How to Fold an Origami Shark

This is a middle version of the origami shark with more details about the head and tail. It has a lovely broad back, a large dorsal fin, and a super sharp mouth.

If you want an easier version, check out our easy origami shark. You can prepare several different sizes of origami papers and make a lovely paper shark family.

New to origami? Start here from our beginner guide to know the basics and how to read the step-by-step instructions.

Folding time: 30 minutes
Paper: 15×15 cm
Difficulty: Middle

Material

Prepare a piece of 15×15 cm origami square paper, with different colors on each side, to create a 6.7×11.4 cm origami shark.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Place the paper with the desired display color side down to begin folding, fold it in half horizontally, and unfold it.

Step 2

Fold it in half vertically, and unfold it.

Step 3

Fold the bottom left and right edges to align with the middle vertical crease, crease them well then unfold them.

Step 4

Fold the top left and right edges to align with the middle vertical crease, and unfold them.

Step 5

Push the four edges toward the center along the existing creases, then sharpen the left and right corners, and flatten them upward.

Step 6

Fold up the bottom point to meet the top point of the top layer.

Step 7

Then fold it down a little.

Step 8

Fold it up again for a short section, and unfold it.

Step 9

Open the pocket of this small tip, and fold it up along the crease you just made.

Step 10

Fold the top layer down.

Step 11

Fold the top points of the top left and right layers along the black dotted lines.

Step 12

Fold the bottom part up again along the existing crease.

Step 13

Flip the paper over.

Step 14

Fold the left and right corners toward the center.

Step 15

Rotate it 180 degrees clockwise.

Step 16

Fold down the top left and right corners diagonally.

Step 17

Then fold them back to the original direction for a short section.

Step 18

Fold the two small corners along the dotted lines.

Step 19

Fold the edge indicated by the black line to align with the edge indicated by the red line, crease it well, and then unfold it.

Step 20

Slightly lift the small top left layer, and push the edge upward as the second picture shows, then flatten the fold along the crease you just made.

Step 21

Like before, fold the edge indicated by the red line to align with the edge indicated by the black line, crease it well, and then unfold it.

Step 22

Slightly lift the small top right layer, and push the edge upward as the second picture shows, then flatten the fold along the crease you just made.

Step 23

Fold the paper in half vertically from the right to the left.

Step 24

Lift the small tip a little on the right side.

Step 25

Rotate it 90 degrees counterclockwise.

Step 26

Fold down the tail part, and unfold it.

Step 27

Rotate the paper 90 degrees from the back to the front, to make the back of the shark face up. Then open the back from the bottom, and shape the creases you made in the previous step. Next, push down the middle line of the tail, and flatten the fold.

Step 28

Fold up the tail fin, making the edge indicated by the black line to align with the edge indicated by the red line, leaving a crease, and unfold it.

Step 29

Rotate it 90 degrees from the back to the front, open the tail fin, and shape the creases you just made. Then bring up the tail fine, flatten the fold based on the creases you shaped, and rotate it 90 degrees from the front to the back.

Step 30

Take the top layer of the bottom edge of the tail fin, and fold it up along the dotted line. Then the right point to the left side, and fold it back to the right side for a short section. Finally, fold the top point of the tail fin to meet the bottom point.

Step 31

Rotate it 90 degrees from the back to the front, and shape the red dotted lines, then rotate it 90 degrees to its original shape.

Step 32

Make a gill for the shark by creating a crease as the picture shows.

Step 33