How to Make an Origami Lion Face

Origami was first mastered by Buddhist monks.

Make an origami lion's face to boost your visual art skills. A lion's face requires several standard folds and is an inspirational challenge for young children or art students. The lion's face is an excellent introduction to origami, the ancient Asian craft of bending and folding single pieces of paper into life-like designs. Once you are finished, show the lion's face to friends, family and fellow origami enthusiasts.

Things You'll Need

• 6-by-6-inch sheet of paper
• Marker

Instructions

1. Lay the paper onto a flat surface. Spin the paper so one of the corners is facing you.

2. Bend the top half of the diamond over the bottom half. Crease and unbend the fold. Bend the right half of the diamond over the left half. Crease and unbend the fold.

3. Fold the bottom tip of the diamond one inch upward to form a small triangle. Crease the fold. Always crease your folds.

4. Pinch the top right side of the diamond two inches above the right tip with one hand. Pinch the bottom right side one inch above the base of the triangle. Fold the right side of the paper toward center. Crease the bend at your pinch marks. Repeat for the left side.

5. Fold the top half of the paper backward under itself. The basic shape of the lion's face is created. Color in the tip of the top triangle to indicate the nose. Draw whiskers and eyes.

References

• Origami Club: A Lion Face
• Origami Resource Center: History of Origami