Do you remember the aggressive, pointy-mouth origami shark we shared before? Let’s explore the other style with this graceful Origami Whale Shark by Muneji Fuchimoto. Using just one square sheet, you’ll start with a precise grid of creases. The entire lifelike body is then shaped through a series of mountain and valley folds built upon this foundation.
For a quicker model, you might enjoy our Easy Origami Shark, Sticky Note Origami Shark, or the practical Origami Shark Bookmark. Ready to create the ocean’s gentle giant? Let’s begin.
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: 15×15 cm
- Total steps: 17
- Difficulty: Easy
- Designer: Muneji Fuchimoto/ フチモトムネジ
Material
Prepare a piece of 15×15 cm origami square paper to create a 9×5 cm origami whale shark.
Step by Step Instructions
A friendly reminder: The creases made in the first four steps form the foundation for the entire model. Please take your time to make them sharp, accurate, and evenly spaced. This will make all the following steps much easier.
Step 1
Place the paper with the desired display color face down. Fold and unfold it in half horizontally.
Step 2
Fold the top and bottom edges to the center horizontal crease twice. Unfold completely to reveal seven evenly spaced creases.
Step 3
Fold the paper in half vertically, leave a crease, and unfold it.
Step 4
Fold the left and right edges to the center vertical crease twice. Unfold completely to reveal seven evenly spaced vertical creases.
Step 5
Flip the paper over, make mountain folds along these red dash-dot-dot lines.
Tip: To do this, let’s first go back and sharply crease all the creases you’ve made. This is important because these red dash-dot-dot lines aren’t random; some of them are the crease itself, and some of them connect specific intersections between creases and the paper’s edge. Sharp pre-creases will make this step fold perfectly into place.
Step 6
Focus on the left half. Reinforce the mountain creases you made in the previous step, forming a rectangle. (pictures 1-2)
Next, based on these existing creases, pinch the top and bottom edges of this rectangle. As you lift them, valley fold along the black dashed lines and mountain fold along the red dash-dot-dot lines. Then, gently push the left and right edges of the rectangle inward. The paper will naturally collapse, closing the rectangle along the pre-creased lines. (pictures 3-5)
Step 7
Repeat the last step for the right half, then rotate the model 90 degrees from left to right to lay it flat.
Step 8
Gently open the model from the back and expand it. Make the mountain folds along the red dash-dot-dot lines, then simply close the model back to return it to its previous shape.
Step 9
Focus on the bottom part.
Slightly expand it, then pinch the left and right inward, reinforcing the mountain creases. This will also naturally cause the central part to rise. (pictures 1-2)
Next, press this rising vertex upward and flatten everything down, forming a small square. (pictures 3-4)
Step 10
Fold both the top and bottom corners of the small square to the center point; you will have two flaps. (picture 1)
Then, lift these two flaps upward along the horizontal crease, and push down the top and bottom layers of the model backward. Now, the model will stand upright. (pictures 2-3)
Finally, rotate the model 90 degrees from front to back to lay it flat. (picture 4)
Step 11
Valley fold the top two layers upward along the black dashed line. Then, valley fold the two top corners downward along the black diagonal creases, to the left and right respectively. This creates two triangles. (pictures 1-2)
Next, fold the outer corners of both triangles toward the center. Then, fold these corners upward, creating a pleat. Finally, fold the entire resulting flaps downward. (pictures 3-5)
Step 12
Flip the model over. Fold the bottom flap up, then fold its top corner down.
Step 13
Fold the top layer down, then fold its bottom left and bottom right corners upward along the black dashed lines (not diagonally), and finally fold this layer back up.
Step 14
Rotate the model 90 degrees counterclockwise. Create a mountain fold on each tail layer along the red dashed line connecting the dots. (pictures 1-3)
Pinch the two tail layers together along these new creases to sharpen the tail’s profile. Ensure you pull the small layer on the left out, so it is not trapped between the tails. (pictures 4-5)
Step 15
Open the tail part, and fold up the right part to complete the upper tail. Bring the two parts together again.
Step 16
Turn over the model from left to right. Fold the unfolded tail section upward, sandwiching the upper tail. Then, fold this section back down (forming a pleat) and tuck this pleat into the pocket beneath it. This is the lower tail.
Step 17
Flip the model over. If the left side of the tail is too high, shape it with a mountain fold (see picture 2) to smooth the tail line. Skip if not needed.
Final Touch: To achieve a polished look and fix the position of the two front fins, apply a small amount of glue between the layers, attaching the bottom one to the top.
What’s Next
Well done! You’ve now captured the ocean’s gentle giant in paper. If you enjoyed this model, explore the other part of the underwater world. Happy folding!
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