6 Amazing Origami Designs!

We all had a go at making paper cranes and planes when we were kids, but some skillful creatives are taking origami to another level. This ancient artform started in 17th century <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=Japan" target="_blank">Japan</a> and is based on creating 3D sculptures from folding a flat piece of material -- usually paper -- without the need for glue. From amazingly tiny origami animals to intricate <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://en.origami-club.com/" target="_blank">origami</a> money sculptures, we can't get enough from the simple yet surprising technique of folding paper. Read on for all of our favorite examples!

German artist <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations" href="http://shop.faltsucht.de/" target="_blank">Anja Markiewicz </a>makes tiny origami figures from pieces of <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://inhabitat.com/artist-valerie-buess-twists-and-turns-paper-into-magical-underwater-creatures/" target="_blank">paper</a> that are less than an inch long. Using a toothpick, her skilled hands and a load of patience she creates nano-origami cranes, dragons, flowers and snowflakes that are small and beautiful.

Japanese industrial designer <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://www.yuyavsdesign.com/index.html" target="_blank">Yuya Ushida</a> has her own studio design studio were she creates all sorts of <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://inhabitat.com/artist-yuya-ushida-transforms-8000-chopsticks-into-a-collapsible-chair/" target="_blank">experimental objects </a>that makes people happy. Her Paper Tea Set is a magical collection of different tea elements made from a single sheet of folded coated paper and judging by the picture we can see it works without spilling a drop!

Takuyi Hori is a Japanese fresh graduate from <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://www.kanazawa-bidai.ac.jp/" target="_blank">Kanazawa College of Art</a> seeks to create awareness on endangered species. He uses folded translucent paper with the animals' skeletons printed on it to create x-ray <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://inhabitat.com/stunning-origami-solarcell-lamps-are-made-from-folded-photovoltaic-panels/" target="_blank">origami</a> that are beautiful and have a strong environmental message.

British studio <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://www.lazerian.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lazerian</a> uses the ancient Japanese art to give an intricate edge to their lightning collection. By laser-cutting and hand-folding paper they are able to create the most beautiful lamps that take the shape of <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Triangle" target="_blank">distant stars</a>.

The German <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://www.uni-bremen.de/" target="_blank">University of the Arts</a> in Bremen created an innovative way for displaying digital information within the Library's staircase. Using large-scale origami paper panels as a screen, they can project all sort of information communicating with <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://inhabitat.com/norwegian-students-build-airy-bamboo-and-teak-library-for-thai-orphans/" target="_blank">students</a> in a fun and very cool new way.

Using some spare <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://inhabitat.com/mark-wagners-dollar-bill-collages-poke-fun-at-money-feature-george-washington/" target="_blank">US dollars</a> folded by the ancient Japanese technique, <a title="6 Surprising Origami Creations " href="http://craigfoldsfives.deviantart.com/" target="_blank">Craig Folds Five </a>creates some intricate origami money. From an original fisherman on a boat to an intricate koi fish, this US-based artist forces us to consider our relationship with money, and crafts.