Easy Paper Folding

The art of paper folding is known as 'origami' and 'zhezhi' in Japan and China respectively. The term origami is commonly used in western countries too. There are many techniques and methods that have developed in order to create beautiful artworks from paper. Let us understand the different techniques used in this paper craft.

The art of origami can be used to make intricate and complex shapes of insects, animals, birds and various objects. The following paragraphs provide us with information about easy to make origami techniques in a step-by-step manner.

Simple Paper Folding Activities
There are many things which can be learned in the art of origami. Let us have a look at the method of creating a heart-shaped paper craft.

• One should first take a rectangular paper and fold it in half along the length and breadth. The paper should again be unfolded to reveal the creases.
• Creases divide the paper in 4 sections. The upper sections (both left and right) should be folded in such a manner that their edges are aligned with the central, vertical crease.
• Bottom sections should also be folded, so that they meet the vertical crease. The folding of upper and lower sections causes the paper to become square-shaped.
• Once the square shape is formed, the paper should be turned over and its top point folded down till the bottom point. This fold leaves us with a diamond shaped paper having 1 inch folded part at the top.
• Outer points on left and right sides need to be folded to form small triangles. These folds should be taped in order to keep them intact.

Paper Folding Activities for Kids
The bunny box is one of the easiest paper folding craft that can be made by children. In the activity of making a bunny box, one should cut a thick paper in such a manner that 6 sections (square-shaped) are formed. The paper when unfolded completely should look like a 'plus' sign with 4 vertical and 2 horizontal square-sections. The horizontal sections need to cross/intersect with the vertical ones at the second section from top. While folding the paper, central section forms the base of box. Sections adjacent to it form the wall. The remaining 6th section after folding, acts as the lid or top portion. One of the sections that forms the wall should be painted with the face of bunny. This very section needs to have an extra length at the top to cut shapes of ears out of it.

Useful Instructions for Paper Folding
Let us understand how to make a simple paper plane by means of the following instructions.

• A simple plane is made from a rectangular piece of paper. The length should be more than double of the width.
• The paper should be folded in two halves along the width to form a central, vertical crease; the sheet should be unfolded back to its original position.
• Left and right corners of upper part of the rectangle should be folded down so that their top edges align with the central line. A triangular shape in the form of these upper folds is formed.
• The paper should be folded along the bottom line of this triangle; this fold inverts the triangle completely.
• The entire paper should be folded into two halves vertically and unfolded to reveal the creases. Now, the left and right vertices of the triangle should be folded down to meet at a common point on the vertical crease formed by folding the paper in two halves.
• One could now, see a small triangular portion below the point where the vertices meet. It is should be folded upwards to cover the vertices.
• The paper should again be folded in two halves, but in the opposite direction. This fold results into the formation of sloping edges of paper in both sections.
• The paper should be folded on both sides to align these sloping edges with the central vertical line.

One can learn a lot through different origami techniques. Various arts and crafts can be made using these techniques. The art of paper folding opens before us a completely new world of designs, patterns and shapes. Apart from the easy paper folding techniques presented above, one can learn many interesting and complex patterns.