Origami is the art of paper folding from Japan. Some origami requires more than just a sheet of paper, which makes origami a very good hobby that almost anyone can do. These instructions cover one of the most fun works of art. The cube is a simple shape and shouldn't take more than ten minutes to complete. These instructions cover the basic and easy folds common to many other shapes.
Step
Step 1. Face the paper lengthwise vertically
Step 2. Fold the bottom right corner up so that the bottom edge is parallel to the left edge, then unfold
Then repeat for the bottom left corner.
Step 3. Fold the top of the paper down along the horizontal line formed by the top of the fold in the previous step so that three folds form, then unfold the fold
Step 4. Cut along the top crease in step 3
Alternatively, lightly lick along the crease in step 3, then carefully tear. You won't need those rectangular pieces.
Method 1 of 3: Triangle Basic Fold
Step 1. Turn the paper over so that the fold from the previous section is facing down and the paper is slightly convex
Step 2. Fold the bottom edge to the top edge (or vice versa), then unfold it
Step 3. Press the left and right edges towards the center until they meet, forming a tent-like shape
Flatten the tent-like shape along the existing crease.
Method 2 of 3: Compressed Cube
Step 1. Fold the end point of the right triangle towards the top end point
Step 2. Fold the right end of the resulting triangle towards the center line
Step 3. Insert the triangle that is near the top end point into the pocket along the top edge of the triangle formed from step 2, and fold to lock it
Step 4. Repeat step 3 for the left side
Step 5. Turn the paper over
Step 6. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for the section that is now the front
Step 7. Fold the top triangle down, then unfold it
Step 8. Fold the bottom triangle up, then unfold it
Method 3 of 3: Final Steps of Magic
Step 1. Grasp the bottom end of the paper and extend the four edges so that they are perpendicular to each other
Step 2. Blow air into the hole at the bottom end to form a cube
Step 3. Done
Tips
- Press the crease with your thumb to make sure the fold is neat.
- If you're not sure what a step means, take a close look at the included image or video. The dotted lines (for the drawing) indicate where a crease should be made.
- If one of your folds misses, just flip it over and try again.
- If the cube doesn't inflate and expand easily, try in step nine of "Compressed Cubes" to fold the top and bottom triangles by folding them forward and backward (folding in both directions). This should make the blowing process easier for the cube expansion.
