ORIGAMI: The Base Figures

Fishbase, Birdbase, Extended Birdbase, Waterbomb Base, etc. You've probably heard them before and got yourself thinking what to do next. I did and it happens quite often. Origami folds are essential techniques to do with the craft but there is another thing important; the Base Figures. As the name says, these figures serves as bases to most origami particularly the traditional ones. These things are like the laid out foundations of a structure; prepared and ready to be designed at will. They are rather convenient and are widely used, because they cut you a lot of slack in understanding diagrams. In origami, there are bases that are used to make complicated bases. These kinds of bases are used to make complicated origami, but we'll save that for later. Now let's get started!

Preliminary/Square Base

(precreases & finished product)

Important things to remember:
1) You first do a valley fold the paper into half
2) Then you pre-fold the paper through the middle
3) Use the precrease to squash fold on both sides

Birdbase

Important things to remember:
1) First, make a preliminary base (1st & 2nd fig.)
2) Petal fold the top layer upwards (3rd to 9th fig.)
3) Repeat step 1 on the other side (10th onwards )

Waterbomb Base

Important things to remember:
1) Valley fold the paper into half 2 times (1st fig.)
2) Flip the paper & precrease both sides along the diagonals (2nd fig.)
3) Squash fold both sides (3rd onwards)

Fishbase

Important things to remember:
1) Valley fold the paper into half 2 times (1st fig.)
2) Open the paper & valley fold both sides towards a middle fold (2nd & 3rd fig.)
3) Execute Rabbit Ear Folds with the precreases on both sides (4th onwards)