Wet-folding is an origami

Origami

is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, which started in the 17th century AD at the latest and was popularized outside Japan in the mid-1900s. It has since then evolved into a modern art form...

 technique developed by Akira Yoshizawa

Akira Yoshizawa

Akira Yoshizawa was considered to be the grandmaster of origami. He is credited with raising origami from a craft to a living art...

 that employs water to dampen the paper

Paper

Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....

 so that it can be manipulated more easily. This process adds an element of sculpture to origami, which is otherwise purely geometric. Wet-folding is used very often by professional folders for non-geometric origami, such as animals. Wet-folders usually employ thicker paper than would usually be used for normal origami, to ensure that the paper does not tear.

One of the most prominent users of the wet-folding technique was Eric Joisel

Eric Joisel

Eric Joisel was a French origami artist who specialized in the wet-folding method, creating figurative art sculptures using sheets of paper and water, without the use of any adhesive or scissors....

, who specialized in animals, people, and mythological creatures such as fairies. He also created origami masks. Other folders who practice this technique are Robert J. Lang

Robert J. Lang

Dr. Robert J. Lang is an American physicist who is also one of the foremost origami artists and theorists in the world. He is known for his complex and elegant designs, most notably of insects and animals. He has long been a student of the mathematics of origami and of using computers to study the...

 and John Montroll

John Montroll

John Montroll is an American master origami artist and prolific author, well-known by paper-folding enthusiasts throughout the world.-Biography:John Montroll was born in Washington, D.C...

.

The process of wet-folding allows a folder to preserve a curved shape more easily. It also reduces the number of wrinkles substantially. Wet-folding allows for increased rigidity and structure due to a process called sizing. Sizing is a water-soluble adhesive, usually methylcellulose

Methylcellulose

Methyl cellulose is a chemical compound derived from cellulose. It is a hydrophilic white powder in pure form and dissolves in cold water, forming a clear viscous solution or gel. It is sold under a variety of trade names and is used as a thickener and emulsifier in various food and cosmetic...

 or methyl acetate

Methyl acetate

Methyl acetate, also known as MeOAc, acetic acid methyl ester or methyl ethanoate, is a carboxylate ester with the formula CH3COOCH3. It is normally a flammable liquid with a characteristic, pleasant smell like certain glues or nail polish removers. Methyl acetate has characteristics very similar...

 that may be added during the manufacture of the paper. As the paper dries, the chemical bonds the fibers of the paper tighter together which results in a crisper and stronger sheet. In order to moisten the paper, an artist typically wipes the sheet with a dampened cloth. The amount of moisture added to the paper is crucial, because too little will cause the paper to dry quickly and spring back into its original position before the folding is complete, but too much will fray the edges of the paper or will cause the paper to split at high-stress points.

External links

• Mini-documentary about Joisel at YouTube
  YouTube
  YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
  
  
• An illustrated introduction to wet-folding