Hi! My name is Kyle Boyer. I've been designing paper airplanes for eighteen years and I'm finally ready to share my creations with the world. I work professionally as a graphic designer, but have always taken interest in math and engineering in addition to art. For me, paper airplanes represent an awesome intersection between those interests. Origami is a fundamentally mathematical form of art in which one must obey the geometric rules of paper. I appreciate the challenge of designing within this set of rules and engineering each plane to fly in its own particular way. Some planes will fly in a circle back to you, others spiral as they fly, some glide gracefully, and some just fly really, really far. I enjoy thinking of my planes as functional sculptures — objects of beauty not only in their appearance, but also in their flight. Hopefully by following my instructional videos you can enjoy my creations as much as I do.
Meet the Maker
Folding a New Plane
It all begins with a blank sheet of paper and endless possibilities. The challenge of designing a new paper airplane is always exciting, but it is also daunting. Nearly all of my planes are folded from 8.5" x 11" paper, and all of them are origami models. This means that I do not cut, glue, or tape any of my planes. I could bore you with the details on why I choose to subscribe to such limitations in my designs, but suffice it to say that I believe those things (cutting, gluing, etc.) to be unnecessary. I find immense pleasure in approaching the same sheet of paper over and over again, accepting the same challenge of folding a new paper airplane, and finding that there is always a new solution I had not previously imagined. Some planes are successful after my first attempt, some require many iterations before a refined design is achieved, and some attempts are scrapped entirely — but there is always room to begin again.
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Tearing the paper means you've stopped believing in the infinite possibilities of a rectangle." ― Tor Udall
Designing the Template
After folding a plane I like, I move to the next phase of design — creating awesome graphics for the plane in the form of foldable templates. Basically, I draw a design on a folded plane. During this portion of the process, I try to further develop the unique personality of the plane. I allow the curves and angles of the plane, as well as its flight trajectory, to inform my design so that the aesthetics of the plane are authentic to its character. Then I unfold it so I can see what the design looks like on a flat piece of paper. I turn this sketch into a finished illustration on the computer using design software such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. This finished illustration can be printed off and folded into one sick looking plane! To download printable templates for my planes or have them mailed to your home, support me on Patreon!
Making the Video
Once I have perfected the plane and designed the foldable template, it is time to share my creation with all of you. YouTube makes it possible for my planes to be folded by individuals all over the world. And that's a dream come true! I want as many people as possible to enjoy my creations.
One of the great things about origami is the fact that it can be designed by one individual and folded by others. That makes it distinct from other art forms I enjoy, such as illustration, where I can share what I have made, but I am the only one who gets to experience the creation of it. Using my YouTube tutorials, viewers can engage in the creative process of folding the plane — and then have a blast playing with the finished design! My hope is that my planes will provide you with hours of entertainment and will encourage you to be creative as well.
