I have been folding with onion skin paper. While the paper is not actually made from onion it is similar to onion skin as it is white, translucent, and quite thin. ( Here is an online source of Onion Skin paper.)
This paper is beautiful and a joy to fold. To add to the versatility of this material, I have also incorporated the following technique:
On one side of the paper I add color by stroking the paper with oil pastels (Caran D’Ache Neocolor wax oil). I then rub the pastel color into the paper using a cotton ball and a drop of turpentine or mineral spirits. The turpentine dissolves and dilutes the oil color, and the cotton ball allows for delicate manipulation. As I rub the now colored paper, the color is spread over the entire surface . The resulting layer of color is bright but not too uniform with a marblized texture from the hand manipulation. (see photo of the coloring process).
Since the paper is translucent, when turned over the color appears more subtle and more uniform than it does on the colored side. I have folded paper prepared in such a way so that the uncolored side is to the outside of the finished model as in the case of these elephants, creation of Fumiyaki Kawahata.
