Basic folds

Most of the designs that you will learn will use a square piece of paper ? and most will be done with origami paper, so the directions will show a colored (or gray side to indicate color) and a white side.

Also, most patterns will have an arrow that points you in the direction of where the fold should go. We have talked about the different types of arrows earlier in the book.

The following folds are reasonably simple. It may take a while to get the terminology down, and the way they show up on the directions, but with a little bit of practice you will most certainly get the hang of it.

There are 10 folds you should know as an apprentice origami artist, but two (or three) that you should become very familiar with. All of the folds are:

* Valley fold
* Mountain fold
* Petal fold
* Rabbit ear fold
* Squash fold
* Inside reverse fold
* Outside reverse fold
* Crimp fold
* Sink fold

We'll go through all of these in some detail, and they will get you well on your way to making some of the fantastic creations you see in origami.

After mastering these basic folds you should learn the basic bases. It is from these bases that most creations are made and knowing them can give you an infinite base on which to build your skills.

The main bases you should learn are:
Preliminary Base
Fish Base
Bird Base
Waterbomb base

Bases are important

Bases are like the foundation for a house ? if they aren't built very well, then the chances of you building a long lasting piece of origami decrease.

Practice your bases so you can make the best origami designs. You will need good knowledge of these bases as we move into the next chapter on making some of your favorite pieces.

Jeremy Hansen is a recognized expert on everything Origami and author of the book "Origami Secrets Revealed: Everything You Need To Know And More". For more great information like this you can check out his website at http://www.m5info.com/origamisecrets.html