paint onto the coils, and then printed them onto the squares.

 When all is said and done, the Origami Christmas Tree can be flat packed in a shoe box until next year!