What’s your favorite origami animal? How about an elegant paper swan? Birds are possibly the most popular choice in the world of origami, and swans are among the most beautiful.

This lovely origami swan has a long and tall leg and flapping wings. It can be imagined whipping its wings over the water surface of lakes.

This paper swan instruction is at the middle level, a little bit more complex than the traditional paper crane. But follow our step-by-step instructions, and let’s learn how to do origami swan.

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.

origami swan | origamiok
  • Folding time: 20 minutes
  • Paper: 15ร—15 cm
  • Difficulty: Middle
origami swan | origamiok.com

Material for Origami Swan

Prepare a piece of 15ร—15 cm origami square paper, with different colors on each side, to create a 7ร—10 cm swan. Try to use patterned and textured paper to create a unique swan.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Origami Swan Video

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Start with the colored side of the paper facing up, and fold the bottom point to the top diagonally, leaving a crease then unfold it.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 2

Fold the left point to the right diagonally, crease it well then unfold.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 3

Flip it over.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 4

Fold the bottom right edge to align with the top left, crease it well then unfold.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 5

Fold the bottom left edge to align with the top right edge, leaving a crease, and unfold.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 6

Now, shape the left and right creases, and use both hands to press the left and right points, then push them down to meet the bottom point.

Flatten the fold along the existing creases.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 7

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

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 8

Fold the top corner down along the dotted line, and unfold it.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 9

Open the pocket based on the crease created by the previous step. Then lift up the top layer, push the left and right points to the center, and flatten the pocket.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 10

Fold the top triangle down.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 11

Flip the paper over.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 12

Like before, fold the bottom left and right edges to the center, and unfold.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 13

As you did in step 9, open the pocket based on the crease created by the previous step. Then lift up the top layer, push the left and right points to the center, and flatten the pocket.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 14

Fold the top triangle down.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 15

Rotate it 180 degrees clockwise.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 16

Take the top corner of the top layer, and fold it down to the right along the dotted line.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 17

Flip the paper over.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 18

In the same way, fold the top corner of the top layer down to the left along the dotted line, and make sure the flap you made overlaps with the flap you made at the bottom side.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 19

Push down the lower flayer to slightly spread out the paper, and take the top layer of the top left flap, lift it, and push it to the left then flatten it.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 20

Turn over the paper.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 21

Like before, push down the lower layer, and take the top layer of the top right flap, push it to the right then flatten it, ensuring it overlaps the bottom layer you just made.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 22

Fold the top right white triangle down, and unfold.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 23

View it from the top left, open the top right corner, and slightly press its tip and shape the creases you just made on both sides, then push this tip inwards, tucking it between the two layers of corner.

Finally, flatten it, this is the tail of the swan, and then view it from the original sight.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 24

Focus on the front wing, lift its left layer, then fold its bottom corner up along the dotted line. [the left layer only]

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 25

Turn over the model.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 26

Repeat step 24 for this wing, lift its right layer, then fold its bottom corner up along the dotted line.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 27

Take the right corner of the top layer, and fold it to the left along the dotted line.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 28

Fold the top left and right edges of the right flap to the center, crease them well then unfold.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 29

Then fold the right flap in half vertically.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 30

Fold the bottom corner of the model up along the dotted line that connects the two red spots, and unfold it, then view the model from the bottom.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 31

Pull the top and bottom layers to open the model, shape the creases shown by the red dotted lines, and press down the center point of the bottom as the third picture shows. Then gently flatten it.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 32

Now view it from the top right to focus on the neck part.

Fold the left layer in half along the existing crease, while pushing the bottom to the center as well as the fourth picture shows, adjust it well then flatten it.

[If you have completed this in the previous step, you can skip this and the next step, as this may happen occasionally.]

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 33

Similarly, view it from the bottom, fold the other layer of the head in half along the existing crease, and push its bottom to the center as well, as the second and third pictures show, then flatten it, getting a slimmer neck.

origami swan| origamiok.com

Step 34

View it from the left side and focus on the head, flatten the top part, and fold the tip down a little, then close the folded section back up.

Next, view it from the original sight, lift the head up a little. This is the final shape of a swan.

origami swan| origamiok.com

What’s Next

That’s your inquisitive origami swan, now you can explore our other origami bird instructions, hope you enjoy the process.

Other Origami Bird Ideas

origami penguin | origamiok

Origami Penguin

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origami seagull | origamiok

Origami Seagull

20 Minutes

origami bird | origamiok

Origami Bird

10 Minutes

origami pigeon | origamiok

Origami Pigeon

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