Origami Basics
Have you always wanted to learn how to do origami but didn’t know where to start? Fear not, Origami Basics will teach you the things you need to know to get started. Once you have familiarized yourself with the symbols and notation used in origami diagrams, you can start folding some easy origami models. Remember, the best origami comes from people who practice so don’t be afraid to try the same origami model more than once to gain experience. After that, try some intermediate origami models here.
Common Origami Bases
Kite Base
Fish Base
Waterbomb Base
Preliminary Base
Windmill Base
Bird Base
Frog Base
Shapes of Paper
Make a Square:
from a Rectangle
Make a Triangle:
from a Square (easy)
from a Square (efficient)
from a Rectangle
Make a Pentagon:
from a square, A5
Make a Hexagon:
from a Square
from a Rectangle
Make a Heptagon:
from a square (easy)
from a square or circle (easy)
from a circle (not easy)
from a square (with proofs)
from a square (exact?)
Make an Octagon:
from a Square
Make a A4, A5, or A6 Paper:
from a Square
from 8.5″ x 11″
Make a Dollar Bill proportion:
from 8.5″ x 11″
Make the Largest Square:
from a Dollar Bill (S Chen)
Dividing Paper
Divide into Thirds:
Method 1
Method 2
Method 3
Estimation Method
More Methods (diagrams by H Koshiro)
Divide into Fifths:
Method 1
Method 2
Method 3
Fujimoto’s Approximation Method
Divide into Sevenths:
Method 1
Method 2
Method 3
Divide into Any number of Segments:
Intersecting Diagonals Method
Using a Template
Using Scissors
The information on this Origami Basics page relies heavily on Robert Lang’s Origami Diagramming Conventions, and information provided by the Origami Community as a whole. Please submit comments and recommendations here.
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- These free origami instructions are made available to you by the paper folding community at large. If you have a diagram you would like to share, or if your diagram is listed here and you wish to have it removed, please Contact Us. Diagrams are intended for personal use. Copyright of the models lie with the origami creators and designers. Please contact the designer and/or creator directly for non-private usage of a model and/or artwork.