Metal was chosen as the material of focus due to the broad range of visual effects produced from its folding. Effects of interest included wide variations of reflectivity, dramatic distortion and warping of reflections of surrounding objects, sharp to soft gradients of light and shadow, and other effects that transformed initial perception of the material beyond that of the created fold-forms (rippling, visual ooze, ambiguous boundaries, depth).

The same major folds used to inform the material tests were used to develop a logic of instigating or directing desired folds. Each test applied the selected method to a small rectangular piece of aluminum, then pressure (hand) was applied to bring opposing sides up and towards each other.

cuts : follow the angle of the desired fold were made from the outside of the rectangular sheet inwards toward the fold