How to Make Aluminum Foil Origami

Origami is not just for paper-crafting. Aluminum foil is yet another medium for creating origami art. Aluminum foil origami, also known as foilgami, is both whimsical and aesthetically appealing. It's also very fragile, but there are ways to strengthen the foil so it's still malleable but a bit stronger so it doesn't tear as easily while folding.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Aluminum foil
• Spray adhesive
• Artist's tissue paper

Prep Your Aluminum Foil

1. Cut your sheet of aluminum foil so it's a bit bigger than the piece you need for folding. Lay it so it is flat and wrinkle-free on your working surface.

2. Spray a coat of spray adhesive all over your aluminum foil. This is a quick bonding spray that acts like a glue but sticks to surfaces on a permanent basis.

3. Lay colored artist's tissue paper over the aluminum foil starting at one end then smooth it down carefully, pressing out wrinkles. Repeat the spraying and laying process on the other side.

4. Cut your foil to the size you want to work with for your origami project.

Make an Aluminum Foil Origami Butterfly

5. Cut your aluminum foil so it is a perfect square. Lay it on a flat working surface so it looks like a diamond with points at the top and bottom.

6. Take the point on the left and bring it over to the point on the right, folding your aluminum foil in half and making a triangle. Bring the bottom point to the top and fold again, making a smaller triangle.

7. Place your fingers along the folded part of the triangle and fold the loose corner up to make a butterfly wing. Repeat this with the other loose corner to make the second wing. The section you held down is the body of the butterfly.

8. Pinch the "body" so it's not flat. Gently push it on the folded line and watch the wings move.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use any pattern you would use for regular origami paper.

Resources

• Color origami foil
• Spray adhesive
• Art tissue paper