Make an Abstract Origami Lotus
Here is the easy way to make an origami flower, the lotus. Since all of the folds are fairly straightforward, this is a great project for beginners. The result is a sharp, abstract rendition of a lotus flower that can be decorated in any way you like.
Steps
- Fold a square piece of paper diagonally both ways. Unfold. (If you don't have a square piece of paper, you can easily make one from a rectangular sheet.)
- Fold all of the corners to the center.
- Repeat.
- For additional layers, repeat this step an additional time. It will make the flower a little more difficult to work with, but it'll add four extra petals. Be sure to make your creases very sharp.
- Flip the paper over and fold these corners in also.
- Take about half of one back flap and fold it halfway out. Repeat for all of them.
- Flip it back over to the front (you should be able to see the pointy tips of the flaps from the previous step sticking out at the sides). Unfold the flaps from the center to the corners.
- Repeat with the next layer of flaps.
- Finished.
Tips
- To make the "petals" a little softer, you can bend them over the shaft of a pen or pencil to give them a curved appearance, starting with the inner petals and working your way out.
- Color in the edges of the "petals", or add other patterns. You can also use colored paper to enhance the finished origami.
- Make sure your hands are clean & oil free. Each time you rub your hand or fingers down a fold anything on them will be rubbed into your paper.
- Regular weight paper (20#) is easier to fold.
- For a lotus with a lot of petals make one the regular way and then another with just one more fold (see notes under step 3). Then, set the smaller lotus inside the center of the larger lotus. Tuck the bottom folds under the most center flaps of the larger lotus for a really complex looking flower.
- For decoration, you can paint the flower with nail polish.
- Your flower might rip a little bit as you're learning this pattern.
Things You'll Need
- Square Piece of Paper (origami paper or normal printer paper)
- Round edged Pencil (optional)
