<p>They're really creases, not true "folds" so the secret I've found is to not try and form them on a flat surface the way you would a straight fold but, instead, fold them in mid-air using your fingers (and nails if you have them) to support and shape the creases.</p>

<ul>
<li>start a crease in the direction you want (mountain or valley) by bending the paper in the desired direction but do not attempt to fold it flush.</li>
<li>use your thumb and forefinger above the paper to create a crease with the middle finger in the crease below it to keep the paper from collapsing completely. </li>
<li>shape the curve as you move along the paper.</li>
<li>go slow and be patient</li>
</ul>

<p>If you want to make really detailed shapes, consider etching the creases in first with a tool.</p>

<p>I found it was easier to start in the center of the curve and work outwards in both directions to achieve the curved shape.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_vLzTloCiQ">Here's a video</a> showing the process... note that, in this case, the creases are pre-etched in since this is a purpose-made piece of paper but you should be able to use the same method without the pre-etching.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-25T20:22:42.340Z
Also note that some folders (e.g. Ekaterina Lukasheva) use digital plotter-like tools for embossing the paper. Machine-embossed lines are of course much more precise than those made by hand.
Michał Kosmulski
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-25T20:23:21.673Z
@MichałKosmulski You can make that an additional answer... certainly seems worthy of it. :)
Catija
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-12T08:50:04.393Z
...or pre-etch using an empty/dried ball-pen.
SF.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-09T20:09:03.403Z
2016-05-09T20:09:03.403Z
Catija
<p>Apart from just carefully folding along the curve with your fingers, following techniques get used:</p>

<ul>
<li>Embossing the line with a pointed object or (better) a used-up ballpoint pen. Folding along such an embossed line results in a relatively smooth fold even if the curve is complex.</li>
<li>For some models (mostly the organic-looking ones), wet folding can allow very smooth lines to be folded. This is sometimes combined with scoring the paper using your fingernails. Daniel Chang uses such a technique for folding his realistic human faces.</li>
<li>Robert J. Lang famously uses a laser tool to score the crease pattern into the paper. I was able to fold from such paper in one of his workshops and the scored line looks a row of tiny perforations which weaken the paper and guide your hand when you fold along the line.</li>
<li>Some folders (e.g. Ekaterina Lukasheva) use digital plotter-like tools for embossing the paper.</li>
</ul>

<p>Machine-embossed lines (the latter two examples) are of course much more precise than those made by hand, but even a line manually scored using a ball point pen can be surprisingly precise.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-25T20:43:27.260Z
2016-05-25T20:43:27.260Z
Michał Kosmulski
<p>I was Googling about, and saw some images of <a href="http://www.graficaobscura.com/huffman/" rel="nofollow">Dr. David Huffman's models</a> and <a href="http://erikdemaine.org/curved/Kentucky/" rel="nofollow">the work of the Demaines</a>, and was curious how one makes curved freehand folds with any precision.  </p>

<p>So much of origami is taught as straight-line, corner-to-corner, or edge-to-edge straight folding. How do you make smooth, curved folds along predetermined lines?</p>

<origami>
How do you make curved folds in origami?
inkista
# How do you make curved folds in origami?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-05-09)

I was Googling about, and saw some images of [Dr. David Huffman's models](http://www.graficaobscura.com/huffman/) and [the work of the Demaines](http://erikdemaine.org/curved/Kentucky/), and was curious how one makes curved freehand folds with any precision.

So much of origami is taught as straight-line, corner-to-corner, or edge-to-edge straight folding. How do you make smooth, curved folds along predetermined lines?

**Tags:** origami


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-05-25. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

Apart from just carefully folding along the curve with your fingers, following techniques get used:

* Embossing the line with a pointed object or (better) a used-up ballpoint pen. Folding along such an embossed line results in a relatively smooth fold even if the curve is complex.
* For some models (mostly the organic-looking ones), wet folding can allow very smooth lines to be folded. This is sometimes combined with scoring the paper using your fingernails. Daniel Chang uses such a technique for folding his realistic human faces.
* Robert J. Lang famously uses a laser tool to score the crease pattern into the paper. I was able to fold from such paper in one of his workshops and the scored line looks a row of tiny perforations which weaken the paper and guide your hand when you fold along the line.
* Some folders (e.g. Ekaterina Lukasheva) use digital plotter-like tools for embossing the paper.

Machine-embossed lines (the latter two examples) are of course much more precise than those made by hand, but even a line manually scored using a ball point pen can be surprisingly precise.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-05-09. Score: 7

They're really creases, not true "folds" so the secret I've found is to not try and form them on a flat surface the way you would a straight fold but, instead, fold them in mid-air using your fingers (and nails if you have them) to support and shape the creases.

* start a crease in the direction you want (mountain or valley) by bending the paper in the desired direction but do not attempt to fold it flush.
* use your thumb and forefinger above the paper to create a crease with the middle finger in the crease below it to keep the paper from collapsing completely.
* shape the curve as you move along the paper.
* go slow and be patient

If you want to make really detailed shapes, consider etching the creases in first with a tool.

I found it was easier to start in the center of the curve and work outwards in both directions to achieve the curved shape.

[Here's a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_vLzTloCiQ) showing the process... note that, in this case, the creases are pre-etched in since this is a purpose-made piece of paper but you should be able to use the same method without the pre-etching.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: ...or pre-etch using an empty/dried ball-pen.  
> **username_2**: Also note that some folders (e.g. Ekaterina Lukasheva) use digital plotter-like tools for embossing the paper. Machine-embossed lines are of course much more precise than those made by hand.  
> **username_1**: @username_2 You can make that an additional answer... certainly seems worthy of it. :)  

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