How to make an origami goldfish
Origami Goldfish: try all 9 steps in the 3D player. Turn and replay every move. Print the complete diagram sheet or save it as PDF.
An Origami Tutor goldfish with a small white face, a broad orange body and a large forked fan tail. Fold two squares, then glue the tail behind the narrow waist.
- You need
- Two squares of orange origami paper, 6 in and 5.4 in (15 cm and 13.5 cm). A little glue and a pen for the eye.
- Start
- Use a 6 in square for the body and a 5.4 in square for the tail. Start both white side up with a corner pointing up, the tail square to the right.
- Tips
- Fold the two body edges exactly to the middle line so the fish is even.
- Fold both tail fins along matching lines so the fork is even.
Draw the goldfish’s eye
Press the goldfish flat. Draw a round eye on the white face near the left point. The finished goldfish in swimming profile, with its white face at the left and its broad fan tail at the right.
Step-by-step diagrams
- 1
Fold the upper edge to the middle
On the body square, fold the upper right edge down so it lies along the middle line from the left corner to the right corner.
- 2
Fold the lower edge to the middle
Fold the lower right edge up to the middle line the same way. The left corner stays white: it is the fish's face.
- 3
Fold the long point behind
Fold the thin right point behind, about a fifth of the way in from the tip. This is the fish's narrow waist.
- 4
Fold the tail square in half
Fold the right corner of the small square over to the left corner. You have a triangle pointing left.
- 5
Turn out the upper fin
Fold the top corner out to the right along a line from the left point, so it sticks out past the back edge and leans up.
- 6
Turn out the lower fin
Fold the bottom corner out the same way, leaning down. The two fins make a forked tail.
- 7
Fold the tail's point behind
Fold the tip of the left point behind, just enough that the cut-off end is as high as the body's waist.
- 8
Join the tail to the body
Slide the tail under the body so its short straight edge overlaps the waist by about 8 mm. Keep the two tail lobes spread above and below the middle.
- 9
Glue the tail overlap
Apply a little glue to the small overlap behind the waist and press the two pieces together.
- ✓
Finish
Press the goldfish flat. Draw a round eye on the white face near the left point. The finished goldfish in swimming profile, with its white face at the left and its broad fan tail at the right.
Fold next
Dog face ↗
Fold floppy ears and a little muzzle, then give your paper dog a face.
Cat face ↗
A traditional triangle cat head with two pointed ears and a straight forehead.
Fox face ↗
The traditional pointed fox face, recorded in Japan in 1878, with two tall ears.
Turtle ↗
The common cut turtle with four pointed feet, a small head and tail, and a colored shell. One slit divides the rear feet while leaving the shell underneath whole.