Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. It has been enjoyed for centuries and is a great way to relax and de-stress. It is also a fun and educational activity for children. Paper folding can help develop fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving abilities.
This article will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to fold an origami elephant. This project is suitable for beginners and can be completed in just a few minutes.
Let’s get started!
Step-by-Step Origami Elephant
Follow these 9 simple steps to create a paper elephant.
- Start with a square sheet of paper.
- Fold in half diagonally both ways.
- Unfold and fold in half vertically and horizontally.
- Fold the bottom corners to the center.
- Fold the top corners down to the center.
- Fold the top flap down.
- Fold the bottom flap up.
- Fold the sides in to form the legs.
- Shape the trunk and ears.
Your origami elephant is now complete!
Start with a square sheet of paper.
The first step in making an origami elephant is to start with a square sheet of paper. This can be any color or size you like, but a traditional origami elephant is made with a white or light-colored square.
If you don’t have a square sheet of paper, you can easily make one from a rectangular sheet. Simply fold the rectangular sheet in half lengthwise and then cut along the folded edge. This will give you two square sheets of paper.
Once you have your square sheet of paper, you’re ready to start folding! Begin by placing the paper in front of you in a diamond shape. This means that the corners of the paper should be pointing up and down, and the sides should be pointing left and right.
Now, fold the paper in half diagonally from top to bottom. Make sure that the crease is sharp and straight. Unfold the paper and then fold it in half diagonally from bottom to top. Again, make sure that the crease is sharp and straight.
You now have a square sheet of paper with two diagonal creases. These creases will help you to fold the elephant’s body and legs.
Fold in half diagonally both ways.
The next step is to fold the paper in half diagonally both ways. This will create two diagonal creases that will help you to fold the elephant’s body and legs.
- Fold from top to bottom.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you in a diamond shape and bring the top corner down to the bottom corner. Make sure that the edges of the paper line up evenly. Crease the fold sharply with your fingers.
- Unfold the paper.
Once you have creased the fold, unfold the paper so that it is flat again.
- Fold from bottom to top.
Now, hold the paper in front of you in a diamond shape again and bring the bottom corner up to the top corner. Again, make sure that the edges of the paper line up evenly and crease the fold sharply.
- Unfold the paper.
Once you have creased the fold, unfold the paper so that it is flat again.
You now have a square sheet of paper with two diagonal creases. These creases will help you to fold the elephant’s body and legs in the next steps.
Unfold and fold in half vertically and horizontally.
Once you have folded the paper in half diagonally both ways, you need to unfold it and then fold it in half vertically and horizontally. This will create two more creases that will help you to fold the elephant’s head, ears, and tail.
To fold the paper in half vertically, hold the paper in front of you with the two diagonal creases running from top to bottom and bottom to top. Bring the right edge of the paper to the left edge and crease the fold sharply. Unfold the paper.
To fold the paper in half horizontally, hold the paper in front of you with the two diagonal creases running from top to bottom and bottom to top. Bring the top edge of the paper down to the bottom edge and crease the fold sharply. Unfold the paper.
You now have a square sheet of paper with two diagonal creases and two vertical and horizontal creases. These creases will help you to fold the elephant’s body, head, ears, and tail in the next steps.
Tip: Make sure that you crease all of the folds sharply. This will help to ensure that your origami elephant is neat and tidy.
Fold the bottom corners to the center.
Once you have folded the paper in half vertically and horizontally, you need to fold the bottom corners to the center. This will create the elephant’s legs.
- Fold the left bottom corner to the center.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the vertical crease running down the middle. Bring the bottom left corner of the paper to the center crease and crease the fold sharply. Make sure that the edge of the paper lines up evenly with the center crease.
- Fold the right bottom corner to the center.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the vertical crease running down the middle. Bring the bottom right corner of the paper to the center crease and crease the fold sharply. Make sure that the edge of the paper lines up evenly with the center crease.
- Unfold the paper.
Once you have folded both bottom corners to the center, unfold the paper so that it is flat again.
- Fold the bottom corners to the center again, but this time, fold them inside the previous folds.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the vertical crease running down the middle. Bring the bottom left corner of the paper to the center crease and tuck it inside the previous fold. Do the same with the bottom right corner. Crease the folds sharply.
