Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. It is a fun and challenging activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little practice, you can create beautiful and complex origami figures, including people.
This article will teach you how to make a simple origami person. This project is perfect for beginners, and it will only take a few minutes to complete. Once you have mastered the basics, you can experiment with different folding techniques to create more complex origami figures.
To make an origami person, you will need a square piece of paper. Any color or type of paper will work, but origami paper is specially designed for folding and will produce the best results.
How to Make an Origami Person
Follow these 10 simple steps to create an origami person:
- Prepare square paper.
- Fold in half diagonally.
- Unfold and fold in half again.
- Unfold and fold in half horizontally.
- Unfold and squash flat.
- Fold bottom corners to center.
- Fold top layer down.
- Fold lower corners up.
- Fold top layer down again.
- Fold top corners to center.
Your origami person is now complete!
Prepare square paper.
The first step in making an origami person is to prepare a square piece of paper. You can use any color or type of paper, but origami paper is specially designed for folding and will produce the best results. Origami paper is usually sold in packs of different colors and sizes. For this project, you will need a square piece of paper that is at least 6 inches by 6 inches.
If you don’t have any origami paper, you can make your own square piece of paper from a regular piece of rectangular paper. To do this, follow these steps:
- Start with a rectangular piece of paper.
- Fold the paper in half lengthwise.
- Unfold the paper.
- Fold the paper in half widthwise.
- Unfold the paper.
- Fold the paper diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner.
- Unfold the paper.
- Fold the paper diagonally from the other corner to the opposite corner.
- Unfold the paper.
- You should now have a square piece of paper.
Once you have your square piece of paper, you are ready to start folding your origami person.
Tip: If you want to make a larger origami person, you can use a larger piece of paper. Just be sure to use a square piece of paper.
Fold in half diagonally.
The next step is to fold the square piece of paper in half diagonally. To do this, follow these steps:
- Place the square piece of paper in front of you like a diamond.
- Bring the top right corner down to the bottom left corner.
- Crease the fold well.
- Unfold the paper.
- Bring the top left corner down to the bottom right corner.
- Crease the fold well.
- Unfold the paper.
You should now have two diagonal crease lines on your paper.
Tip: When folding the paper diagonally, be sure to line up the edges carefully. This will help to ensure that your origami person is symmetrical.
Once you have folded the paper in half diagonally, you are ready to move on to the next step.
Unfold and fold in half again.
The next step is to unfold the paper and fold it in half again, but this time in the opposite direction. To do this, follow these steps:
- Unfold the paper so that it is flat again.
- Fold the paper in half vertically.
- Crease the fold well.
- Unfold the paper.
- Fold the paper in half horizontally.
- Crease the fold well.
- Unfold the paper.
You should now have two more crease lines on your paper, perpendicular to the diagonal crease lines.
Tip: When folding the paper in half again, be sure to line up the edges carefully. This will help to ensure that your origami person is symmetrical.
Once you have unfolded and folded the paper in half again, you are ready to move on to the next step.
Unfold and fold in half horizontally.
The next step is to unfold the paper and fold it in half horizontally. To do this, follow these steps:
- Unfold the paper so that it is flat again.
- Fold the paper in half from left to right.
- Crease the fold well.
- Unfold the paper.
You should now have a horizontal crease line in the middle of your paper.
Tip: When folding the paper in half horizontally, be sure to line up the edges carefully. This will help to ensure that your origami person is symmetrical.
Once you have unfolded and folded the paper in half horizontally, you are ready to move on to the next step.
Unfold and squash flat.
The next step is to unfold the paper and squash it flat. This will help to create the basic shape of the origami person.
- Unfold the paper completely.
- Place the paper on a flat surface.
- Use your hands to squash the paper flat.
Be sure to apply pressure evenly across the entire surface of the paper. - Turn the paper over and squash the other side.
Once you have unfolded and squashed the paper flat, you are ready to move on to the next step.
Fold bottom corners to center.
The next step is to fold the bottom corners of the paper to the center. This will create the legs of the origami person.
- Fold the bottom left corner of the paper to the center.
Crease the fold well. - Fold the bottom right corner of the paper to the center.
Crease the fold well. - Unfold the bottom corners.
- Fold the bottom edge of the paper up to the horizontal crease line.
Crease the fold well.
Once you have folded the bottom corners to the center, you are ready to move on to the next step.
Fold top layer down.
The next step is to fold the top layer of the paper down. This will create the head and body of the origami person.
- Fold the top edge of the paper down to the horizontal crease line. Crease the fold well.
- Unfold the top layer.
- Fold the right edge of the top layer down to the vertical crease line. Crease the fold well.
