How to Make an Origami Swan

Completed swan
Completed swan
Many people think that origami is difficult. However, like any art form there are levels of difficulty, and the swan described here - also known as the classic origami crane - is one of the easiest animal forms to fold. To learn how to make a paper swan that can even flap its wings, read on.

Steps   

  1. 1
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    Make a square if you do not have a square piece of paper. Fold an 8 " by 10 " sheet of paper diagonally so you make a right triangle and remove the excess paper as shown in the illustration.
  2. 2
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    Fold the square the other way. Now you should have a nice "X" shape. Fold the square in half both ways. You should have a star shape.
  3. 3
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    Fold the paper in half again, but this time fold it the opposite way. Hold it in place with your fingertips. Push on the edges so you get a square. Make sure that it is as close to being perfect as possible.
  4. 5
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    Make sure that the open side of the square is facing you and fold one side of the paper towards the middle as shown in the picture. The open side of the square is highlighted. Do the same with the other sides until you get a kite shape.
  5. 6
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    Unfold the sides that you have just folded. Now you will need to turn the shape "inside out". Lift one of the open sides half way up and fold it inside out. Be sure to follow the marks that the previous step left. This step is very hard to explain in words, so try to understand by following the illustration. Do the same with the other side.
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  6. 8
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    Fold the sides down, then fold them back up to form the wings. Fold the open edge of the kite shape out a little. Fold it up at an angle so it does not point straight up. Do the same with the other side. These will form your swan's head and tail.
  7. 10
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    Pick which one of these pieces that you want to be a head, then fold it down. You're done! To make the wings flap, just pull on two of the bottom edges. If you just want it to sit there, fold those edges out.


Tips   

  • Make every fold as precise as possible, even from the beginning when you're making the square. A small mistake and your swan might not turn out as well-shaped as it could be.


Warnings   

  • The swan cannot float, so keep it away from water.


Things You'll Need   

  • A square piece of paper.