You now have a square sheet of paper with two diagonal creases, two vertical and horizontal creases, and two folded bottom corners. These creases and folds will help you to fold the elephant’s body and legs in the next steps.
Fold the top corners down to the center.
Once you have folded the bottom corners to the center, you need to fold the top corners down to the center. This will create the elephant’s ears.
To fold the top corners down to the center, hold the paper in front of you with the vertical crease running down the middle. Bring the top left corner of the paper down to the center crease and crease the fold sharply. Make sure that the edge of the paper lines up evenly with the center crease.
Do the same with the top right corner. Bring it down to the center crease and crease the fold sharply. Make sure that the edge of the paper lines up evenly with the center crease.
You now have a square sheet of paper with two diagonal creases, two vertical and horizontal creases, two folded bottom corners, and two folded top corners. These creases and folds will help you to fold the elephant’s head, ears, and trunk in the next steps.
Tip: If you want to make the elephant’s ears bigger, you can fold the top corners down to the diagonal creases instead of the center crease.
Fold the top flap down.
Once you have folded the top corners down to the center, you need to fold the top flap down. This will create the elephant’s trunk.
- Fold the top flap down to the horizontal crease.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the horizontal crease running across the middle. Bring the top flap of the paper down to the horizontal crease and crease the fold sharply. Make sure that the edge of the paper lines up evenly with the horizontal crease.
- Unfold the top flap.
Once you have creased the fold, unfold the top flap so that it is flat again.
- Fold the top flap down to the center crease.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the vertical crease running down the middle. Bring the top flap of the paper down to the center crease and crease the fold sharply. Make sure that the edge of the paper lines up evenly with the center crease.
- Unfold the top flap again.
Once you have creased the fold, unfold the top flap so that it is flat again.
You now have a square sheet of paper with two diagonal creases, two vertical and horizontal creases, two folded bottom corners, two folded top corners, and a folded top flap. These creases and folds will help you to shape the elephant’s head, ears, and trunk in the next steps.
Fold the bottom flap up.
Once you have folded the top flap down, you need to fold the bottom flap up. This will create the elephant’s tail.
- Fold the bottom flap up to the horizontal crease.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the horizontal crease running across the middle. Bring the bottom flap of the paper up to the horizontal crease and crease the fold sharply. Make sure that the edge of the paper lines up evenly with the horizontal crease.
- Unfold the bottom flap.
Once you have creased the fold, unfold the bottom flap so that it is flat again.
- Fold the bottom flap up to the center crease.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the vertical crease running down the middle. Bring the bottom flap of the paper up to the center crease and crease the fold sharply. Make sure that the edge of the paper lines up evenly with the center crease.
- Unfold the bottom flap again.
Once you have creased the fold, unfold the bottom flap so that it is flat again.
You now have a square sheet of paper with two diagonal creases, two vertical and horizontal creases, two folded bottom corners, two folded top corners, a folded top flap, and a folded bottom flap. These creases and folds will help you to shape the elephant’s head, ears, tail, and legs in the next steps.
Fold the sides in to form the legs.
Once you have folded the bottom flap up, you need to fold the sides in to form the elephant’s legs.
- Fold the left side in to the center crease.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the vertical crease running down the middle. Bring the left edge of the paper to the center crease and crease the fold sharply. Make sure that the edge of the paper lines up evenly with the center crease.
- Fold the right side in to the center crease.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the vertical crease running down the middle. Bring the right edge of the paper to the center crease and crease the fold sharply. Make sure that the edge of the paper lines up evenly with the center crease.
- Unfold the sides.
Once you have creased the folds, unfold the sides so that the paper is flat again.
- Fold the sides in to the diagonal creases.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the two diagonal creases running from top to bottom and bottom to top. Bring the left edge of the paper to the left diagonal crease and crease the fold sharply. Make sure that the edge of the paper lines up evenly with the diagonal crease. Do the same with the right side, bringing it to the right diagonal crease and creasing the fold sharply.
You now have a square sheet of paper with two diagonal creases, two vertical and horizontal creases, two folded bottom corners, two folded top corners, a folded top flap, a folded bottom flap, and two folded sides. These creases and folds will help you to shape the elephant’s head, ears, tail, legs, and trunk in the next steps.
Shape the trunk and ears.
Once you have folded the sides in to form the legs, you can start to shape the elephant’s trunk and ears.
