Origami Crane

Learn how to make an origami crane! It is a great first craft for fans of origami, regardless of previous experience. Hope you enjoy!

You only need a square piece of paper!

Make sure you choose a size and quality you feel comfortable folding. For beginners I recommend sizing up if you're not sure. Bigger paper will make it easier to see folds and make changes as you go.

Personally, I enjoy using post-its (gasp!) despite their sticky edge. They come in a multitude of colors and the thickness of the paper makes for clean creases.

There are two types of folds in origami: valley and mountain. Valley folds are creases that go down into the paper creating an almost valley between the the two sides of the paper. Mountain folds are the opposite and raise out of the paper creating a triangular mountain shape. An example of each are shown above. Typically, dashed lines are used to represent valley folds and dash-dotted lines are used to represent mountain folds.

If you are using a paper with two different sides, determine which side is the wrong side and which is the right side. The wrong side will be hidden inside the crane, while the right side will be the outside of the crane.

1. Place the wrong side of the paper face-up.
2. Make two mountain folds diagonally (as shown on the left)
3. Make two valley folds orthogonally (not diagonally)

Note: If you are using a post-it the wrong side is the sticky side.

Start with the wrong-side up.

1. Push the points of the square (white arrows) inward towards the center of the square.
2. Let the paper collapse, folding along the mountain and valley folds you already made.
3. Your paper should look like the two images on the right.

Congrats you made a square base!

Note: The right-side will now be the outside of the crane, you no longer have to keep track of the right/wrong side.

Place the paper so the bottom side looks like the first image.

1. Make a valley fold by lining up the bottom right edge with the center crease. (second image)
2. Make another valley fold by lining up the bottom left edge to the center crease. (second image)
3. Now, It should look like the third image by the end
4. Flip over the paper.
5. Repeat steps 1 & 2 on the new side.

The final product should look like the fourth image.

1. Undo the valley folds on the side that is face up. (first image)
2. Push your thumb into the gap between the first layer of paper and the second. (second image)
3. Push the paper on the right side, following the crease that you made in the previous step. (third image)
4. Repeat step 3 on the left side (fourth image)
5. Smooth out the creases and lay the paper flat to form a diamond (fifth image)
6. Flip over the paper
7. Repeat steps 1-6 on the new side.

The worst is over. The bird base is complete! This is by far the most difficult step in making the origami crane.

Note: Since no new folds are being made I did not include lines marking valley or mountain folds.

Start with the paper oriented so that the bottom half has a gap between the left and right side (first picture)

1. Valley fold by aligning the bottom right side with the center. Repeat on the left side. (first picture).
2. The paper should now look like the second picture.
3. Flip the paper over
4. Repeat steps 1&2 on the new side

The paper should now look like the third picture.

Note: For best results keep a little gap between bottom edge and center in the first step.

1. Make a valley crease down the center of the paper, by aligning the right edge to the right. Be careful to only crease the top layer. Repeat on opposite side. (first image). The paper should now look like the second image.
2. Raise the bottom point of the triangle as far as it can go and make a valley fold there. (second image) Again be careful to repeat only on the the top layer. (second image). The paper should now look the third image.
3. Repeat on the opposite side. The paper should now look like the fourth image.

You've created the head and tail!!

1. Open the bird so its wings are visible like in the first image.
2. Pull the head and tail away from the body to look more natural
3. Choose which section is the head, usually it is the nicer folded side.
4. Fold down the head as shown in the third photo.
5. Pull down the wings.

Its finished!!!