How to make an origami dragon
Origami Dragon: try all 28 steps in the 3D player. Turn and replay every move. Print the complete diagram sheet or save it as PDF.
An Origami Tutor dragon with a short broad neck, a large blunt head, an upturned tail and two broad pointed wings. Folded from one square without cuts.
- You need
- One square of thin origami paper. No scissors or glue.
- Start
- Start colored side up with a corner at the top. Thin paper makes the bird base easier to shape.
- Tips
- Line the lower edges up carefully with the middle crease.
- Keep the neck broad and turn more than half its point forward for the head.
Your model is ready
Spread the wings upward into a wide V. Keep the neck high and the tail stretched behind it. The dragon is ready to fly.
Step-by-step diagrams
Steps 1–6
- 1
Crease a diagonal
Bring the top corner down to the bottom corner, press, and open.
- 2
Crease the other diagonal
Bring the left corner to the right corner, press, and open.
- 3
Turn over
Turn the paper over, keeping a corner pointing up.
- 4
Crease edge to edge
Fold the bottom-left edge up to the top-right edge, press, and open.
- 5
Crease the other way
Fold the bottom-right edge up to the top-left edge, press, and open.
- 6
Turn back
Turn the paper back over, keeping a corner pointing up.
Steps 7–12
- 7
Collapse into a square
Hold the bottom corner. Push the left and right corners in and down so the paper collapses along the creases into a small square, open end at the bottom.
- 8
Crease the left kite
Fold the lower left edge of the top flap to the center line, press, and open.
- 9
Crease the right kite
Fold the lower right edge of the top flap to the center line, press, and open.
- 10
Crease across the top
Fold the top down along the line joining the tops of the two kite creases, press, and open.
- 11
Petal fold
Lift the bottom corner of the top layer up along the crease across the top. The sides fold in along the kite creases and meet in the middle. Press flat.
- 12
Turn over
Turn the model over, keeping the open end at the bottom.
Steps 13–18
- 13
Crease the left kite
Fold the lower left edge of the top flap to the center line, press, and open.
- 14
Crease the right kite
Fold the lower right edge of the top flap to the center line, press, and open.
- 15
Crease across the top
Fold the top down along the line joining the tops of the two kite creases, press, and open.
- 16
Petal fold
Lift the bottom corner of the top layer up along the crease across the top. The sides fold in along the kite creases and meet in the middle. Press flat.
- 17
Narrow the left lower edge
Fold this lower edge to the middle line, taking the two front layers together.
- 18
Turn over the base
Turn the base over with the split points still at the bottom.
Steps 19–24
- 19
Narrow the back right edge
Fold this lower edge to the middle line to match the folds on the other side.
- 20
Raise the dragon's neck
Open the left lower point slightly. Push it up and left between its layers along the slanted line, keeping the broad wing above it still. Close and press flat.
- 21
Sweep the tail back
Fold the narrow right lower point up and out to the right on the slanted line. Keep the neck and broad wings still, and press the tail flat outside the body.
- 22
Turn the head forward
Open the upper point down to the marked line. Push most of this point forward between its layers, leaving a short broad neck below the head. Close the layers.
- 23
Blunt the snout
Fold the tiny end of the head back along the vertical line, leaving a short flat snout instead of a pointed beak.
- 24
Lower the front wing
Fold the broad front point down across the marked line. Leave the neck and tail outside the fold.
Steps 25–28
- 25
Turn over
Turn the dragon over to reach its other wing.
- 26
Lower the back wing
Fold the other broad point down along the matching line.
- 27
Turn back
Turn the dragon back so its head faces left.
- 28
Lift the tail tip
Fold the last part of the tail upward along the slanted crease. Keep the long root of the tail stretched behind the body.
- ✓
Finish
Spread the wings upward into a wide V. Keep the neck high and the tail stretched behind it. The dragon is ready to fly.
Fold next
Crane ↗
The crane begins with a square base. Two petal folds turn it into a bird base with separate points for the neck and tail; the broad flaps become the wings. Work through one side of the body before repeating the narrowing folds on the back.
Swan ↗
The traditional kite-base swan, with a pointed tail, a long neck and a small head.
Pig ↗
The traditional kindergarten pig, recorded in 1863. It stands on four pointed feet, with a raised tail and a short snout.
Japanese rabbit ↗
The cupboard-base Japanese rabbit recorded in 1935, with long ears and a small turned-up tail. Fold its broad head, narrow ears, body and reversed tail.