Coding apathy is something that has hit many developers at some point in time. You have so many ideas running through your head, but the last thing you want to do is sit down to code. The best solution is to take a complete break and focus on something non-technical.

After my own recent bout of coding apathy I decided to get away from the computer for a while and get back into an old hobby: Origami. In the past I’ve always just folded models according to instructions and haven’t been particularly good at creating my own designs.

I decided to change that and have a decent crack at designing something, but what? So many shapes and models have been done to death, what could I do that would be original and a decent challenge?

Then I spied the new version of Charlie and found the perfect target; an interesting shape with colour changes.

You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
Know when to try again, know that it’s fun.
You never cut your paper when you’re sittin’ at the table,
There’ll be time enough for cheerin’ when the foldin’s done.

— Kenny Rogers, The Origambler

I mulled over some possible ways of building it, then during some time off over the last couple of weeks I managed to produce this:

It adheres to the basic tenets of origami: One piece of paper, no cutting. Getting the colour change for the notch in the leg was the trickiest part.

And in case there’s some doubt that it’s a single piece of paper, I dismantled it afterwards to take some “in progress” shots.

I’ve given Charlie a new home, thanks to the magic of blu-tack:

Origami Charlie