How to Make Origami Flying Paper Cranes
The crane is an important symbol in Japanese culture, representing long life. Therefore, the crane is a common design in origami, the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. According to legend, folding 1,000 paper cranes will grant you a single wish, such as curing an illness. Whether or not this is true, folding origami flying paper cranes is a relaxing pastime for origami beginners and experts alike.
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Instructions
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Place the paper square on a flat surface, colored side down. Fold it in half on the diagonal. Fold the triangle in half to create a smaller triangle.
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Lift the top flap so that it is perpendicular to the bottom flap. Press the top fold of that flap straight down, squashing the flap flat into a square shape. Turn the paper over and repeat with the flap on the other side.
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3
Hold the square so the open end faces you. Fold the bottom edges of the top flap in to the center. Flip the paper over and repeat on the other side. You should be left with a kite shape.
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Fold the top point of the kite down to the center of the diamond, then unfold. Also unfold the kite shape you made in the last step. You should have a square base again, with several new fold marks.
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Pull up the top flap of the bottom corner and lift it up as far as you can. Flatten the paper along the existing folds to create a diamond shape. Flip the paper over and repeat on the other side.
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Fold the bottom left edge of the top flap in to the center. Repeat with the bottom right edge of the top flap, then flip the paper over and repeat on the other side.
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Fold the top left flap to the right along the center line of the diamond. Fold the top flap of the bottom point up to meet the top point of the diamond, then fold the top point down slightly, creating the crane's head. Fold the top right flap back to the left.
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Repeat Step 7 on the right side of the diamond, but don't fold down the top point. This will create the crane's tail.
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Pull the head and tail away from the main body of the crane, at about a 45-degree angle. Pull the wings out and down. This will inflate the crane's body and allow it to stand.
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Tips & Warnings
Try folding origami cranes out of very small pieces of paper. The smaller your starting square, the more precise the folds have to be and the more difficult the design.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit origami 2 image by askthegeek from Fotolia.com
