Origami and Projection Mapping

I’ve been doing creative workshops with kids and schools for years (with 8-10 years old) and this can be an easy and creative activity to do at home.

All you need to make the sculpture is paper, tape, and a bit of time. :)

For the mapping part, you’ll need a projector and computer to animate your origamis with light.

This tutorial is based my series “Paper and light“.

For this project you will need:

For the origami sculpture:a pile of Paper, some tape and some free time.

For the projection mapping: a video projector, a computer.

PAPER FOLDING: STEPS

STEP 1

STEP 4

STEP 2

STEP 5

STEP 3

STEP 6

Now, make as many as you can.

PART 2: Projection mapping.

In order to demonstrate the principle of projection mapping, I slightly modified the code from Method draw, a tool developed by Mark MacKay. It works in any computer and browser.

https://joanielemercier.com/mapping/

Instructions:

1- Setup your projector

1. Install and plug projector (it must be stable and NOT MOVE at all).
2. Make sure the projection area covers the origami.
3. Focus image.
4. Connect your computer (you may use duplicate or extend mode).

2- Open the mapping tool in a browser (I use chrome) in full screen mode (F11).

On a Mac, it’s “Apple + ctrl + F”.

Select the canvas size on the right, to match your projector resolution (often 1920*1080).

That’s it, you’re all set !

3- Trace the edges

Select the Line tool (shortcut: L).

Place your cursor on a corner,

Click and drag to the next corner. Repeat.

Use Select (V) to select and move elements.

You can save your progress as an .svg file.

Repeat until the entire structure is mapped.

4- Animation mode

When all lines are traced, you can switch to the animation mode:

1. Press “Space” to hide all menus.
2. Press “N” to turn the ‘noise animation’ on. It’s a generative mask that hides some of the lines.

Thanks Patricio Gonzalez Vivo for the shader code !

What else ?