June 12, 2009
I've been developing little Ikebana arrangements. Ikebana is the art of Japanese flower arranging. These small arrangements have an exquisit and delicate look.
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| May 15, 2009
Woven Makigami
First let me say that I have never woven anything, so if the basket at left seems rudimentary, it is because it is my first attempt. Some weeks ago an artist friend of mine mentioned that I ought to try weaving makigami (rolled paper). I finally got around to trying it yesterday, and my "basket" is pictured at left.
As a woven material, makigami is revolutionary in that it is moldable. A panel of wet woven makigami could be attached to a mold and allowed to dry. After it dries, the panel will retain the shape of the mold. This has many consumer applications from furniture and construction (wall panels) to automobiles.
Most importantly, this makigami could be introduced in areas where local resources for basket weaving have been depleted. By weaving recycled paper, locals could make traditional items without traditional materials.
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April 30, 2009
I have developed a new technique for assembling Makigami structures involving tiny "branchlets." Branchlets are short, curved pieces of Makigami that I attach to larger stems. I then attach the leaves of a sculpture onto the branchlets. By using branchlets I am able to devleop a calculated and better controlled approach to leaf attachment, especially when it comes to three dimensional enhancement.
This has lead to much more complex, and accurate botanical depictions. Because the sculpture is better planned, it mimics natural plants more accurately.
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| April 18, 2009
I've been volunteering at our local NPR radio station WRNI for quite some time. I was approached a few weeks ago to both exhibit my art work at the station, and to produce 40 sculptures for their Mother's Day fundraiser. I was honored, and fulfilled both requests.
Completion of the sculptures for their fundraiser was the greatest challenge I have had so far in my work. The accurate duplication, ensuring that each sculpture looked identical to the original, was a lot of work. It is also a testiment to Makigami. One of the key attributes of any art form is repeatability. With the completion of 40 duplicate sculptures, Makigami has proven to be a reliable medium.
UPDATE: May 6, 2009
All 40 sculptures sold out in the first three hours of the fundraiser!
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WRNI Sculpture Brochure |
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| March 27, 2009
I have developed a paper composite material that can be used in place of plastic for many consumer items. The material is 99.9% paper, and therefore easily recycled and biodegradable. The energy required to produce the material is approximately 1/10th of that required to make the same amount of plastic. Additionally, because it is made from a renewable resource, it is not as dependent upon increasingly scarce petrochemicals for its manufacture. It is also one third lighter than the equivalent amount of plastic, thus reducing shipping costs.
Applications for the material include disposable consumer items like pens and razors, sports equipment, automotive parts, eyeglasses, broom, rake and mop handles, indoor furniture, interior decorations, children's toys among many others.
106 billion disposable pens are sold annually in the United States according to some estimates (1). If these pens were placed end-to-end they would circle the globe 348 times. Pictured at left are seven pens with bodies made from my composite paper material. The composite material is stiff, yet feels soft and warm to the touch, and can be put in a paper recycling bin when empty or no longer needed. These pens will degrade (down to the ball point and ink holder) when exposed to moisture in about three months.
I am currently in the process of patenting the material and am seeking investors and interested parties to develop mass production techniques for it.
(1) Web Link
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Origami Bonsai Landscapes
March 22, 2009
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This is the first landscape I’ve ever done. I call it a landscape because it was made much like a painter would create a landscape painting, with closer objects larger than those further away. The same species of plants have been made in different sizes and in different stages of development. It is quite impressive and beautiful. It has three fern plants, at three different distances, one group of fiddleheads and two flowering plants that are not so distant from each other, and a plant with striking red flowers. I added the arcs to represent mounds of soil that each has its roots imbedded in.
To be honest, I am still not entirely happy with the interaction between the wall and the sculpture. I will be working on a way to better convey distance in Origami Bonsai landscape designs.
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March 15, 2009
I have decided to use a common pebble color in my Origami Bonsai sculpture. This will allow customers to mix and match plants as they see fit. They can also update their collections with other Origami Bonsai sculptures in the future without fear of mis-matching the "ground' color.
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| March 11, 2009
"Makigami and Origami Bonsai Ferns," my second Origami Bonsai how-to book is now complete. This book teaches the art of Makigami, or "roll-paper" in Japanese. The book features hundreds of pictures and easy to follow step by step instructions. It teaches how to make both basic and highly complex ferns, fiddleheads and other plant species.
