How to Make an Origami Bug

Make a variety of origami bugs with one sheet of paper.

Origami is a Japanese art of folding paper into decorative objects, figures and shapes. You can make an origami design using any color paper you choose as well as sticky notes and paper currency. Most origami designs consist of several folds and unfolds in addition to creases that are necessary to obtain the shape or figure of the item you want to make, such as birds, stars, animals and bugs. You can fold several types of origami bugs, such as spiders or ladybugs, by following simple instructions.

Things You'll Need

• 1 3-square-inch piece of paper for each bug
• Black marker

Instructions

Bug

1. Lay a 3-square-inch piece of paper on a flat surface. Use any color you want your bug to be.

2. Fold the paper in half to form a triangle by extending the top-left corner down to meet the bottom-right corner.

3. Fold the triangle in half by extending the point at the top down to meet the other point at the bottom to form a smaller triangle.

4. Fold one flap on one side of the triangle down so that the edges meet evenly. Fold the other side down to meet the edge as well.

5. Open the folds slightly, fold the point down and crease the point underneath the paper. Press the front of the fold inward with your thumb to form the face of the bug.

6. Expand the wings out on each side and stand the bug on a flat surface. Add eyes and tentacles to decorate the face.

Ladybug

1. Lay a 3-square-inch piece of origami paper on a flat surface. If the paper has one colored side, lay the paper with the colored side down.

2. Fold the paper in half by bringing the top-left corner down to meet the bottom-right corner and form a triangle. Press down on the fold to make a crease.

3. Unfold the paper and open it back up. Fold the paper in half, bringing the top-right corner down to meet the bottom-left corner to form a triangle. Press down on the fold to make a crease.

4. Open the paper back up to the full sheet and flip the paper over.

5. Fold the top corner down less than 1 inch past the middle crease, fold the tip back up and crease it halfway from the top.

6. Fold the paper across the tip to form a mountain fold, which is a crease forming a mountain peak. Tuck in the mountain fold and flip the paper over so that the back is face up.

7. Fold the left point to meet the crease in the center and fold the right point to meet the crease in the center.

8. Fold the bottom point up about 1 inch from the bottom.

9. Flip the paper over to see the image of the ladybug. Draw eyes and spots on the ladybug with a marker or crayon.

References

• Origami Instructions: Origami Ladybug Folding Instructions
• You Tube: Origami Bug

Resources

• Origami Instructions: Home