Instruction for How to Fold an Origami Hummingbird
The art of origami can be traced to Japan as far back as 800 B.C. The basic concept is to take a piece of paper and fold it into a representative shape using only folding techniques. There are no tools or fastening materials, such as tape or glue, allowed. One may not use scissors or a knife. It seems so simple, but you can do tiny projects which take a few steps, or huge projects requiring hundreds. Origami should be peaceful and a lovely origami hummingbird will make people smile.
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Instructions
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Fold two diagonal points together to form a triangle. Press the fold firmly so that the crease remains when unfolded. Unfold the paper and do the same thing with the two remaining points. Unfold again. The creases should be deep and strong and there should be an obvious "X" across the paper from each corner to the other diagonal corner.
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2
Fold the square in half, ignoring the previous folds. Unfold, making sure that there are now three visible creases on the paper: the "X" and a centerfold. Make sure the creases are pronounced and obvious.
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3
Turn the paper over. The outside of the creases should now be facing you. The inside, or indentation, of the creases should be facing down. The spot where the two diagonal lines intersect with the half fold should make a center point.
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4
Gently push the top and bottom left corners together, with the left center crease folding inward. Now do the same thing on the right side so that you have a triangle in front of you.
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5
Find one of the openings at the base of the triangle and gently maneuver your index finger in. Press back the paper of the opening against the triangle. Be careful not to disturb the crease.
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6
Invert the triangle. After doing Step 5, you now you have a triangle with a small piece of paper pointing out, looking as though it were trying to escape. This is actually called "freeing the trapped paper" by the Japanese.
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Place your finger into the opening of the base of the triangle. Press back the paper of the opening gently, but firmly. You should now have two protrusions where the base was.
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8
Fold one of the protrusions to the left side. Now fold it toward the right side. Then unfold it. Slide your finger beneath the opening of the protrusion and press the point upward gently until it looks like the head of a bird. Finally, press the very end of the point down so it looks like a bird’s beak.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not get frustrated if your hummingbird is not perfect on the first try. Keep at it and be patient.
Once you get the hang of the folding, experiment with different types and colors of papers.
Use paper which will hold a crease. There is no glue or tape, so the creases are important to the structure of the origami.
References
- Photo Credit origami image by Maxime Tauban from Fotolia.com
