Category: Crease Pattern

Origami Dragonfly designed by Jo Nakashima (03/2023)
Difficulty level: intermediate

A dragonfly is a difficult subject to fold but I managed to make it quite simple from a small 16×16 grid. I recommend 20cm x 20cm for this model, but 15cm x 15m is also fine. I’m using copper Tissue-foil in this video, but special paper is not required so you can use standard origami paper.

The legs are made from three middle flaps, but I used only the corners of each flap so it has all six legs. The head has color changed eyes and a lock to prevent it from keep opening due to the internal layers.

Origami Dragonfly Crease Pattern

Origami Dragonfly diagrams (pre-creasing only)

Support my work!

If you like my work, please consider visiting and subscribing to my YouTube channel! You’ll find all my work, including models that are not in this website and also models from other origami artists. The easiest way to support my work is simply watching my videos, clicking the like button, leaving comments and subscribing to my channel!

You can also contribute with small donations on Patreon or YouTube Channel Membership. It’s basically like paying me a tip as a thanks for my work and get some rewards in return, like early access to my tutorials and your name in the video (the “thank you” list). They work with recurring payments, but you can cancel anytime so one-time donations are also possible.

Easy Origami Heart
Designed by Jo Nakashima (02/2023)
Level: easy

I made this heart for Valentine’s day with the following goals:

• double sided
• no loose flaps
• no unwanted creases
• no unwanted layers
• easiest as possible

I made another heart in 2018 with these characteristics, but this new one is easier. You can see the comparison between them further in this article.

Diagrams

The only part I think might look tricky for beginners is the collapsing at step 17. You can always watch the video on YouTube, it is not that hard and all you need to do is use the creases you already made. All the other creases are simple valley/mountain and a couple of reverse folds.

Crease Pattern

Heart Stand

Optionally you can stop at step 27 of the diagrams and use the bottom to make it stand

Hearts comparison – 2018 version vs 2023 version

It’s really difficult to show how good my origami hearts are with only the picture in the thumbnail of the video. They look the same! And they look like the traditional origami heart, a very simple heart but not double sided. For this reason I think these tutorials don’t get as much views as they deserve.

2018 version – which I named “Nakashima Heart” trying to differentiate from other origami hearts – is definitely my favorite. The locks are great, there are no unwanted creases/flaps/layers, the distribution of paper is good making it feel sturdy and the white side is 100% hidden.

I made the 2023 version as an easier alternative. It has fewer folds, so it is less time consuming and the paper usage is more efficient (meaning you can make larger hearts from the same size of paper, or use smaller sizes). There are only 3 locks at corners and the bottom edges are open (the model will stay locked but you can see the white side there). It also don’t feel sturdy like the previous version because some parts will have thinner layers.

Support my work!

If you like my work, please consider visiting and subscribing to my YouTube channel! You’ll find all my work, including models that are not in this website and also models from other origami artists. The easiest way to support my work is simply watching my videos, clicking the like button, leaving comments and subscribing to my channel!

You can also contribute with small donations on Patreon or YouTube Channel Membership. It’s basically like paying me a tip as a thanks for my work and get some rewards in return, like early access to my tutorials and your name in the video (the “thank you” list). They work with recurring payments, but you can cancel anytime so one-time donations are also possible.

How to make an origami Praying Mantis
Designed by Jo Nakashima (01/2023)
Level: complex

In this video you’ll learn how to fold an origami praying mantis from a single uncut square sheet of paper. It is a box pleat model from a 48×48 grid. It is easier to fold than my origami ant and spider.

Crease Pattern

Paper

I recommend 30cm x 30cm of high quality thin paper that holds well the shape. Some suggestions:

• Kraft Alios – It’s the one I used in the picture. It’s super thin and light, but wet-shaping is required. Buy it here.
• Foil paper – Holds the shape very well, works great for complex models. Buy it here.
• Sandwich paper – With its foil base, you can shape it and it will hold in place without any effort. Buy it here.
• Home made tissue-foil – Made by gluing tissue paper and aluminum foil. Works great like the previous one and you can customize it with the color you want.
• Tissue-foil from origami-shop – It’s the paper I used in the tutorial. I think it’s a bit thick unless you use a larger sheet (you can see how it looks in the end of the tutorial). Buy it here.

Origami Praying Mantis pre-creasing diagrams

Support my work!

If you like my work, please consider visiting and subscribing to my YouTube channel! You’ll find all my work, including models that are not in this website and also models from other origami artists. The easiest way to support my work is simply watching my videos, clicking the like button, leaving comments and subscribing to my channel!

You can also contribute with small donations on Patreon or YouTube Channel Membership. It’s basically like paying me a tip as a thanks for my work and get some rewards in return, like early access to my tutorials and your name in the video (the “thank you” list). They work with recurring payments, but you can cancel anytime so one-time donations are also possible.

How to make an origami Ant
Designed by Jo Nakashima (09/2022)
Difficulty level: complex

In this video you’ll learn how to make an origami ant from a single square sheet of paper. It is a box pleated model based on a 32×32 grid.

This origami ant isn’t too difficult to fold, there are no tricky steps. For best results use thin paper with at least 20cm x 20cm (or 15cm x 15cm if your paper is really good and you are experienced). Printer paper works for learning and you can print the crease pattern to make it easily.

You can wet-shape the legs in the end for better results if your paper allows it.

Crease Pattern

Origami Ant pre-creasing diagrams

Support my work!

If you like my work, please consider visiting and subscribing to my YouTube channel! You’ll find all my work, including models that are not in this website and also models from other origami artists. The easiest way to support my work is simply watching my videos, clicking the like button, leaving comments and subscribing to my channel!

You can also contribute with small donations on Patreon or YouTube Channel Membership. It’s basically like paying me a tip as a thanks for my work and get some rewards in return, like early access to my tutorials and your name in the video (the “thank you” list). They work with recurring payments, but you can cancel anytime so one-time donations are also possible.

Designed by Jo Nakashima (07/2022)
Level: Complex

I recommend using some high quality thin paper of 30cm x 30cm (minimum of 24cm x 24cm if your paper is excellent) for this origami spider.

It takes me more than 3 hours to fold this model completely, so be patient and try to fold it precisely. I’m using partial crease patterns to demonstrate some steps and make the instructions clearer and easily, but you’ll probably struggle a bit more to handle the complete sheet of paper.

The hardest steps are the chelicerae and spinnerets. The procedure is the same for both, but spinnerets are a bit harder to make (optionally you can skip them and just hide the flap in the end). It may be easier to learn these steps if you print and fold the partial crease pattern (links below).

Paper used in this tutorial

• First origami spider: Black tissue-foil (30cm x 30cm)
• Grid and pre-creasing: Copper tissue-foil (20cm x 20cm – I don’t recommend this size!)
• Shaping: Kraft Alios (30cm x 30cm)

Crease Pattern

Partial Crease patterns

You can also download and print the partial crease patterns used in the video:

• Part 3: body
• Part 4: pedipalps, hind legs and legs from the side
• Part 5: chelicerae (same CP as the pedipalps) and spinnerets

Origami Spider pre-creasing diagrams

Support my work!

If you like my work, please consider visiting and subscribing to my YouTube channel! You’ll find all my work, including models that are not in this website and also models from other origami artists. The easiest way to support my work is simply watching my videos, clicking the like button, leaving comments and subscribing to my channel!

You can also contribute with small donations on Patreon or YouTube Channel Membership. It’s basically like paying me a tip as a thanks for my work and get some rewards in return, like early access to my tutorials and your name in the video (the “thank you” list). They work with recurring payments, but you can cancel anytime so one-time donations are also possible.