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How to fold an origami cheetah

Crease and cut a triangle into a lean, deep-chested body with long legs, then swing the legs out at the knees into a gallop. Add a small face with black tear lines.

You need: 1 golden square (15 cm), a small golden square (4.8 cm), scissors, a ruler, glue and a black pen. Hard, 20 steps, about 35 minutes.

Steps

  1. Body: fold in half. White side up, fold the top corner down to the bottom corner. The long fold at the top is the cheetah's back; it faces right.
  2. Body: crease the front legs. Fold the right point over on an upright crease 2.5 cm right of the middle, and crease it hard.
  3. Body: open it. Unfold it. This crease marks the back of the front legs.
  4. Body: crease the hind legs. Fold the left point over on an upright crease 1.8 cm left of the middle.
  5. Body: open it. Unfold it. This crease marks the front of the hind legs.
  6. Body: crease the rump. Fold the left point over again on an upright crease 3 cm left of the middle.
  7. Body: open it. Unfold it. Left of this crease will be the long tail.
  8. Body: cut the legs. Cut the bottom point off level, 7 cm below the top fold. Cut up the leg creases and cut a curved belly: 3.4 cm deep at the front, 2.2 cm at the back.
  9. Body: free the tail. Cut up the rump crease to 8 mm below the top, then along to the left point for a long tail. Round the rump, taper the legs and cut the chest straight down.
  10. Front legs: reach forward. Fold both front legs forward together on a slanted crease from the back of the belly, so they stretch out in front like a running cheetah.
  11. Hind legs: kick back. Fold both hind legs back the same way, on a slanted crease from the front of the leg at the belly, so they stretch out behind.
  12. Tail: drop it. Fold the long tail down and back on a slanted crease from the top of the rump, so it streams out low behind.
  13. Tail: flick the tip. Fold the last 2 cm of the tail up, so the end flicks upward for balance.
  14. Head: new sheet. Set the body aside. Take the small golden square, white side up, turned like a diamond.
  15. Head: fold in half. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner. The fold at the bottom is the cheetah's chin.
  16. Head: flat forehead. Fold the top point down on a level crease 2.0 cm above the chin fold.
  17. Head: ears up. Fold the left and right corners up on creases from the middle of the chin fold, so each tip pokes out past the side edge near the top.
  18. Head: turn over. Turn the head over. The ears stick up behind the flat forehead.
  19. Head: flat chin. Fold the tip of the chin behind, so the face is flat at the bottom too.
  20. Glue it together. Glue the head over the front of the body, chin just above the front legs, looking at you.

Zoom!

Dot black spots all over the body, legs and tail and ring the tail tip. Draw a white muzzle, eyes, a nose and the black tear lines down to the mouth.

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