Babylon 5 Origami

Origami 1 to 3 by Louis Patterson
4 and 5 by Danny

  1. Starfury
  2. Male Centauri Head
  3. Battle Crab
  4. Vorlon Ship !!!new!!!
  5. Minbari Cruiser !!!new!!!
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Starfury


Step 1: Take a rectangular (NOT square) piece of paper. Fold in half along both axes.
   +-----------+----------+
   |           |          |
   |           |          |
   |-----------+----------|
   |           |          |
   |           |          |
   +-----------+----------+
Step 2: Fold diagonally so that the axial folds on one side of the paper coincide. Repeat on other side.
               /----+
             / |    |
           /   |    |
         /     |----|
       / |     |    |  
     /   |     |    |
   /     |     |----+
   |     |     |  
   +-----+-----+
Step 3: Unfold: it should look like this
    +-----\-----+-----/----+
    |       \   |   /      |
    |         \ | /        |
   >|-----------X----------|<
    |         / | \        |
    |       /   |   \      |
    +-----/-----+-----\----+
Push in at points labelled < and >. It should then look like this
    +-----\
    |     | \
    |     |   \
    ======|     >
    |     |   /
    |     | /
    +-----/
Step 4 (tricky): push the nose in at # to give a stubby look to the thing
    +-----\
    |     | \
    |     |  |\
    ======|  |  > #
    |     |  |/
    |     | /
    +-----/
Step 5: Cut along lines marked &
     +--\--\
   &  -->\ | \
     |    \|  |
     ======|  |
     |    /|  |
   &  -->/ | /
     +--/---/
Step 6 and last: pull at the wings a bit to give it a three-dimensional shape

Comments: Well, it doesn't look that much like a starfury, but I think it looks ok. It does look better in smaller sizes though (best I've found are those wax paper wrappers you get around some lollies.

If you want to decorate your Starfury, check out the Singapore Starfury Showcase which displays some of the designs found on the Starfuries.


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Male Centauri Head

Step 1: Start with rectangular sheet of paper. For best results, it should probably be slightly taller and narrower in proportion than A4 (unless you want a really low status Centauri).
Fold in half lengthways.
   +--------------------+
   |                    |
   |                    |
   |--------------------|
   |                    |
   |                    |
   +--------------------+
Step 2: Fold corner down parallel to bottom edge.
   +--------\
   |        | \
   |        |   \
   |--------|     \
   |        |       \
   |        |         \
   +--------+-----------\
Unfold and repeat on other side. Unfold again.
   +--------\-----------/
   |          \       / |
   |            \   /   |
   |--------------X-----|
   |            /   \   |
   |          /       \ |
   +--------/-----------\


Step 3: Turn paper over. Fold parallel to short axis at the point where the diagonal lines cross. Unfold, and turn over again.
The paper should look like this, with the diagonal and short-axial folds in opposite directions
   +--------\-----------/
   |          \   |   / |
   |            \ | /   |
   |--------------X-----|<-------
   |            / | \   |
   |          /   |   \ |
   +--------/-----------\
Step 4: Fold up (push at arrow) - will look like this
   +--------\
   |        | \
   |        |   \
   |--------|     >
   |        |   /
   |        | /
   +--------/
Now, enlarged view of front.
   ----\     <--------
       | \
       |   \
       |     \
   ----|       >
       |     /
       |   /
       | /
   ----/     <--------
Step 5: Pull the arrowed corners forward (they should be on separate flaps of paper) to the top of the triangle bit
(Only top half shown, do the same thing to the lower half.)
   ----\
       | \       
       |   \      
       |     \
       |       \
       |     /   \
       |   /   #   \
       | /           \
   ----|===============>
       |    

Enlargement of the point marked #: Fold the little triangle points down towards the centre line on both sides (yes this is how you make a waterbomb, if you know how). Now, the area marked & must fold into a small pocket under the area marked #. This is tricky to do (and even trickier to draw in ASCII). The best way is probably to fold the loose flap along the dotted line, and then to tuck it into the pocket.
              \               
              / \             
            /     \           
          /_________\         
        / \         /:\        
      /     \    #/  :  \     
    /         \ /    : &  \   
   =========================> 
Step 6: Fold the loose sheet of paper around to the back.
Note length of tail depends on the length of the piece of paper
   ----->\--------------+
         | \            |
         |   \          |
         |  /__\        |
         |/  \/  \      |
         |=========>----|
         |\  /\  /      |
         |  \~~/        |
         |   /          |
         | /            |
   ----->/--------------+