- Fold the left edge of the top layer down to the vertical crease line. Crease the fold well.
The top layer of the paper should now be folded down, forming a square.
Tip: When folding the top layer down, be sure to line up the edges carefully. This will help to ensure that your origami person is symmetrical.
Fold lower corners up.
The next step is to fold the lower corners of the paper up. This will create the arms of the origami person.
- Fold the bottom left corner of the paper up to the horizontal crease line.
Crease the fold well. - Fold the bottom right corner of the paper up to the horizontal crease line.
Crease the fold well. - Unfold the bottom corners.
- Fold the bottom edge of the paper down to the horizontal crease line.
Crease the fold well.
The lower corners of the paper should now be folded up, forming two triangles.
Fold top layer down again.
The next step is to fold the top layer of the paper down again. This will create the neck and head of the origami person.
- Fold the top edge of the paper down to the horizontal crease line. Crease the fold well.
- Unfold the top layer.
- Fold the right edge of the top layer down to the vertical crease line. Crease the fold well.
- Fold the left edge of the top layer down to the vertical crease line. Crease the fold well.
The top layer of the paper should now be folded down again, forming a smaller square.
Tip: When folding the top layer down again, be sure to line up the edges carefully. This will help to ensure that your origami person is symmetrical.
Fold top corners to center.
The next step is to fold the top corners of the paper to the center. This will create the ears of the origami person.
- Fold the top left corner of the paper to the center.
Crease the fold well. - Fold the top right corner of the paper to the center.
Crease the fold well. - Unfold the top corners.
- Fold the top edge of the paper down to the horizontal crease line.
Crease the fold well.
The top corners of the paper should now be folded to the center, forming two triangles.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about origami:
Question 1: What is origami?
Answer: Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. It is a fun and challenging activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little practice, you can create beautiful and complex origami figures, including animals, flowers, and even people.
Question 2: What kind of paper is best for origami?
Answer: Origami paper is specially designed for folding and will produce the best results. However, you can also use regular printer paper or construction paper. Just be sure to choose a paper that is thin and easy to fold.
Question 3: What are some basic origami folds?
Answer: There are many different origami folds, but some of the most basic include the square fold, the triangle fold, and the bird base. Once you have mastered these basic folds, you can start to create more complex origami figures.
Question 4: Where can I learn how to make origami?
Answer: There are many resources available to help you learn how to make origami. You can find books, DVDs, and online tutorials that will teach you how to fold different origami figures. You can also find origami classes at your local community center or library.
Question 5: What are some tips for making origami?
Answer: Here are a few tips for making origami:
- Use a sharp crease to make your folds.
- Be patient and take your time.
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes when they are first learning origami.
- Have fun! Origami is a great way to relax and de-stress.
Question 6: What are some popular origami figures?
Answer: Some of the most popular origami figures include the crane, the butterfly, the elephant, and the rose. These figures are relatively easy to make and are a great way to practice your origami skills.
Closing Paragraph:
Origami is a fun and challenging activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little practice, you can create beautiful and complex origami figures. So what are you waiting for? Start folding today!
Now that you know a little bit more about origami, here are a few tips to help you get started:
Tips
Here are a few tips to help you get started with origami:
Tip 1: Start with simple folds.
There are many different origami folds, but some of the most basic include the square fold, the triangle fold, and the bird base. Once you have mastered these basic folds, you can start to create more complex origami figures.
Tip 2: Use a sharp crease.
When you fold origami, it is important to make a sharp crease. This will help to ensure that your folds are accurate and that your origami figure holds its shape. You can use a bone folder or your fingernail to make a crease.
Tip 3: Be patient and take your time.
Origami can be a challenging activity, but it is also very rewarding. It is important to be patient and take your time when folding origami. Don’t get discouraged if you make a mistake. Just keep practicing and you will eventually be able to create beautiful and complex origami figures.
Tip 4: Have fun!
Origami is a great way to relax and de-stress. So put on some calming music, find a comfortable spot to sit, and enjoy the process of folding origami.
Closing Paragraph:
With a little practice, you can create beautiful and complex origami figures. So what are you waiting for? Start folding today!
Now that you know a little bit more about origami and have some tips to get you started, it’s time to start folding!
Conclusion
Origami is a fun and challenging activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little practice, you can create beautiful and complex origami figures, including animals, flowers, and even people.
In this article, we have learned the basics of origami, including how to fold a square piece of paper, how to make basic origami folds, and how to create a simple origami person.
Origami is a great way to relax and de-stress. It is also a great way to improve your hand-eye coordination and your spatial reasoning skills. So what are you waiting for? Start folding today!
Closing Message:
I hope you have enjoyed this article on how to make an origami person. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. Happy folding!
