How to Make an Origami Swan With Pictures

The ancient Japanese art of paper folding is known as origami. Origami doesn't require any cutting or glue to form different paper objects, such as an elegant swan. It normally requires one square piece of thin origami paper, which you can buy in a craft store, in a variety of colors. However, you can use regular printer paper as well---it's just a little thicker and harder to fold. If you want to fold origami out of pictures, you've got some options. You can draw a picture onto a square piece of paper, or print out a digital picture onto regular paper and cut it into a square.

Instructions

1. Obtain a square piece of paper that you will use to fold the swan. If you choose to print a picture onto it, do so by printing a picture onto regular printer paper. Fold the paper diagonally in half until you have a square. Cut off the excess strip of paper. Keep in mind that, because the swan will be folded, you won't be able to see the complete picture.

2. Lay the square piece of paper with the pictures face down.

3. Fold the paper in half along one diagonal. Crease well and unfold.

4. Fold the left and right corners of the square inward to meet the center crease, forming a sharp tip at the bottom corner. This is the kite base.

5. Turn the figure over.

6. Fold the right corner inward about one third of the way from the outer edge to center, forming a diagonal crease that spans the length of the right side, all the way down to the bottom tip.

7. Take the side you just folded and fold it inward again, to meet the center crease.

8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 on the left side.

9. Fold the bottom tip upward, so that the tip extends beyond the top of the model.

10. Fold the tip down about an inch or so to form the head of the swan.

11. Fold the entire swan in half along its vertical axis, including the head.

12. Pull the neck of the swan away from the body so that the body is resting on the table (or other surface). The origami swan is complete.

References

• Marcel's Kid Crafts: How to Do an Origami Swan