Homework Help: Art: Visual Arts: Origami

Origami has a very interesting history. Origami was first introduced in A.D. 500s in Japan. It was part of religious ceremonies. People make the cranes and send bundles of them to the Hiroshima Peace memorial Park. This is a way to form the crane that the Japanese make.

Materials Needed: A square peice of paper.

Step 1: On the diagonal from corner to corner fold the square and unfold, starting with the paper color- side up. Unfold and turn the paper over after you fold on the other diagonal.

Step 2: From edge to edge fold paper in half, unfold, and fold paper in half the other way, but don't unfold this time. With the open edges pointing up hold the paper and so that the paper bends on the diagonal creases, bring the top corners together.

Step 3: On each side you should have two flaps. if one side has three and the other side has one, flip over one flap. Place the paper so the bottom is open, but the top corner is closed. So the bottom edges touch the center, fold the top flaps on the front to the middle. Repeat the step on the back so the paper is kite- shaped.

Step 4: Fold the top triangle down and up, and turn the paper over to repeat the step. Slightly open the front flaps and so that the bottom corner folds back on the crease, lift it. So that it is flat on the table, fold the corner all the way back. The paper will look like a diamond after the edges fold in on the side creases. Repeat on the back.

Step 5: So that the outer edges touch the center of the paper, fold the bottom part of the flaps. Repeat on the other side of the paper. on the two short dotted lines, fols and unfold the two long "legs".

Step 6: On one side of the paper, turn back the top flap. On the creases you just made, fold the leg backward, and close the top flap. on the other side repeat.

Step 7: Bend the one skinny point down of the leg you chose to be the head and crease it. The head should be facing you after you turn the paper and bend down the left and right sides of the wide point gently.

Step 8: By blowing into the whole at the bottom you inflate the body. Hold the crane so the head points down if the blowing doesn't work, and tug on both wings gently downward and upward. Do this until the back of the crane flattens.

Step 9 (optional): To hang the crane you first fold it completely, unfold it to the third step, and to a button, knot one end of a piece of thread. Through a needle, thread the other end and through the middle of the crane, push it. Then refold the crane and you can hang it in a window or around your room.

Homework Help: Art: Visual Arts

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