Rats are cute and furry animals known for their round ears and long skinny tail. You can easily make cute origami mice, whether you're a beginner or you might want to add to your collection to the animal kingdom (alongside the origami wolf, turtle, and butterfly). All you need to get started is a square sheet of paper and a flat surface to work on.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Making an Origami Mouse Body
Step 1. Take a square sheet of paper to make an origami mouse
You can use any thin paper, although paper made specifically for origami will be easier to use. If you don't have a square of paper, use scissors to cut the plain paper into a square.
You can use any colored paper to make an origami mouse. If you want a realistic mouse look, choose brown, black, or white paper. If you want something a little more whimsical and fun, try bright colored or patterned paper
Step 2. Fold the two pieces of paper diagonally in both directions, then unfold
Press the paper with your finger after it is folded. When you're done, you'll have 2 long folds that intersect in the middle of the paper.
Position the paper in a diamond shape after you have made 2 folds
Step 3. Fold the bottom-left and right-edge over the vertical crease, then unfold
Try to keep the edges parallel to the crease as much as possible so that there are no gaps between them. Also, don't let the ends of the folds overlap, otherwise the origami will be difficult to fold.
Don't forget to press the crease and open it afterwards
Step 4. Repeat the same steps with the top-left and right-hand sides of the paper, but don't open it
As you did with the bottom-edge, fold the top-left and right-edge folds into a vertical crease. But this time, don't unfold. Press the crease with your finger, then let the edges remain folded.
When finished, the paper will be folded to form a kite
Step 5. Lift the wings and fold the corners into the top crease
Once the wings made from the previous fold are lifted, bring the left and right corners of the paper to the center crease. After that, smooth out the existing creases so you have 2 new, smaller wings sticking out.
- Bring the new, smaller wing down so that it lays flat.
- The new wing will form on its own along the existing crease that you made in the previous fold.
Step 6. Fold one of the wings down and fold the bottom edge over to the top
Start by folding one of the small wings down and pressing the crease along the horizontal crease. After that, bring the bottom-diagonal edge towards the horizontal crease you just made. Finally, press along the new crease.
When you're done, take the folded wing up and behind the other wing so it doesn't get in the way
Step 7. Repeat with the other wing
Fold the wings down and smooth the marks along the horizontal line. After that, take the bottom-edge to the horizontal crease you just made, then press the new crease.
Take the folded wing up so that it is next to the other folded wing
Step 8. Turn the paper over and fold the bottom point over the horizontal crease
This crease doesn't need to be exact-it doesn't matter how far the bottom point is folded over the horizontal crease, as long as the point is above it. However, try to position the bottom point about halfway between the top point and the horizontal crease.
Don't forget to press along the crease with your finger
Step 9. Fold the bottom corners up
Fold the bottom corners toward the horizontal crease, but not all of them. Instead, stop when the fold forms a straight diagonal line between the end of the horizontal fold and the bottom of the paper's center point.
Part 2 of 3: Folding Origami Mouse Ears
Step 1. Turn the paper over and fold it in half lengthwise to form a mountain
Mountain-forming folds are folds that are made away from you so that the result looks like a mountain peak (as opposed to a “valley fold” that is made towards you and forms a valley). The paper can be easily folded in half lengthwise along the pre-made vertical folds.
- Once the paper has been folded in half lengthwise to form a mountain, place it on the table so that you only see one side.
- At this point, you should be able to see the beginning of the mouse's ears and nose.
Step 2. Fold the wings, then take back the corners to make the ears
First, fold the wings so that they lie flat against the shorter sections of the paper (this half will eventually become the mouse's face and nose). After that, take a corner and fold it down and back so that the edges are perpendicular to the top-horizontal-edge of the paper.
Press the crease to keep the mouse's ear in place
Step 3. Turn the paper over and repeat with the other wing
Make sure the wings lie flat on the shorter part of the paper. After that, fold it down-back and press along the crease.
Now, mice have two ears
Step 4. Slide your finger inside the earlobe to make it round and 3 dimensional
The edges of each ear will have openings that your fingers can slip through. Once your finger is inside the mouse's ear, use another finger to press down on the outer fold to round it and give it shape.
There's no need to make her ears perfect. You can always come back later to round it up more
Part 3 of 3: Making Origami Mouse Tails
Step 1. Fold the long piece of paper inward to make a tail
First, use your finger to press down on the top-horizontal-edge of the paper so that the long section is even. After that, continue pressing the edges of the paper while pressing the sides of the paper inwards. Keep pressing until you have folded the paper in half the length and the ends are pointing down.
Press the diagonal crease along the top-edge of the paper
Step 2. Take the tail end up and push it into the newly created crease
Flatten the tip of the tail and push it up with your fingers so that it goes into the diagonal crease. Once the tail end is pointing upwards, press down on the diagonal crease again to secure the tail inside.
The tail angle need not be precise. The tail just needs to be pointed up and tucked into a diagonal crease
Step 3. Unfold the tail and fold the corners inward to make it slimmer
Once the tail is open, take each corner and fold it towards the center crease inside the tail. This crease doesn't need to be precise, but the closer the corner crease to the center crease, the smaller the mouse tail will be.
- Once you've folded the corners into the tail, press down on the crease and close the tail.
- When you're done folding the tail, the origami mouse is done!