Fold arrowed corners behind sheet
                 /---------+
               /           |
             /             |
           /__\            |
         /  \/  \          |
   ===> <=========>--------|
         \  /\  /          |
           \~~/            |
             \             |
               \-----------|
Blow into arrowed point (there should be a little hole, and you may need to make some creases beforehand) you will get
           /----|
         /      |
       /        |
     /          |
   |-----|      |
   |     |      |
   |-----|      |
     \          |
       \        |
         \      |
           \-----
Trim fan of hair to shape (and appropriate status)


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Battle Crab

This one is far harder than the starfury, and somewhat harder than the Male Centauri head. It isn't as hard as it looks if you are moderately competent with origami and can understand my instructions and fairly ordinary asciigrams.

The first four steps are needed to get to a starting point which is common in origami. Essentially the same four steps are taken in origami II (male Centauri head) and I think I explained it better there, so take a look at it for details.

Step 1: Get a square piece of paper. Fold in half horizontally.

Step 2: Unfold. Fold in half diagonally, in the opposite direction. It should look something like this:
   |\
   |  \
   |    \
   |------\          <----- crease.
   |      : \
   |      :   \
   |______:_____\
       ^ another crease,
         but on the other side.

Step 3: Fold along both these creases, in the direction in which they occur. It should look like:
       /|\
     /  |  \
   /    |    \
   \    |    /
     \  |  /<-- flap over this side 
       \|/      (or other side, depending
                on how you folded it)
        ^
        bottom corner
     

Step 4: Reach into the bottom corner (marked in the above diagram) and pull all the layers apart, keeping the flaps attached to the layers. It should look like this:

There should be two separate flaps on each side.

<<END of starter bit>>

          /|\
        /  |  \
      /    |    \
    /______|______\
           ^crease.

Step 5: Fold down point of "arrow" to base. Unfold, leaving crease.
           /|\
         /  |  \   
       /----+----\   <-- crease
     /      |      \ 
   /________|________\

Step 6: Cut all four flaps from the corner of the flap to the point where the central crease meets the horizontal crease. It is possibly easier to cut up the central crease, then crease and cut each flap separately.

It should look like this (apologies for dodgy ascii graphics):

                  _
                 /|\
               /  |  \
             /    |    \
           /      |      \
         /     _ / \ _     \
       /   _ /         \ _   \
     / _ /                 \ _ \
   /_/                         \_\

Step 7: Turn upside down.
   __                           __
   \ \ _                     _ / /
     \   \ _             _ /   /
       \     \ _     _ /     /
         \       \ /       /
           \      |      /
             \    |    /
               \  |  /
                 \|/
                  v


From now on, each flap is dealt with separately, as the same actions are done to each. However, some relationships should be maintained between the various flaps if you want the finished product to look any good.


Step 8: Fold the flaps down near, but not to, the centreline. The angle of this fold is critical; the angles on each side should be the same, and one side should have a larger angle than the other.
   |~~--__ 
   |      |
   ||     |
   ||     |
   | |    |
   | |    |
   |/ |   |  <-- shown as vertical,
   V  |   |      but should slope 
       |  |      outward a bit.
      ^|  |
      | | |
      | | |
      |  ||
      |  ||
      |
This angle represents 
the final angle of the spine.

Step 9: Unfold, then do a reverse fold along the crease. To do this, reach into the flap above the crease and turn that part inside out along the creaseline. Repeat for all four sides.

<No diagram included, since the difference cannot be easily shown using asciigrams. The difference is that in the previous stage, all of the sheets were all on one side, whereas here there is one sheet on one side and another on the other.>


When this is done, you have the basic simple battlecrab. What happens next is rather difficult, especially if you have never done much origami. Also, it is very difficult to describe using only asciigrams and text.

The basic problem with the basic battlecrab is that both the spines and the arms are too thick. The advanced battlecrab fixes this, by halving the width of the arms with a push-fold [I think that's what it's called].


