Fun
Origami instructions
Fifteen traditional origami models with animated, step-by-step diagrams — pick one, fold along with each step, and print the whole sequence if you prefer paper.
Paper: Square, 15 cm (6 in); thin origami paper works best
Start with the coloured side up. Fold the square in half from corner to corner and unfold, then do the same along the other diagonal.
Swipe the diagram or use the ← → keys. Space plays and pauses.
Paper colour
Print all steps
4 pages, six steps to a page, in the paper colour you picked.
Reading the diagrams
- - - valley fold (towards you) · -·-· mountain fold (away) · thin grey lines are creases already made. Arrows show where the paper goes; a hollow arrow means push in.
All steps
Everything is drawn in your browser — nothing is uploaded, and the PDF is made on your device.
Play and explore in your browser. No account needed.
Frequently asked questions
What paper is best for origami?
Thin, crisp paper that holds a crease: packs of origami paper (kami), 15 cm or 6 in square, coloured on one side and white on the other, suit every model here except the boat, frog and lucky star, which use a rectangle, a card or a strip. Printer paper works too — cut it square by folding one corner down to the opposite edge and trimming the extra strip.
How do I read the fold lines and arrows?
A dashed blue line is a valley fold: the paper folds towards you and the crease sinks like a valley. A red dash-dot line is a mountain fold: the paper folds away, behind. Thin grey lines are creases made earlier. A curved arrow shows where the paper goes, an arrow with a head at both ends means fold and unfold, and a hollow arrow means push that part in. “Turn over” and “Repeat behind” are written in the corner of the diagram.
Which model should a beginner start with?
The paper cup, the dog face and the heart use only simple folds and take a few minutes. The samurai helmet and the paper boat add a couple of new moves. The masu box, butterfly and jumping frog introduce collapses, and the crane — with its preliminary base, petal folds and reverse folds — is the classic next goal once those feel easy.
Are these models traditional?
Yes. Every model here is a traditional design that has been folded for generations, such as the crane (orizuru), the masu box and the kabuto helmet. The diagrams and the written instructions were drawn and written for this site; the folding sequences themselves are the traditional ones or simple variations of them.
Why does my model not match the picture?
Usually an earlier fold was a little off. Line up corners and edges exactly before you crease, crease firmly with a fingernail, and check each result against the diagram before moving on. If a step is unclear, press Back and Next to replay the fold, or turn the paper so it sits the same way as the drawing.
Can I print the instructions?
Yes. Download PDF makes a printable file with every step of the model you are viewing, six diagrams per page on US Letter or A4, in the paper colour you picked. The PDF is created in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.
About this tool
This page collects fifteen classic origami models with instructions you can follow at your own pace. Each model is shown as a sequence of diagrams in the standard origami notation — valley and mountain folds, arrows, turn-over and repeat-behind symbols — and every fold is animated, so the paper visibly swings over the fold line instead of jumping from one picture to the next.
The collection runs from quick first models to the traditional crane. Easy: the paper cup, samurai helmet, dog face, fox face, fish, heart, tulip flower and stem, lucky star and paper boat. Intermediate: the masu box, butterfly, jumping frog and pinwheel. Advanced: the crane, which brings together the preliminary base, the petal fold and inside reverse folds. The popular models also have their own pages with tips and answers for that model.
The diagrams are drawn from a geometric model of the paper: the sheet is split into flat pieces that move rigidly at every fold, and the harder collapses are built from the model's real crease pattern, so each step shows paper that could actually be folded. The few steps where the paper opens up in 3D — the box walls, the opened boat and the puffed star — are drawn as illustrations. Choose any of eight paper colours to match your own sheet — the white back of the paper shows wherever it would really show.
To fold away from the screen, download the whole sequence as a PDF for US Letter or A4 and print it. Everything, including the PDF, is made in your browser; there is nothing to install and no account.