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.
- Folding time: 20 minutes
- Paper: 15×15 cm
- Difficulty: Middle
Material for Origami Swan
Prepare a piece of 15×15 cm origami square paper, with different colors on each side, to create a 7×10 cm swan. Try to use patterned and textured paper to create a unique swan.
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.
Step 2
Fold the left point to the right diagonally, crease it well then unfold.
Step 3
Flip it over.
Step 4
Fold the bottom right edge to align with the top left, crease it well then unfold.
Step 5
Fold the bottom left edge to align with the top right edge, leaving a crease, and unfold.
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.
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.
Step 8
Fold the top corner down along the dotted line, and unfold it.
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.
Step 10
Fold the top triangle down.
Step 11
Flip the paper over.
Step 12
Like before, fold the bottom left and right edges to the center, and unfold.
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.
Step 14
Fold the top triangle down.
Step 15
Rotate it 180 degrees clockwise.
Step 16
Take the top corner of the top layer, and fold it down to the right along the dotted line.
Step 17
Flip the paper over.
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.
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.
Step 20
Turn over the paper.
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.
Step 22
Fold the top right white triangle down, and unfold.
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.
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]
Step 25
Turn over the model.
Step 26
Repeat step 24 for this wing, lift its right layer, then fold its bottom corner up along the dotted line.
Step 27
Take the right corner of the top layer, and fold it to the left along the dotted line.
Step 28
Fold the top left and right edges of the right flap to the center, crease them well then unfold.
Step 29
Then fold the right flap in half vertically.
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.
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.
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.]
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.
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.
What’s Next
That’s your inquisitive origami swan, now you can explore our other origami bird instructions, hope you enjoy the process.
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