Step-by-Step Instructions for an Origami Dragon
Origami is the ancient Japanese art of folding flat, square pieces of paper into three-dimensional objects. Per tradition, no cuts or glue are used. While specialty origami paper is available at hobby and stationery stores, regular paper will suffice as long as it holds a crease. The myths of the legendary dragon carry significant importance to Japanese culture. The dragon is considered a "kami," or natural force. Coincidently, kami is also the word for traditional Japanese folding paper.
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Things You'll Need
- Square piece of paper 6 inch x 6 inch (15cm x 15cm)
- Table or similar flat surface
Instructions
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1
Fold your paper into the traditional bird base, which begins pieces such as the classic crane. Fold it on the diagonals, as well as on the top-bottom and left-right lines. Crease well. Flip the paper over, and fold the diagonals as valley folds, and the top-bottom and left-right folds as mountain folds. Push the piece of paper down along the fold lines to create the square base.
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2
Fold corners inward, then unfold to create the crease marks. Lift the bottom corner upward and fold along the crease lines. Flatten to create a triangle.
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3
Flip the piece over, and fold in the three corners on the back side to make crease marks. Lift the bottom corner upward and fold along the crease lines.
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4
Take the two flaps of the corner pointing away from you in each hand and pull on them until the center goes flat. Flip the paper over, lay it out on the table and press down on the flaps. You'll see two triangles coming out of the base of a pyramid rising up from the table.
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5
Use a push fold to flatten each side of your pyramid so that you're left with two flat triangles sticking up. Flatten the triangles to the right side.
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6
Turn the paper so that the two new flat triangles are pointing toward you and then flip the paper over so that they are facing the table. Fold the lower right edge in toward the center crease of your paper. Then repeat on the lower left side.
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7
Fold the entire paper completely in half along its long axis by bringing the left and right sides toward you and together. You'll have a triangle with one side that's about twice as long as the other. Fold it so that the long side of the triangle meets the crease that runs down from the top point of the triangle. You'll be left with two triangles at right angles to each other sharing one side. Undo the last fold, flip it over and repeat on the other side.
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8
Lay the paper back down on the table so that it once again looks like a triangle with the right side longer than the left side. Point the long side toward you and unfold it longways so that it once again looks like a kite with the two small triangles or arms facing the table.
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9
Join the two top edges of the kite together by bringing the center crease toward you and join the edges behind it so that the left and right side of the kite touch. The shape of your paper will now resemble a check mark.
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10
Open the smaller side of the check mark and then join the left and right edges together at the center crease. Then fold it closed again. The smaller side of your check mark will now be half as skinny as it was before.
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11
Fold the skinny end of the check, which will be the head of your dragon, a little higher than the half-way point to make a "z" shape. Then make a reverse inward fold at the smaller tip of your "z." Open the fold you just made and fold the tip back against it so that it is pointing in the opposite direction and pinch it closed. This is the head of your dragon.
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12
Fold the head down against the neck and then pinch the new creases together to bend the neck forward a little.
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13
Bend the small triangle flaps, or arms, so that they are pointing directly down from the body of the dragon.
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14
Fold the body of the dragon up along the crease in its tail so that the tip of the tail is pointing up. Then fold the tail again so that the tip of the tail is horizontal to the body. Undo the two folds you just made.
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15
Use the reverse inward folding technique along these two new creases and then do a third reverse inward fold at the very tip so that the tip points straight up.
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16
Fold the arms in toward the body so that they point forward instead of down. Then fold the tips inward again so they are pointed down. Pull the arms out and your dragon is complete.
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