Make an Origami Photo Frame

Want a quick, easy and cheap way to display your favorite photos? Grab a piece of A4 paper! If the photo is landscape oriented, you can make a paper frame as follows.

Steps

  1. Lay your paper down on a flat surface. If your paper has a pattern on one side, start with it face down. Or, you can recycle paper, putting the printed side face up so that it's not seen in the final product (that is what is done in these pictures).
  2. Fold paper in half with the shortest ends together.
  3. Fold in half again so that you get quarters, then unfold this step.
  4. With the first fold at the top, fold the top corners down along the center fold.
  5. Unfold the corner flaps, open up the original fold and fold the corner flaps inside, now close the original flap.
  6. Fold the lower edge up as far as it will go, do the same on both sides, then unfold them.
  7. Fold the top corner down to the crease made in the previous step.
  8. Take hold of the top flap and the corner you just folded down in one hand and hold the bottom flap in the other, and gently draw them apart.
  9. Fold the two parts of the paper in the middle down into triangles so that it lies flat.
  10. Fold the outer edges in along the existing creases.
  11. Place your photo lengthwise in the center of the paper. There should be a piece of paper sticking out at each corner. Fold these corners in over the edge of the photo.
  12. Remove the photo from underneath the flaps and insert the corners into the triangle pockets on the flaps.
  13. Finished.



Tips

  • When placing photo into the frame make sure that the flap on the back of the frame is pointing down. It is the stand for the frame.
  • If you live in the United States or Canada, you may not be readily able to find ISO 216 paper (e.g. A4). If this is the case, instead find a sheet of legal paper or larger construction paper and cut it down as best you can approximate to A4 spec: 210x297mm or 8.3x11.7".

Warnings

  • Make sure your hands are relatively clean before you do it, as grubby marks can make it look a bit odd!

Things You'll Need

  • A4 piece of paper (Pattern optional)
  • 6"x4" Photo

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