Next Meeting - Saturday 10th December 2005 at 2.00pm

The next meeting is on the second Saturday of the month. This will be in the foyer of The Queen Elizabeth Hall, which is located immediately adjacent to The Festival Hall, on The South Bank.

See details of location

November meeting report

This months challenge was Dr Who the long running BBC tv series about a time traveller. Both Steve Brown and Robin Glynn created K9 the robotic companion of the Tom Baker incarnation of the Doctor. Both Peter Buchan and Paul Hanson tried their hand at a Dalek, both multi part models. Peter also produced a number of the creatures from the new series of Dr Who; the Consciousness of the Autons, a Sleveen, a ghost and the time feeding flying dinosaur (Vortasour) from Big Finish's 'Storm Warning' (reviewed below) which also made a TV appearance in the new series. Both Phil Swinbank and Robin created a Tardis. Finally Paul Hanson more inspired by Big Finish's audio adventures than the Current TV series created the 8th Doctor (Paul McGann), together with his companion Charlie (Charoltte Pollard - the Victorian adventuress) armed with her weapon of choice.

Models taught included Gay Merrill Gross' 'Quickie' rose and leaf; and a Dish created by Philp Shen all taught by Steve. Louise Mabbs showed a colourful fabric curtain made from squares of cloth folded into an origami design. Louise is including this and other designs in a book which is currently in the final stages of production.

Pauline the BOS librarian visited us and the arrangements for an outpost library were discussed and this is explained later in the newsletter.

Folding challenge No. 20 - Christmas or Christmas "Bah Humbug"

By all means be traditional, but satirical interpretations most welcome.

If you are not within the LondonOrigami area, you are still welcome to have a go at the challenge. Send us your results as described below.

If you would like to have a go at the challenge but can not make it to the meeting we would still like to see your model. Either email us with a photo or you can post it to Steve Brown (address in the BOS mailing list). Only packages which can be posted through a standard UK letter box will be accepted. Do not send your only copy of a model. And they can not be returned without an S.A.E. Alternatively model diagrams, to meet the current challenge, could be sent to us (email or post). Such diagrams will not be posted on the website etc. your copyright will be respected.

We have compiled a list of subjects for future challenges. If you have an idea for a challenge - email us now!

Have a go, even if you do not normally create models — this may be the inspiration you need.
The following provide useful information on designing models.

Wayne's - Creating Origami - (This site has dissapeared - does anyone know whether it still exists at a new address?)
David Petty's - Creating Origami
Lionel Albertinos lessons from Design in Origami
David Brill on creativity from British Origami Society Magazine 101
Martin Wall on creativity from British Origami Society Magazine 102
Robert Lang on creativity from British Origami Society magazine 128
Interview with Eric Joisel from British origami Society magazine 189

Book - Creative Origami by Kunihiko Kasahara Chapter V - (15 page guide to creating)

Book - Origami from angel fish to Zen by Peter Engel - (This book delves deeply into the thought process behind creating origami designs and compares this to the creative process in other arts)

Book - Origami Design Secrets - by Robert Lang (This book is the most complete description of origami design principles)

The Annual Challenge - Gerry Anderson

This challenge is due to end in March 2006, there is still time to add more models. No one has come up with a design of Thunderbird 3 or 5, the Mole or Firefly; can you do it?

The annual challenge is based upon a well supported monthly challenge and expanded with the idea of producing a display for a BOS convention. A theme will be chosen each year which was both well supported and has further potential for expansion. The first theme will be Gerry Anderson. London members are invited to add further models to the theme and all the models will be brought together under the heading of LondonOrigami on the convention display tables.

We have created a list of models already completed and subjects for further models. If you would like to contribute send us the name of the model you wish to make and we will add it to the list. This is to avoid more than one version of a model being made. See list

Falcon Jet (Angel aircraft)
from the New Captain Scarlet

Creased Lines

Many of you may have seen Rikki Donachie's origami cartoons - however, some of you may not have seen them before. Can we encourage him to do a series 2?

So we are turning to you - only those with the heart of origami can save the day. If you have a gag idea for Ricky to draw, send it to us. And we will consider reviving the series.

Send in your ideas

Artwork © Rikki Donachie

New computer desktop pictures on the BOS Website

The British Origami Society website have a new section devoted to desktop pictures of origami. Many of the images featured in this new section are the work of LondonOrigami members.

Desktop pictures

Dracula Folding animation

Robin Glynn has produced an animation of the folding sequence for his Dracula model.

Dracula

Mark has created a new website freaturing his origami work.