Makigami is a new art form whose potential shall become apparent in the next few years. I suspect, because it is easy, environmentally friendly, and allows those with little expertise to create vast, intricate and beautiful botanical sculptures, that it will energize Origami, floral decor, and the lives of people who create it.
Interested publishers should contact me.
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Subassemblies
March 5, 2009
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| March 5, 2009
Success with Subassemblies!
I have finally overcome the complexities involved in the assembly of pre-assembling fronds onto Makigami structures. Pre-assembled fronds, or subassemblies are necessary in order to reliably align small leaflets. Many of the leaflets on the Origami Bonsai fern pictured above are smaller than a US penny. Assembly in the past required a tremendous amount of patience, a good set of tweezers, and much smaller hands than I have. By assembling leaflets into frond subassemblies all these problems are avoided. Scul;ptures with dense leaflet distributions, perfect leaflet alignment, and much wider perspectives are now possible. The sculpture above has a full 180 degree perspective.
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Roots!
February 15, 2009
The pictures at right are of a prototype Origami Bonsai® root system. This entire model is made from paper, including the pebbles on which the Bonsai is mounted. This model is also three dimensionally enhanced through both color gradient (smaller leaflets are darker than larger ones) and leaflet size.
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| February 13, 2009
"Advances in Makigami Technique"
"Makigami," or roll-paper is rapidly becoming more sophistocated. I am now able to make tapered branches. If you click on the picture at left you will see that branches on this sculpture have a distinctive, yet natural taper. I have also increased the durability of Makigami structures. I no longer have to fear dropping a sculpture, as they survive this with no damage whatsoever. Makigami is to Origami Bonsai as the rocket motor was to transporation. Now anything is possible!
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February 9, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Benjamin John Coleman of Pawtucket, Rhode Island has submitted a logo in the “Buy Local RI” contest sponsored by the Lieutenant Governor. His logo, based on a sculpture created using his Origami Bonsai and Makigami sculpture techniques, depicts a thick-limbed tree growing out of a silhouette of the state. Coleman, an author and artist, grew up in Providence, Rhode Island. His book, “Origami Bonsai” will be available from Tuttle Publishing of Vermont in November.
The sculpture of the logo is made entirely from paper, and was used to create the logo. Pictures are attached to this email. According to Coleman “My submission, ‘Growth in Rhode Island,’ symbolizes the strength, ingenuity and resilience of Rhode Islanders during this economic crisis. The tough, thick-branched tree obtains its energy from Rhode Island soil. It seeks to grow to infinity, without impediment, in Rhode Island’s environment.”
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Origami Bonsai®
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January 22, 2009
Artist and author Benjamin John Coleman of Pawtucket, Rhode Island has obtained a trademark for “Origami Bonsai,” from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
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Ikebana
Japanese-style botanical arrangements.
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Introducing exquisite ferns!
Made entirely from paper.
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| Makigami
From the Japanese "maki", the verb roll, and "gami" meaning paper results in Makigami, or rolled paper. Using Makigami I am now able to make Origami Bonsai for arrangements. Arrangeable Maki-Origami Bonsai are available at special introductory pricing through Etsy.
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December 9, 2008
Paper Twigs
I have developed a technique for making paper twigs. They can be molded into repeatable shapes for lapel pins and ferns (upper picture), or molded around existing Origami Bonsai to make vines (lower picture).
These paper twigs are more durable than the branches I have used in the past. They also allow me to make twigs in specific shapes, for Origami Bonsai of greater design flexibility.
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December 3, 2008
Pictured at right are my two most recent advancements. The upper picture is an assembly of buds, the lower an assembly of flowers.
Regards,
Benjamin John Coleman
Origami Artist
MORE INFORMATION
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| "Benagami Ratio" 3-D Enhanced Bonsai |
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| June 27, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Artist Benjamin John Coleman Develops "Benagami Ratio" for 3D Enhancement
Providence, RI: Artist Benjamin John Coleman completed the first, accurate three dimensionally enhanced Origami Bonsai tree. "I've discovered a ratio that allows distances of partial inches to be perceive as full inches. I can trick the human eye into believing things are much deeper than they actually are," stated Benjamin John.
The Origami Bonsai at left is an example of this process. While it is only four inches deep, when you look at it, it seems far deeper. Benjamin John has calculated this piece to be perceived as being 20 inches in depth, using his Benagami Ratio.
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