For my first experiment, I wanted to work on having my material make a full curve. My initial goal was to use cardboard and tape two external rib-like to my back so they would open and close across the chest. However, I found cardboard was too rigid and I was not adept enough at using an exacto knife to get the sharp lines I wanted, so I switched to paper. I folded the paper, then measured increments to cut my triangular notches, then added folds at each notch for extra curve. I found the paper curled very nicely, though I didn’t get my two papers exactly even, and I used straws to slide my pull string through both papers. I ended attaching them around my neck so that their full curve could be seen, and they really gave off that protective, bonelike structure I was looking for.

In my second experiment, I wanted to continue making the curved joints, and experimented with different sized papers and more of a vertical movement, like a tongue. I also tried out some types of fan folding, but none of them interacted very well with the string so I just used them to make the experiment more dynamic. I really enjoyed exploring different ways I could pull the string in this experiment.

In this third experiment, I mainly just tried different types of origami and pop ups, I had a very difficult time trying to make a controllable umbrella fold, and ended up just weaving a string through the folds of the umbrella and attaching it to my fingers. It didn’t open and close as well as I would have hoped, but I did get lots of practice in following origami tutorials and doing some basic folds.