- Shape the trunk.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the top flap folded down. Bring the right corner of the top flap to the left and crease the fold sharply. Do the same with the left corner of the top flap, bringing it to the right and creasing the fold sharply. You should now have a small triangle at the top of the elephant’s head. This is the trunk.
- Shape the ears.
To do this, hold the paper in front of you with the two top corners folded down. Bring the left top corner to the right and crease the fold sharply. Do the same with the right top corner, bringing it to the left and creasing the fold sharply. You should now have two small triangles at the top of the elephant’s head. These are the ears.
- Adjust the trunk and ears.
Once you have shaped the trunk and ears, you can adjust them to make them look more realistic. You can make the trunk longer or shorter by folding it up or down. You can also make the ears bigger or smaller by folding them in or out.
- Curl the trunk.
To give the elephant a more playful look, you can curl the trunk. To do this, simply twist the trunk around your finger.
Your origami elephant is now complete! You can display it on a shelf or give it to a friend as a gift.
FAQ
Have questions about origami? Here are some frequently asked questions and answers:
Question 1: What is origami?
Answer: Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. It is a fun and challenging way to create beautiful objects using only a single sheet of paper.
Question 2: What kind of paper is best for origami?
Answer: Origami paper is specially designed for folding and is available in a variety of colors and patterns. However, you can also use regular printer paper or any other type of thin, non-glossy paper.
Question 3: What are some basic origami folds?
Answer: There are many different origami folds, but some of the most basic include the square fold, the triangle fold, and the bird base. Once you have mastered these basic folds, you can start to create more complex origami models.
Question 4: Where can I learn origami?
Answer: There are many resources available to help you learn origami. You can find books, DVDs, and online tutorials that will teach you how to fold different origami models.
Question 5: What are some popular origami models?
Answer: Some of the most popular origami models include the crane, the elephant, the butterfly, and the rose. These models are relatively easy to fold and are a great way to practice your origami skills.
Question 6: Can I sell origami models that I make?
Answer: In general, it is not advisable to sell origami models that you make unless you have obtained permission from the original designer. However, there are some origami models that are considered to be public domain and can be sold without permission.
Question 7: How can I improve my origami skills?
Answer: The best way to improve your origami skills is to practice regularly. The more you fold, the better you will become at it. You can also try folding more complex models as you become more experienced.
Closing Paragraph:
Origami is a fun and rewarding hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little practice, you can create beautiful and intricate origami models that will impress your friends and family.
Now that you know more about origami, here are some tips to help you get started:
Tips
Here are a few tips to help you get started with origami:
Tip 1: Start with simple models.
Don’t try to start with a complex model if you’re new to origami. There are plenty of simple models that are perfect for beginners, such as the crane, the elephant, and the butterfly. Once you’ve mastered these basic models, you can move on to more challenging ones.
Tip 2: Use good quality paper.
The type of paper you use can make a big difference in the outcome of your origami model. Origami paper is specially designed for folding and is available in a variety of colors and patterns. However, you can also use regular printer paper or any other type of thin, non-glossy paper.
Tip 3: Be patient and persistent.
Origami can be challenging, especially at first. But don’t give up! With a little patience and persistence, you’ll be able to master even the most complex models. If you get stuck, there are plenty of resources available to help you, such as books, DVDs, and online tutorials.
Tip 4: Have fun!
Origami is supposed to be enjoyable, so don’t take it too seriously. Experiment with different folds and techniques, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The more you practice, the better you’ll become at origami.
Closing Paragraph:
Origami is a fun and rewarding hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little practice, you can create beautiful and intricate origami models that will impress your friends and family. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
Now that you have some tips to get you started, here are a few concluding thoughts:
Conclusion
Origami is a fun and rewarding hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a great way to relax and de-stress, and it can also help to improve your fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving abilities.
In this article, we have provided you with a step-by-step guide on how to fold an origami elephant. We have also included a FAQ section and a tips section to help you get started with origami. We hope that you have found this article helpful and informative.
Here are some key points to remember about origami:
- Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding.
- Origami can be used to create a wide variety of objects, from simple animals to complex geometric shapes.
- Origami is a great way to relax and de-stress.
- Origami can help to improve your fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving abilities.
- Origami is a fun and rewarding hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
We encourage you to give origami a try. With a little practice, you will be able to create beautiful and intricate origami models that will impress your friends and family.
So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
