Let’s make a cute, lifelike 3D origami jellyfish with a big round head and eight thin spiral legs. This project is based on the basic folding method of frog base, and some pleat folds will be used in the process. It’s not too complicated for beginners.
You can use different colored paper or paper with patterns or glitter to make all kinds of special jellyfish. You can also draw eyes on it to make it cuter.
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: 20 minutes
- Paper: 15×15 cm
- Difficulty: Middle
Material
Get a piece of 15×15 cm square paper to create an 8.5×4.7 cm origami jellyfish.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Place the paper with the colored side facing up. Fold and unfold it in half horizontally, then vertically.
Step 2
Flip the paper from left to right.
Step 3
Fold the bottom right edge to align with the top left edge, leaving a crease, and unfold it.
Fold the bottom left edge to align with the top right edge, leaving a crease, and unfold it.
Step 4
Lift the left, right, and top points and push them to meet the bottom point based on the existing creases.
Step 5
Fold the top left and right edges of the top layer to align with the middle vertical crease, crease them well, and unfold them.
Step 6
Lift the top right flap, open it, and squash it along the creases you made in the previous step.
Step 7
Fold the top left flap to the right side, then lift the next top left flap, open it, and squash it along the existing creases.
Step 8
Flip the paper from left to right, then fold the top left and right edges to align with the middle vertical crease, leaving two creases on each side, and unfold them.
Next, lift the right flap, open and squash it. Fold the top layer on the left side to the right side along the middle vertical crease.
Finally, lift the left flap, open and squash it.
Step 9
Fold the bottom left and right edges of the top layer to align with the middle vertical line, then fold down the top point along the dotted line, crease them well, and unfold them.
Step 10
Lift the bottom edge of the top layer along the dotted line to open the pocket, then push the left and right points toward the center. Finally, flatten the pocket and fold down the top triangle.
Step 11
Rotate the paper 90 degrees from front to back, then repeat the previous step for the other three sides. Then, lay it flat.
Step 12
Lift the flaps on the bottom to slightly expand the paper as the second picture shows; then mountain fold the crease shown by the red dotted line. Next, press down this layer along this mountain crease and valley fold the creases shown by the black dotted lines. Finally, fold the bottom fold to its original position.
Step 13
Rotate the paper 90 degrees from back to front, and repeat the previous step for the other three sides.
Step 14
Fold the left layer of the top one to the right side, then fold the left and right points of the top layer to meet the center intersection point, leaving two creases on each side, and unfold them.
Step 15
First, fold the bottom right and bottom left edges and the top left and top right edges of the top layer along the dotted lines. At this point, when we view this paper from a slightly low angle, a fold will be formed on the left and right sides of the middle. Press these two folds down to flatten them.
Step 16
Similarly, repeat steps 14 to 15 for the other three sides.
Step 17
Fold up the bottom flap of the upper one along the middle horizontal line of the paper, then fold it back to the bottom side for a short section.
Step 18
Repeat the previous step for the other three flaps.
Step 19
Rotate the paper 180 degrees to make the opening face you, then pull the four flaps toward the sides, rotate it 90 degrees from front to back, and inflate the head of this jellyfish.
Step 20
Rotate the model 90 degrees from the back to the front, then fold the four flaps toward their respective directions, shape the four sides of the opening to stretch them out, and then fold the four flaps back. Finally, rotate the model 90 degrees from the front to the back.
Step 21
Fold up this flap along the crease indicated by the black dotted line, then rotate the model 180 degrees from back to front and fold down the edge along the crease indicated by the black dotted line. Finally, turn over the model from front to back.
Step 22
Repeat the previous step for the other three flaps, then rotate the model 90 degrees from front to back.
Step 23
Cut the flap along its center line to get two small flaps, and then spiral roll these two folds.
Step 24
Repeat the previous step for the other three flaps.
What’s Next
This is the final shape of an origami jellyfish. You can now explore our other interesting origami ideas. Happy folding!
Check our origami octopus, this origami project looks similar to jellyfish, both have a round head and many tentacles. Expand your origami ocean world by making one of our very popular origami sharks. If you’re looking for an easy origami sea creature, then don’t miss our origami tropical fish.
Origami Octopus
Origami Shark
Easy Origami Tropical Fish
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