Crane
Dashed line: fold toward you (valley). Dash-dot line: fold away (mountain). The arrow shows which way the paper moves.
-
1. Fold the top corner over to the bottom corner. Press the fold flat.
-
2. Fold the left corner over to the right corner. Press the fold flat.
-
3. Lift the top flap so it stands straight up. Open it from the bottom and press it flat into a square, with its middle fold on the middle line.
-
4. Turn the paper over, left to right.
-
5. Lift the top flap so it stands straight up. Open it from the bottom and press it flat into a square, with its middle fold on the middle line.
-
6. Fold the lower left edge of the front flap to the centre line. Press firmly, then unfold it again — you only need the crease.
-
7. Fold the lower right edge of the front flap to the centre line. Press firmly, then unfold it again — you only need the crease.
-
8. Fold the top point to down over the kite creases. Press firmly, then unfold it again — you only need the crease.
-
9. Lift the bottom corner of the top layer up along the crease across the middle. As it rises, let both sides fold in along their creases until the edges meet in the middle. Press it flat.
-
10. Turn the paper over, left to right.
-
11. Fold the lower left edge of the front flap to the centre line. Press firmly, then unfold it again — you only need the crease.
-
12. Fold the lower right edge of the front flap to the centre line. Press firmly, then unfold it again — you only need the crease.
-
13. Fold the top point to down over the kite creases. Press firmly, then unfold it again — you only need the crease.
-
14. Lift the bottom corner of the top layer up along the crease across the middle. As it rises, let both sides fold in along their creases until the edges meet in the middle. Press it flat.
-
15. Fold the lower left edge of the top flap over so it touches the centre line. Press the fold flat.
-
16. Fold the lower right edge of the top flap over so it touches the centre line. Press the fold flat.
-
17. Turn the paper over, left to right.
-
18. Fold the lower left edge of the top flap over so it touches the centre line. Press the fold flat.
-
19. Fold the lower right edge of the top flap over so it touches the centre line. Press the fold flat.
-
20. Open the left thin flap a little and push its point up and out, between the wings, to make the neck, so it folds inside itself along a new crease. Press it flat.
-
21. Open the right thin flap a little and push its point up and out, between the wings, to make the tail, so it folds inside itself along a new crease. Press it flat.
-
22. Open the tip of the neck a little and push its point down, to make a head, so it folds inside itself along a new crease. Press it flat.
-
23. Fold the front wing down, toward you. Press it flat.
-
24. Fold the back wing down, behind the paper. Press it flat.
-
Done. Now you have a crane — hold the wings and pull them gently apart to puff out its body.
A traditional model. The orizuru, the traditional Japanese crane. The first known book devoted to folding, Hiden Senbazuru Orikata (1797), is a book of joined cranes devised by Rokoan, a priest in Kuwana.