Make Origami Dragons

Origami dragons are very simple to make, being a slight variation of the crane. They provide for a unique figure in any origami collection, or just to play with. Here's how to create your first one.

Steps

The Basics

  1. Get a piece of origami paper. If you're an origami newbie, you'll want to start with a decent sized piece of paper. Smaller paper is more difficult to work with.
    • Think about the colors of a dragon. Red, gold, and black make good choices. So does a paper that has a detailed, abstract pattern.
  2. Make the beginning of an origami crane. That is generally the first thing you learn how to do when studying origami. Go to a bird base. If not, follow steps 1-18 on wikiHow's folding a paper crane tutorial.

The Body & Wings

  1. Fold the wings up. Do not make the kite folds you do in the crane. The neck and tail should automatically form in what's left over. You should try to, if you are making a flying dragon, position the neck and tail to be straight.
  2. Pull the wings down. It should look like a headless crane with triangles for wings. Make a firm crease, leaving a base. Get each side as even as possible.

Head & Tail

  1. Start working on the neck. Do this by folding down the tip of the paper. It should go about halfway out. Make a crease to keep with the geometrical feel. Pulling it forward less will be more of an upright dragon; pulling it down more will make it seem like it's reaching for something or zooming downward.
    • When you fold down the head, fold down more than you think you need. Part of that will be the horn. About halfway down is right.
  2. From the head, fold up the pointy end to make a horn. It should be sticking straight up. If it's not long enough, refold the area. Starting to look like a dragon?
  3. Make several creases on the tail. This adds more of a reptilian look, as opposed to a straight bird tail. Fold it up and then fold it back down again.
  4. Fold the ridge on the back in on itself towards the tail. This adds dimension to the lower back, and also removes some unwanted height It gives your work shape, bulk, and makes it more interesting, too.
  5. Make creases on the wings to give it the natural look of bending. There a handful of ways you could do this -- if you're making more than one, fold each one a slightly different way.

Tips

  • Draw some features a dragon has, such as teeth, and color it in.
  • Try folding it with red, gold, black, or blue to imitate the most common dragon colors.
  • Use a double sided paper for other decorations.

Warnings

  • Beware of paper cuts...they hurt!!!

Things You'll Need

  • Origami or printer paper.
  • Scissors if using printer paper
  • Optional: Markers or crayons.

Related Articles

  • Make an Origami Yoda
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