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How to fold an origami concert

A real project, all folded. Pleat two red stage curtains, fold swags and spotlights, a singer at the mic, a guitarist with a guitar, a drummer with a drum kit and a cheering crowd.

You need: 34 pieces: 30 × 21 cm purple, two 7.7 × 15 cm red, 30 × 6.3 cm dark red, 30 × 3.2 cm black, smaller coloured pieces. Glue, pens.. Challenge, 88 steps, about 90 minutes.

Steps

  1. Left curtain: first pleat. Start with the left curtain: a 7.7 × 15 cm red piece, red side up, standing tall. Fold the right edge over onto the front, creasing 2.1 cm in.
  2. Left curtain: fold it back. Fold the flap back, creasing 6 mm before the first fold. Red shows again: one pleat.
  3. Left curtain: second pleat. Fold the whole inner part over again, creasing 2.6 cm from the outer edge.
  4. Left curtain: fold it back. Fold it back, creasing 6 mm before that fold. Two pleats: the curtain hangs in deep folds.
  5. Left curtain: tie it back. Fold the inner bottom corner behind on a long slant, from 7 cm below the top to 2.4 cm from the outer edge: drawn aside.
  6. Right curtain: new sheet. Set the curtain aside. Take the second 7.7 × 15 cm red piece, red side up, standing tall.
  7. Right curtain: first pleat. Fold the inner (left) edge over onto the front, creasing 2.1 cm in, like the first curtain.
  8. Right curtain: fold it back. Fold the flap back, creasing 6 mm before the first fold. Red shows again: one pleat.
  9. Right curtain: second pleat. Fold the whole inner part over again, creasing 2.6 cm from the outer edge.
  10. Right curtain: fold it back. Fold it back, creasing 6 mm before that fold. Two pleats: the curtain hangs in deep folds.
  11. Right curtain: tie it back. Fold the inner bottom corner behind on a long slant, from 7 cm below the top to 2.4 cm from the outer edge: drawn aside.
  12. Valance: new sheet. Set the curtain aside. For the valance, take a 30 × 6.3 cm dark red strip, red side up, lying long.
  13. Valance: the fringe. Fold the bottom edge up 6 mm onto the front: a white fringe.
  14. Valance: fold up. Fold the lower part up onto the front, creasing 3 cm above the fringe. The white side shows for now.
  15. Valance: pleat it. Fold it back down, creasing 6 mm higher. Red shows again, with a deep pleat across the valance and the fringe below.
  16. Left beam: new sheet. Set the valance aside. For a light beam, take a 5.2 × 9.7 cm pale yellow piece, standing tall.
  17. Left beam: left side. Fold the left side behind on a long slant, from 5 mm left of the middle at the top to the bottom corner.
  18. Left beam: right side. Fold the right side behind on a long slant, from 5 mm right of the middle at the top to the bottom corner.
  19. Left lamp: new sheet. Set the beam aside. For the lamp, take a 1.6 × 2.5 cm silver piece, silver side up.
  20. Left lamp: the lens. Fold the bottom edge up 5 mm onto the front: the white glowing lens.
  21. Right beam: new sheet. Set the lamp aside. For a light beam, take a 5.2 × 9.7 cm pale yellow piece, standing tall.
  22. Right beam: left side. Fold the left side behind on the same long slant.
  23. Right beam: right side. Fold the right side behind on the same long slant.
  24. Right lamp: new sheet. Set the beam aside. For the lamp, take a 1.6 × 2.5 cm silver piece, silver side up.
  25. Right lamp: the lens. Fold the bottom edge up 5 mm onto the front: the white glowing lens.
  26. Stage: new sheet. Set the lamp aside. For the stage, take a 30 × 4.2 cm brown strip, brown side up, lying long.
  27. Stage: the edge. Fold the top edge down 6 mm onto the front: a white edge along the front of the stage.
  28. Drummer's arms: new sheet. Set the stage aside. For the drummer's arms, take a 1.2 × 8 cm skin-coloured strip, white side up, leaning right.
  29. Drummer's arms: narrow. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle. A strip 0.6 cm wide, coloured on both sides.
  30. Drummer's arms: swing it. Fold the lower half up along a level line through the middle. The two arms make a V, raised to drum.
  31. Drummer's shirt: new sheet. Set the arms aside. Take a 3.4 × 4 cm piece for the shirt, coloured side up, standing tall.
  32. Drummer's shirt: shape it. Fold the lower sides behind on a slant so the shirt narrows to the waist, and the top corners behind for round shoulders.
  33. Drummer's head: new sheet. Set the shirt aside. Take a 2.2 cm skin-coloured square.
  34. