Want your own spaceship, but don't have the cash?
Make this one for (almost) free
Happy, Friday. I wanted to share a little joy this week, so read on to get a free download to make an easy origami spaceship. As always, no strings attached - when I say free, I mean free. But one request: please share this post and the link with anyone who might be interested in this fun little project (i.e., art, math, and science teachers plus curious souls of all ages). It has great STEAM education potential with art, design, and geometry - folded inside. ~JRC
We will get back to the moon, to Mars, and beyond. But alas, I’m using the “royal we,” as in “humanity.” Truth is, most of us alive today won't be on the crew or even passenger list for any of these missions. More grounding still - almost none of us will ever own a real space-worthy spaceship (aside from Musk, Bezos, Branson, et. al.).
I know, what a downer.
But try to not let any of this discourage you. After all, the next best thing to going to space is something any of us can do, regardless of means. That’s right; we can imagine it.
And what better way to ignite imagination’s rockets than with your own (extremely affordable) stand-in starcraft.
What I’m talking about is this - the origami spaceship.
I know, I know. This folded piece of paper won't be lifting anyone - or anything - into the heavens. But it is an inspirational little design. Every time I craft one, it gets me dreaming of the stars.
Who knows; perhaps making one will expand your horizons too.
First, a bit of back story.
A childhood friend, Chris, showed me how to fold this origami spaceship when we were in the fourth (or was it fifth?) grade. Chris had gone away to Texas a few years before, and when he returned, he was all into Japanese culture, including anime, manga, and, of course, origami. Japan via Texas? Stranger things have happened, to be sure.
Anyway, not many kids were knowledgeable of such things in my rural Midwestern town, so Chris was quite the novelty, especially for a sci-fi-crazed kid like me.
Eager to learn his newfound skills for myself, and Chris being friendly and willing to share, we spent a few recesses mastering the folds for this, my first-ever origami sculpture.
After I got the hang of it, we folded dozens during recess, and along with a few other friends, each and all decorated their creations with pencil and marker. Finally, after assembling these space-worthy squadrons, we staged sorties and battles, often using rubber bands to shoot down the enemy.
Made from little more than paper and imagination, this self-crafted origami spaceship became one of my favorite toys.
After high school, Chris and I went our separate ways, but I've never forgotten him or that origami spaceship. I've folded thousands of them since those days long ago - literally thousands.
Even now, at the ripe old age of [REDACTED], I'll fold them out of any paper handy. I've made them from restaurant napkins, receipts, and even chopstix wrappers. FYI - folding one from unsolicited junk mail is cathartic (speaking from experience).
If I want to while away a few minutes (or hours), I can fold up one or several of these spaceships. I fold them when bored, like in lectures and meetings. Heck, I fold them when I’m not bored; it’s that much fun. (I've even been known to fold them on dates, often to impress - but occasionally to escape).
It’s a great way to be transported far, far, away, no matter where you are or what else you’re doing.
As you might expect, I recently taught my son how to make them. And he fell in love with the little spaceship as I did. Sharing the design, and seeing him light up with imagination - one of the best parts of fatherhood.
This last week, as he and I made a few of these origami treasures, we experimented with decorating them. It’s fun to draw lines on the unfolded paper and then see how and where they turn up on the finished sculpture. Owing to the delightful geometry, straight lines take on intricate patterns as they crisscross the various folds in origami.
While experimenting with designs, it occurred to me that we could draft and print an even more striking pattern using a computer. So I spent a few hours drawing and prototyping using LibreOffice Draw (it’s an open-source drawing program akin to Adobe Illustrator - without the absurd price tag). After quite a bit of drafting, printing, folding, and refining, I came up with the pattern featured in this story.
I rather like it. So much so that I thought it would be fun to share my plan and template with others. So I drew up some wordless IKEA-esque step-by-step instructions, and together with the design on one sheet, I'm making these freely available to anyone interested.
You can find the downloadable PDF under my website's "free stuff" tab:
I've also decided this will be a fun "free art" project.
What’s free art? Well, many artists and other creative types like to make things and then leave them in public spaces for others to receive and enjoy. I've wanted to do something like this for a while but didn't have an idea to share. but these precious origami spaceships are so much fun, cheap, and easy to make. So I think I’ll give them a try as free art and see if anyone takes an interest.
I love the idea of this. Origami - of any design - inspires curiosity; anyone who picks one up soon opens it to see how it’s made. With my printed version of the origami spaceship, whoever discovers one will find the how-to instructions neatly printed inside. What a bonus, I’d say.
I do hope you give it a try. Tip - you don't have to print the design or instructions at first. It might be best to practice a few times by looking at the instructions on your computer screen. Once you get the hang of it, with some scrap paper (i.e., the aforementioned junk mail), then go ahead and invest the ink and fresh paper for another one.
Whatever you do, please make one of these paper sculptures with anything you have handy. As I said, it's virtually free. And easy. And oh, so much fun!
Until next time - godspeed.
JRC
If you do make one, and I know you will (right?!), please share with me your creations in pics or words. I'd love to see what you create. Who doesn't want their own spaceship, after all?