Repeat the following for all four of the flaps cum spines:
        V
   |~~~---___
   |\       | <-- fold this side
   | \      |
   |  \     |
   |  /\    |
   | /  \   |
   |/   ^\  |
   A    | \ |
        |  \|
        |against this side.

Unfold. The line will come against the top line somewhere, at the point marked V. Crease along the line from point A to point V.

<<Tricky>>
Reverse the crease along the spine. Push in the crease into the body of the spine. AT THE SAME TIME, push the A-V crease into the body.

In the adjacent diagram,

   * is centre of paper.      
   : . etc are creases opening towards 
                            the viewer
   | - _ ~ are creases opening away from 
                              the viewer
                    *

                 _|:|:|
               _| : | : |_
             _|  :  |  :  |_
           _|   :   |   :   |_             
         _|    :    |    :    |_         [
]      _|     :     |     :     |_      [
 ]   _|      :      |      :      |_   [
  ] |       :     __|__     :       |_[
   ]~~~---__:_--~~  :  ~~--_:__---~~~[
    ]       |       :       |       [
     ]       |      :      |       [
      ]      |      :      |      [
       ]      |     :     |      [
        ]     |     :     |     [
         ]     |    :    |     [
          ]    |    :    |    [
           ]    |   :   |    [
            ]   |   :   |   [
             ]   |  :  |   [
              ]  |  :  |  [
               ]  | : |  [
                ] | : | [
                 ] |:| [
                  ]|:|[
                   ]|[
                    V

When you have done all this, crease and push in the end of the triangle base to give a good rounded base.


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Vorlon Ship

Step 1: Start with a square piece of paper, preferably Green/White (or another colour combination). Fold in half and re-open across both sides, and both diagonals.
     +-----+-----+
     | \   |   / |
     |   \ | /   |
   A +-----X-----+ B <---- Mountain 
     |   / | \   |    fold this one.
     | /   |   \ |
     +-----+-----+
Step 2: Fold in at A and B, to make a triangle.
         X
       / : \
     /   :   \ 
   /_____:_____\
   `-----'-----'
Step 3: For each of the 4 four flaps:

3a. Push it out to make a diamond shape.

		
          ^         (Larger view)
        //:\\      
      / / : \ \
       /  :  \ 
    _A_\  :  /_B_
         \:/
          X
3b. Fold A and B in to the centre
          ^         (Larger view)
        //:\\      
      / / : \ \
        |\:/|
     _ _|/:\|_ _
         \:/
          X 
Step 4: When all 4 flaps are folded like this, fold each up as far as possible from X without ripping.

Step 5: Fold them slightly out again to make the "petals" of the ship.

Be creative, and modify this further!


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Minbari Cruiser

Step 1: Start with an A4 piece of paper, or one of similar dimensions. Fold in half length-wise and across-wise.

     A        B        C
	+--------+--------+
	|        |        |
	|        |        |
 D	+--------+--------+ E
	|        |        |
	|        |        |
	+--------+--------+
     F        G        H

Step 2: Fold A to meet BG, across a line from B through DE, and re-open. Repeat Similar with C, F and H.
     A         B         C
	+---------+---------+
	|      /  |  \      |
	|\   /    |    \   /|
 D	+--X------+------X--+ E
	|/   \    |    /   \|
	|      \  |  /      |
	+---------+---------+
     F         G         H
Step 3: Fold ADF across X, and re open. Same for CEH.
Step 4: Fold in at X, Along AG & BF.

             Fold in at X, Along CG & BH.

            ^
          / | \
	   /___|___\
 	 /:    |    :\
	X :----|----: X
      \:____|____:/
      R \   |   / S
	     \ | /
           `G'
Step 5: Fold G up behind along RS, to the centre (along XX).

             Fold in half so X meets X, with the folded "G" flap inside.

              /|
            /  |
          /____|
        /:     |
       X :-----|Q
        \:_____|
         `-----'
Step 6: Stick the two flaps at X together. Stick across Q on both sides (not around the back).

Step 7: Fold out the side "fins" at Q. Make the entire thing slightly more 3D.


Voila! You're finished, and can protect a Babylon Station of your own.


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This page is maintained by Alys and was last updated on 16 June, 1997. 1