Visit the site

Muzak for origami

Do you listen to music when you do origami? Are you soothed or even inspired to create in a mellow melodic whisper of rippling creases? LondonOrigami would like to (exclusively) uncover this hither to unspoken folding phenomenon. Here we present a selection of specially chosen music. Would you like to tell us of your own favourites? email us with your reviews.

Dr Who - The Big finish adventures

This issue we decided to take a break from our usual review of music to fold with and bring you a review of some audio plays which fit neatly into this months Dr Who theme. You can also fold whilst listening.

There is much speculation regarding why Dr Who disappeared from our TV screens, during the time that Sylvester McCoy was cast as Dr Who. It is however undeniable that intentional comical elements were introduced to the storylines which caused viewers to turn off (Remember the dolly mixture monster?) An attempt was then made to revive the series with an American company and Paul McGann was cast as the Doctor but he only ever appeared in one TV show. However his adventures did not disappear entirely.

A company called Big Finish productions obtained the rights to continue the adventures of Dr Who in audio format and have now produced over Seventy new adventures available on CD. They have used the original actors who have played the Doctor and most of the episodes (eighteen) have used Paul McGann. Recently BBC Radio 7 have broadcast some of the Paul McGann episodes.

There are key elements which all the successful Dr Who actors have in common; A charismatic character, a sense of authority and dependability and dress sense that places him out of time in present day England. Paul McGann’s costume was less flamboyant than some of his more recent predecessors, but the bohemian/Victorian styling placed his appearance equally out of time.  It was perhaps a nod towards H.G. Wells, the original writer of the time machine story. What these new audio adventures show is that he was perfectly cast as the Doctor.

Big Finish productions have also taken the Dr Who world and looked at the elements that made it work; Gallifrey his home world, the Daleks, and his companions. They have taken each of these elements and expanded them.

Gallifrey the home world of the time lords has numerous storyline possibilities and the audio adventures delve deep into this world, we see the legends of the origins of the time lords, why they exist in the universe, their technology such as battle Tardis, and vortasours - flying dinosaur creatures who devour the essence of time. 'Ah we used to ride these at the academy', says the Doctor to his new companion.

Big finish productions have created a new companion for the audio adventures. Charlotte Pollard (known as 'Charley') is described as a Victorian adventuress. Big Finish productions have created a companion for the 21st century. She is not merely there for decoration; she is full of personality and is an interesting character in her own right. The Doctor encounters her on the R101 airship which history says was destroyed with no survivors. Saving her therefore has repercussions for him throughout the Big finish series as it causes a scar in time first hinted at when the vortasaurs are particularly attracted to feed on time disturbances around Charlie - but this is only the beginning.

Big Finish have also made some spin off serials; Dalek Empire and Gallifrey. Both these elements of Dr Who were popular, I have not sampled theses, but their potential sounds interesting. A third spinoff is Dr Who Unbound. In this series appears a new Dr Who, the premise here is that this Doctor is not bound by the constraints of being unable to change history.

Big Finish productions have made a very good job of extending the adventures of Dr Who, they show what potential lies in the Dr Who universe when handled well.

Paul Hanson

The next BBC 7 broadcast featuring Paul McGann as Dr Who is on 10th December 8pm 2005 - For details click here.

BOS Model collection - diagram correction

The BOS Autumn 2005 Model collection (Lancaster) includes the diagrams for the Fireball XL5 model. It has recently been discovered that an error occurs in the diagrams.

Step 4 for the capsule section. all the folds should be inside reverse folds. The diagrams imply they are only mountain folds.

Visit the BOS Shop

• If you are a beginner it is useful to see how other people fold models.
• If you are having difficulty with a model perhaps someone else can help.
• We are fortunate in the London area to have a number of enthusiasts who design models; therefore a new model appears at most meetings together with diagrams.
• If you design models yourself the meetings are an opportunity to test diagrams and receive feedback on your design.
• Perhaps you would like to create your own models but don't know where to start - others will be able to give you some advice.
• Borrow books from The British Origami Societies library - a selection of books will be brought along to most meetings.
• Order a book to borrow from the Librarian and collect it at the meeting.
  
• Ultimately Mini meetings are an opportunity to meet other origami enthusiasts.
  
  We hope to see you there.
  
  If you have any questions please contact Steve Brown (Tel. No. is in the BOS Magazine), or send an e-mail.
  
  

Websites created by London members

In this section we are featuring the web sites of members in the London area. If you have a web site please send us the link.

Imperial College London Origami Society

Robin Glynn

The Fire Engineer - Adventures in fire safety (includes Lisa's origami page) by Paul Hanson

Mark Bolitho's Creaselightning

The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the British Origami Society.

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