Under the Fold: An Origami Pro Shares His Secrets
Fynn Jackson shares his design process, favorite paper to use and much more!
Fynn Jackson is an origami sculptor and Etsy paper peddler whose mind-bogglingly intricate creations of folded faces seem like they’re about to come alive and say “Hi.” The Boss chatted with Fynn about his hands-on hobby and tactile triumphs.
Neil Patrick Harris: Hi Fynn. I would love to hear your origin story. You’re like an origami oracle. How did you get into it?
Fynn Jackson: I’ve always been curious. As a child, I learned to juggle, ride the unicycle, and enjoyed collecting seashells while walking barefoot along the beautiful beaches of Cape Town. One day on the train back from school when I was 10, a classmate, one of the older cool kids, saw me making squiggly shapes with my train ticket. He came up to me and showed me how to make a boat from a single uncut sheet of paper. Mind blown! This guy was Yoda, and I was young Skywalker who had just discovered the Force. That was 25 years ago and it feels like I’ve only just started.
NPH: Advice for people looking to get into origami? Other than finding a Yoda or moving to Japan for an apprenticeship?
FJ: If you’re completely new, I’d recommend searching for easy origami tutorials on YouTube. Also, the origami community on Instagram is a thriving world of creative folders and designers. Send us a message and reach out. Every master was once a beginner, but more importantly, every beginner can, with practice, become a master.
NPH: You make a lot of faces. Are you a paper expressionist?
FJ: Let’s face it: I pretty much only fold faces. So here’s the thing, traditional origami is mostly straight lines and two dimensions; sculptural origami, on the other hand, is any folds, curve, straight or in-between…and three dimensions. Masks and faces are the ultimate challenge. Each model is a self-portrait of sorts, allowing me to be happily surprised by the workings of my imagination, sometimes even discovering a little more of who I am in the process.
NPH: Well-played pun, by the way. Don’t think I didn’t notice. Okay, an about face: What’s the best kind of paper you’d recommend to folks for origami?
FJ: If I was stuck on an island and had to choose one kind of paper to bring with me, it would be Canson Mi-Teintes 160 gsm card. For sculptural origami, it’s such a joy to fold. Holds its shape perfectly and allows creative freedom that’s not quite possible with other similar mediums.
NPH: How do you even plan out these amazing designs…? I mean, I can make one of those fortune-teller things, but this is next level.
FJ: The models are designed through improvisation, then refined using an iterative process. It’s essentially just trial and error. I don’t really feel any model is “finished.” Instead, each model feels more like a stepping stone or a snapshot of time in this never-ending journey. The models I sell as artworks are always varnished and coated with shellac as a base. The paper feels hard, almost like plastic, holding its shape perfectly. Then it varies in regards to colors, from simple spray paint to complex layering of gouache, acrylic and gilding paste. Signed and sealed with a clear matte varnish.
NPH: Do you like paper in other facets of life?! Do you read newspapers or magazines, for instance? I love the tactile quality of them, personally.
FJ: I actually have a second hobby of collecting books. I mean…paper! C’mon, how could I resist?
Recommended
Suggested for you
