By CraftingStepByStepPublished
Based on a video by Origami Plus - Easy Origami Tutorials.
The origami swan is one of those models that looks fancy but comes down to a short run of simple folds. Start with a plain square and you finish with a swan that sits up on a shelf or floats across a table setting.
This walkthrough follows the traditional swan from Origami Plus. Each step has a screenshot of the exact fold so you can match your paper to the video. Work slowly and press every crease firm, because sharp folds are what give the swan its clean lines.
Any square origami paper works. Once you have the sequence down, a second swan takes only a couple of minutes, so it is an easy one to make in a set.
Lay a square sheet of paper flat in front of you. If one side of your paper is colored, place that side face down so the color shows on the outside once the swan is folded. A crisp, clean square is all you need to get going. Any origami paper works here, but a lighter weight is easier to fold sharply for the neck later on.
Tip
No origami paper on hand? Cut a regular sheet down to a perfect square before you start.
Fold the square in half along the diagonal, corner to corner, and press the crease flat. Then open it back up. That single line down the middle is your guide for everything that follows. Every fold from here lines up against it, so make it sharp. Run your fingernail along the crease to set it before you move on.
Tip
Line the two corners up exactly before you press. A crooked center crease throws off both sides.
With the diagonal crease running top to bottom, fold the two lower edges in so they meet along that center line. The paper narrows into a kite shape with a sharp point at the bottom. Keep both sides even as you fold and press each edge down firmly. This kite is the base that the swan grows out of.
Tip
Fold one side, then match the second to it by eye so the kite stays symmetrical.
Turn the model over. Fold the two lower edges in to the center line one more time, just like you did on the front. The shape gets long and narrow, more like a thin dart than a kite. This slim shape becomes the body and the neck of the swan, so take your time keeping the edges tight to the center.
Tip
Press hard along the new folds. The tighter this shape, the more graceful the finished neck.
Take the long, thin bottom point and fold it up toward the top of the model. This upward fold is what forms the swan's neck, so decide how tall you want it before you crease. A higher fold gives a taller, more upright swan. Once you like the angle, press the fold flat to lock it in.
Tip
Fold the neck up further for a proud, upright swan or lower for a relaxed pose.
Now fold the very tip of that point back down on itself. This small reverse fold becomes the swan's head and beak. It is a tiny fold, so pinch it carefully and set the crease with your fingernail. This one detail is what turns a plain paper shape into a swan you can recognize at a glance.
Tip
Keep the head fold short and neat. A long floppy tip reads more like a beak that droops.
Fold the whole model in half lengthwise so the two sides come together. Then lift the neck up out of the body and pinch the base to lock its angle. This opens the swan up from a flat shape into a standing one. Work the neck gently until it holds the pose you want.
Tip
Pinch firmly right where the neck meets the body so it holds its angle when you set the swan down.
Lift the head and set its angle to finish the shape. Spread the body a little so the swan can stand on its own, then set it down. That is your finished origami swan, ready to display on a shelf, a place setting, or a windowsill. Fold a few more in different colors and you have a whole flock.
Tip
Set the swan on a flat surface and adjust the wings until it balances without tipping.
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