Sea Turtle

Designed by Michael G. LaFosse

One of my favorite natural history subjects is the turtle, and the sea turtle is the most elegant of them all. Imagine this huge, yet graceful creature with few predators, free to roam the reefs in every sea. The New England Aquarium features a large, ocean tank at its heart. Although it is home to hundreds of fish, visitors enjoy watching the sea turtles as much, or more than any of the creatures. I had the opportunity to dive in the great tank many years ago, and I will never forget the smooth surfaces and flowing lines of these creatures, which enable to glide through the water. Their immense forms dominated everything else around, making it impossible to focus on detail - just shape and form. Since I had seen these creatures under a depth of water where colors are filtered out, I usually folded them from blue-green paper. Origami sea turtles were usually designed with only the top shell in mind, but I wanted to design one with a plastron, or belly plate. The simpler the shape, the more skill required to animate the character of the model. The subtle grace you add to the curves will make the model speak to the viewer. This model was developed after I had created the Koi base, so it, and my Humpback Whale are derived from that base. Perhaps it will inspire you to create other sea creatures from this versatile base. Paper choice, once again, is critical. Find paper that is stiff with sizing, pliable when moistened, yet able to hold a crease. Your sea turtle will be about half the length of the initial square.