Medium: One uncut square of tissue-backed Unryu treated with MC.
Dimensions: 7.6" x 3.9" x 1.75" (19.3cm x 9.9cm x 4.45cm)
Time spent folding: ~ 15 hours
Smilodon is a family of prehistoric saber-toothed cat, with Smilodon populator being the largest species yet discovered (it has been estimated that some specimens weighed over 900 lbs!). Often incorrectly referred to as the "Saber Tooth Tiger," it is one of the most iconic and well known animals of the Ice Age along with the wooly mammoth. It is also a little-folded subject, with only a few other designs existing in the origami world. When I first learned to design origami, I compiled a list of subjects I wanted to one day design and fold, with Smilodon near the top of the list. Thus this design has long been a work in progress, as evidenced by the many versions below, and in many ways chronicles the progression of my design and folding capabilities. Coming up with a viable structure for this subject proved to be extensively challenging, as the head and feet need many intricate details while the body has to remain large and bulky. Although more straightforward in appearance, I have found just as much - or more- challenge in this subject as in many of my insect models. In addition, I decided to include as many details as possible, such as eyes and a fully enclosed underbelly. This has to due with the jump in numbering from version 5.0-8.0, as two other fully developed, albeit not folded, versions emerged during the design process. I have put over a hundred hours of work into the current iteration and can safely say I'm extremely pleased with both the crease pattern and folded model.
The crease pattern and calculated folded base, created with Orihime. The folded form is not to scale with the CP. As this base is non-uniaxial (making the construction of hinge polygons difficult) and fairly self explanatory once folded, I have decided not to include a diagram outlining the purpose of each flap. Note that the large, asymmetrical, color-changed flap is wrapped underneath to form the belly and lower neck. The body structure is based on a 64x64 grid, while the head employs a 128ths grid.
Smilodon populator 5.4
Designed: July 2020
Folded: July 2020
Medium: One uncut square of homemade tissue-foil.
Dimensions: 6.5" x 2.8" x 1.5" (16.5cm x 7.1cm x 3.8cm)
Time spent folding: ~ 10 hours
When I decided to revamp my Smilodon design, my first approach was to simply refine the crease pattern from the last version. It was really satisfying to use some of my new design techniques to improve the design, but this approach failed to rectify one of the last version's major shortcomings: the proportions of the base. I was quite happy with the overall quality of this fold, but it also made the oversized head painfully apparent, as well as the teddy-bear-like appearance coming from the rounded paws and shoulders. I decided to restart the design from scratch, remeasuring my reference photos, redrawing my tree diagram, and focusing on incorporating powerful shoulders as part of the front legs. This process eventually (over the course of a year) led me to version 8.4.
The crease pattern and calculated folded form, generated using Orihime. Based on a 32x32 grid.
Smilodon populator 4.2
Designed: July 7, 2015
Folded: July 24, 2015
Medium: One uncut square of homemade tissue-foil.
Dimensions: 7 .2" x 3.75" x 2.35" (18.1cm x 9.5cm x 6.1cm)
Time spent folding: ~ 3 hours
Frustrated with the shortcomings of uniaxial circle packing for making such a bulky, wide subject, this was the model that finally motivated me to learn to box pleat. It was also the first model that I input into a computer and refined using the software Oripa, marking the beginning of my eventual transition to a completely digitized design process. At the time I finished it, I was extremely pleased with the outcome, even writing "I am currently very happy with the model and its balance of attitude, foldability and realism." However, as my skills improved, I was increasingly bothered by the many layers showing along the sides of the model as well as by the neck, which makes me think more of giraffes and ostriches than of giant, fearsome cats. I was browsing through my site one day when all of this model's shortcomings seemed to suddenly come into focus, and I immediately began work on the next iteration.
Artistic and digital restorations of the Smilodon.
Silhouette of base generated by Oripa, a crease pattern drawing program I use.
The design elements for the CP
The final crease pattern. Note that there is enough paper in the ends of the legs to fold claws.
Smilodon populator 3.0
My third Smilodon. This was folded from a multi-axial, strip-grafted, circle packed crease pattern that took forever for me to figure out. In the end though, I was quite disappointed by the short, poorly positioned legs, fat short head, overly long neck, too short tail and its lack of shoulders. This resulted in a complete redesign that became version IV.
Designed: June 15, 2015 Folded: June 17, 2015 Medium: One uncut square of homemade tissue-foil. Dimensions: 6.8" x 4" x 2" (17.4cm x 10.15cm x 5.1cm) Time spent folding: 4 hours
The mostly hand-drawn crease pattern. I think I have to give this a prize for being the ugliest, most unaesthetic crease pattern I have ever designed or seen.
Smilodon populator 2.0
My second Smilodon. This was folded from a relatively simple, uniaxial, circle packed crease pattern. At first I thought it might be my final version, but after looking at it for a while, I realized that having individual claws folded made it look too messy, the saber teeth had almost reached the length of tusks, it had no defined shoulders, and it lacked the attitude and sense of strength a giant predatory cat with oversize fangs should have.
Designed: May 29, 2015
Folded: June 1, 2015
Medium: One uncut square of homemade tissue-foil.
Dimensions: 4.25" x 2 .2" x 1.25" (11.1cm x 5.4cm x 3.17cm)
Time spent folding: 3.5 hours
Smilodon populator 1.0
My first Smilodon. It was folded from a multi-axial, grafted kite base with additional strip grafts and incorrect crease assignment. Due to my misunderstandings about bases with multiple axes, it took some overly "creative" folding to get to even fold into anything.
I was trying to fold a saber tooth cat, and it turned out looking like a prehistoric saber tooth dog-bear, warthog, wildebeest. Need I say more?
Designed: March 19, 2014 Folded: March 21, 2014 Medium: One uncut square of homemade tissue-foil. Dimensions: 7.25" x 4" x 2" (18.4cm x 10.2cm x 5.1cm) Time spent folding: 3.5 hours