Origami Animal - Paper Crane

Paper Crane

The end of the semester is quickly approaching, which means that this origami series is coming to an end. And what better way to end the semester with folding the most traditional and well known origami piece. For my last post I will be folding the origami paper crane. The paper crane is one of the most well known origami pieces in the world. You see them everywhere. It is possible the first thing you think of when you hear the word "origami". And thanks to the book Fun with Origami, I am able to show these steps to create your own origami crane.

The origami crane was a design in the first known book of origami. That book was in published in Japan in 1797. The title of the book is Hiden senbazuru orikata, better known as, "Secret to folding one-thousand cranes". The author of this book is unknown, which adds to the mystery of the paper crane. The very old book contains instructions written in Japanese to make an origami crane.

The easiest part of creating the crane folding its head and wings. These were the easiest steps out of the others. " Fold down the wings. Then grasp the tail with the other hand and push up and down" (Helfman 16). This was the simplest step in the whole process.

The hardest part of creating the origami crane is making the actual base of the crane. It took many steps to complete the crane base, but I was able to do it. I just wished that the author included steps to create a crane base instead of directing me to page 3. "Fold step 4 of Basic Shape No,1 so narrowest point is at C. Unfold. Repeat fold with narrowest point at A . Unfold" (Helfman 16). The crane base required me to fold Basic Shape number 1.

Step 1
Start out with origami paper

Step 2
Fold paper in half

Step 3
Paper should now look like this

Step 4
Repeat step 2 for the other side

Step 5
Fold paper so both corners touch

Step 6
Fold paper again so corners touch

Step 7
Paper should not look like this

Step 8
Open paper

Step 9
Flip paper over and push the middle

Step 10
Pull the two corners so they touch 

Step 11
Fold down

Step 12
Paper should now be a square

Step 13
Fold two flaps to
make a kite

Step 14
Flip paper over
and fold the top corner down

Step 15
Flip paper over

Step 16
Unfold the folds from step 13

Step 17
Open the fold

Step 18
Fold down on the opening 

Step 20
Repeat step 13

Step 19
Flip paper over

Step 21
Repeat step 16

Step 22
Repeat step 17

Step 23
Repeat step 18

Step 24
Fold the two corners into a kite.
Be sure the fold is not
touching the middle

Step 25
Repeat step 24 for the other side.
Then fold one leg up to mark
the next fold

Step 26
Fold the leg into the open flap.
Repeat for the other leg

Step 27
Your shape should now look like this

Step 28
Fold the wings down.
Choose one leg and fold it down
to make a head

Your crane is now complete

Overall, making the origami crane was difficult. It contained many confusing steps. It took me many tries to complete. I had a lot of trial and error. But this is the best way to learn something. The origami crane took a lot of time. However, it is still one of my favorite origami pieces because it is one of the most well-known origami designs. I have not made and origami crane in a very long time. This origami experience reminded of when I first started doing origami. Thanks to the book Fun With Origami by Harry C. Helfman, I feel that my origami skills have improved. I have learned many new creations from this fold. The end of the semester is quickly approaching, which means that this origami series is coming to an end. Even though this is my final origami blog, I will continue to make origami on my own time. Thank you for reading, and I hope you guys will give origami a try.

What is your favorite origami piece that I have completed? Or what origami piece do you wish I could have done?

Helfman, Harry Carmozin. Fun with Origami: 17 Easy-to-Do Projects and 24 Sheets of Origami Paper. Dover, 1991.