Discover the elegant Origami Angelfish, a graceful design by Arisawa Yuga. It’s honestly one of the prettier intermediate projects out there. You’ll need 29 steps to finish it, but none of them are particularly tricky.
The model uses standard valley and mountain folds, plus some petal folds to shape the fins. If you’ve done a few origami projects before, you’ll be fine. Just take your time with the creases.
We suggest you use a large, thin square of paper to manage the multiple layers comfortably. Don’t worry if your finished fish curls up, this is normal! Simply place it under a heavy book for a while, and it will flatten.
This angelfish is a beautiful flat model. If you prefer a 3D challenge, explore our unique and highly realistic origami shark tutorial.
If you are new to origami, start here from our beginner guide to know the basics and how to read the step-by-step instructions.
- Folding time: 35 minutes
- Paper: 20×20 cm
- Total steps: 29
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Designer: Arisawa Yuga
Material
Prepare a piece of 20×20 cm origami square paper, with different colors on each side, to create a 16.8×8 cm origami angelfish.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Place the paper in a diamond shape with the desired display color face up. Fold and unfold along both diagonals to create two creases. Then flip the paper over.
Step 2
Fold and unfold it in half edge-to-edge in both directions to get another two creases.
Step 3
Fold all four corners to the center intersection point formed by the creases, creating a smaller square. Turn the model over, and then fold it in half diagonally from the bottom left to the top right corner.
Step 4
Fold the bottom corner toward the top left side, making the left edge of the new triangle align with the vertical crease. Crease it well, and unfold it.
Step 5
Fold the top right corner (top layer) to the midpoint of the hypotenuse, leaving a crease, and unfold it.
Step 6
Lift the left triangle from its bottom right edge. While doing this, make a mountain fold along the half section of the crease you just made (red dash dot line), and valley fold along the crease indicated by the black dashed line.
These will naturally bring up the top right corner of the top layer. Flatten the paper, bringing the lifted corner to the hypotenuse’s midpoint again.
Step 7
Turn over.
Step 8
Fold the top left corner to the midpoint of the hypotenuse, leaving a crease and unfold.
Step 9
As you did in Step 6. Lift the right triangle from its bottom left edge. While doing this, make a mountain fold along the half section of the crease you just made (red dash dot line), and valley fold along the crease indicated by the black dashed line.
These will naturally bring up the top left. Flatten the paper, bringing the lifted corner to the hypotenuse’s midpoint again.
Step 10
Flip the model over.
Step 11
Fold the bottom left edge (top layer) to align the existing vertical crease on this layer, and unfold it.
Step 12
Lift the top layer, make a mountain fold along the crease shown by the red dash-dot-dot line, fold it, and align it with the same existing vertical crease. Leave a crease, and unfold it.
Step 13
Firstly, lift the top layer. Make mountain folds along the two creases you made in the last two steps, shown by the red dash-dot-dot lines (picture 1).
Then, fold the naturally lifted corner upward along the dashed line (petal fold) (picture 2). While you are doing this, a pocket will form; push the left side of this pocket inward (pictured 3).
Next, press the entire lifted layer down to the left side (pictures 4-5), then fold the left edge of this layer back to the right along the crease indicated by the dashed line (picture 6).
Finally, flatten the resulting arch completely (pictures 7-8).
Tip: To make Step in picture 2 easier, first fold the top-right corner down along the dashed line and unfold.
Step 14
Flip the model over.
Step 15
Fold the bottom right edge (top layer) to align the existing vertical crease on this layer, and unfold it.
Step 16
Lift the top two layers from the top left side, make a mountain fold along the crease shown by the red dash-dot-dot line, fold it, and align it with the same existing vertical crease. Leave a crease, and unfold it.
Step 17
Fold down the top left corner of the top layer along the black dashed line, leave a crease, and unfold it.
Step 18
Just like you did in Step 13.
Firstly, lift the top layer. Make mountain folds along the two creases shown by the red dash-dot-dot lines (picture 1).
Then, fold the naturally lifted corner upward along the crease you made in the previous step, indicated by a dashed line (picture 2). While you are doing this, a pocket will form; push the right side of this pocket inward (pictured 3).
Next, press the entire lifted layer down to the right side (picture 4), then fold the right edge of this layer back to the left along the crease indicated by the dashed line (picture 5).
Finally, flatten the resulting arch completely (pictures 6-7).
Step 19
Turn over. Take the small corner at the bottom left (top layer), fold it upward along the black dashed line.
Step 20
Rotate it 90 degrees from back to front so the model stands upright (picture 1).
Slightly widen the opening (picture 2).
Now, gently push the center sunken point up from underneath while pressing the surrounding edges down. This will invert the concave area into a convex arch. Then, make two mountain folds along the crease shown by the red dash-dot-dot lines (pictures 3-4).
Next, make valley folds along the creases indicated by the dashed lines and flatten the model (pictures 5-6).
Finally, rotate it 90 degrees from left to right to lay it flat (pictures 7-8).
Tip: The key to an easy flip is to push the center point up boldly after opening.
Step 21
Take the top layer, fold its bottom left edge along the black dashed line, and unfold it (pictures 1-2).
Repeat this for the top left edge (pictures 3-5).
Step 22
Still fold the top layer, fold its left corner toward the right along the dashed line extending vertically from the intersection point (red dot) formed by the creases, crease it well, and unfold it (pictures 1-2).
Now, lift the top left and bottom left edges along the creases you made. Where the red dash-dot-dot lines are, reverse the crease into a mountain fold (rabbit ear fold). This will create a small flap (pictures 3-4).
Finally, based on the existing creases, open and press this flap flat, getting a tiny square shape (picture 5).
Step 23
Focus on this tiny square, fold it in half vertically from right to left, crease, and unfold (pictures 1-2).
Next, lift both top and bottom triangular layers, and fold the right corner of this square to the left corner again. Finally, flatten the fold to create a small rectangle (pictures 3-5).
Step 24
Work on the central area. Fold the bottom layer up to the top (picture 1).
Then, fold the entire top layer in half downward (picture 2).
Next, fold the new small top layer down (picture 3). Then, fold this entire new top layer in half upward (picture 4). You now have two mini flaps.
Finally, fold the topmost flap up (pictures 5-6).
Step 25
Turn over, and fold the right corner to the left along the dashed line.
Step 26
We will work on the triangle on the left side.
Fold and unfold both the top left and bottom left edges to align with its right edge, leaving two creases.
Step 27
Fold the left corner to meet the intersection point (red dot) formed by creases (picture 1).
Then, lift both top left and bottom left edges, fold them down to the right side to create a small flap (pictures 2-3).
Finally, press this flap flat in the upward direction (pictures 4-5).
Step 28
Turn the model over.
Fold both the top and bottom triangles inward (picture 2), then fold both the top right and bottom right corners inward (picture 3).
Turn over again (pictures 4-5).
Tip: The paper may become thick after two folds. Press firmly to create a sharp crease.
Step 29
Fold down the top corner of the flap slightly. Then, lift this folded corner up by about 90 degrees to create a tiny, standing flap. Finally, open and press this tiny flap flat.
Pro Tip: For a perfectly flat finish, place your model under a heavy book for several hours. This will set the creases and prevent them from curling.
What’s Next
Congratulations on finishing your origami angelfish! This is just one of many paper fish waiting to be folded. Explore our other guides and continue your origami journey.
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