Origami Instructions
Print step-by-step origami instructions for 12 models: a cup, a dog face, a cat face, a fox face, a samurai helmet, a heart, a tulip, an ice cream cone, a pine tree, a whale, a corner bookmark and a letter fold. Each page has numbered diagrams with a short line of text under every step, the crease pattern of the finished model and the standard origami symbols: blue dashed lines for valley folds, red dash-dot lines for mountain folds, a looped arrow to turn the paper over. The diagrams are worked out by the tool: every picture is the paper of the step before, folded along the line shown, so no step is skipped. Add a square to cut out at 15 cm, 6 in, 18 cm, 7.5 cm or 3 in with the crease pattern printed on it, or print every model as a booklet. Download a PDF, 300 DPI PNG or SVG. Nothing is uploaded.
100% private — everything runs in your browser. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Print at 100% (Actual size). Blue dashed lines are valley folds (toward you), red dash-dot lines are mountain folds (away from you).
Model
Fold square
Paper
Runs in your browser with our own code and diagrams: nothing is uploaded and nothing is saved. Every diagram is the paper of the step before, folded by the tool, so the steps always follow on. The designs are our own drawings: you may use them and anything you make with them, including things you sell, with no credit needed.
How to use the origami instructions
- Pick a model, or choose All models for a booklet.
- Choose the paper colour shown in the diagrams (light grey saves ink).
- Tick the fold square if you want a square to cut out, and pick its size.
- Download the PDF and print at 100% (Actual size) on US Letter or A4.
- Fold step by step: valley lines toward you, mountain lines away from you, and compare your paper with the next picture.
What you can use it for
- Origami lessons in class, clubs and libraries
- A rainy-day activity with children
- Party favours, place cards and table decorations
- Learning the origami symbols before harder diagrams
- Folding notes and bookmarks to give away
- Practising with the crease pattern on the paper
Origami models
| Model | Level | Steps | Valley folds | Mountain folds | Turn over | Crease lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cup | Easy | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Dog face | Easy | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Cat face | Easy | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| Fox face | Easy | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Samurai helmet | Medium | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 21 |
| Heart | Easy | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| Tulip | Easy | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| Ice cream cone | Easy | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Pine tree | Easy | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| Whale | Medium | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Corner bookmark | Easy | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Letter fold | Easy | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Fold-and-unfold steps count with valley or mountain folds. Crease lines are the separate crease pieces in the crease pattern.
Origami symbols
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Blue dashed line | Valley fold: fold toward you |
| Red dash-dot-dot line | Mountain fold: fold away from you, behind |
| Curved arrow, filled head | Where the paper moves in a valley fold |
| Curved arrow, open head | Where the paper moves in a mountain fold |
| Arrow with heads at both ends | Fold, then unfold to leave a crease (Montroll style) |
| Looped arrow | Turn the paper over |
The symbols follow the Yoshizawa-Randlett system (see Robert J. Lang, Origami Diagramming Conventions, posted 10 August 2011, read 11 November 2026), with blue and red added so the two folds are easy to tell apart.
Paper sizes
| Fold square | Good for |
|---|---|
| 15 cm or 6 in | Every model here; standard origami paper |
| 18 cm | Bigger models that are easier for small hands |
| 7.5 cm or 3 in | Small models such as the bookmark and the heart |
The fold square prints at true size on US Letter or A4, with the crease pattern and corner cut marks.
What prints on the page
| Part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Header | Model name, level, number of steps and which side faces up at the start |
| Crease pattern | The finished model unfolded, every crease marked |
| Numbered steps | The paper before each fold, the fold line, the arrow and one line of text |
| Done | The finished model, with a face drawn on the animals |
More paper folding
Print patterned squares to fold with the Japanese Pattern Generator, fold a dart with the Paper Airplane Template, make a lidded box with the Box Template or cut a snowflake with the Paper Snowflake Template.
More free tools
Folding and cutting paper?
Paper craft templates that run privately in your browser, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Frequently asked questions
What origami models are there?
Cup, dog face, cat face, fox face, samurai helmet, heart, tulip, ice cream cone, pine tree, whale, corner bookmark and letter fold, from 5 to 9 steps each.
What do the lines and arrows mean?
A blue dashed line is a valley fold: fold the paper toward you so the crease sinks like a valley. A red dash-dot line is a mountain fold: fold the paper away from you, behind. A filled arrowhead shows a valley fold, an open arrowhead a mountain fold, heads at both ends mean fold and unfold, and the looped arrow means turn the paper over.
Whose symbols are these?
The lines and the turn-over arrow follow the Yoshizawa-Randlett system that most origami books use; fold and unfold is an arrow with heads at both ends, as in many modern books. Colour is added so valley and mountain lines are easy to tell apart.
What is a crease pattern?
The crease pattern is the square unfolded after the model is finished, with every crease drawn on it: valley creases blue and mountain creases red, as seen from the side that faces up at step 1.
What size paper should I use?
A 15 cm (6 in) square suits every model here. Use 7.5 cm squares for small models and a large sheet, such as newspaper cut square, for a samurai helmet to wear.
Are these easy enough for children?
Most models are marked easy and use only valley and mountain folds. The samurai helmet and the whale are a little harder. Young children may need help with the first fold.
Can I print the fold square in colour?
Yes. Tick the fold square: it prints at true size in the colour you chose, with the crease pattern on it and cut marks at the corners. Print at 100% (Actual size).
Are the diagrams drawn by hand?
No. The tool folds a model of the paper one step at a time and draws the result, so every picture really is the step before, folded on the line shown.
Can I use the instructions in class or in things I sell?
Yes. The diagrams are our own and you may use them in lessons, handouts and things you make or sell without giving credit. The note under the tool gives the full terms.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything is drawn by JavaScript in your browser and never leaves your device, and nothing is saved when you close the page.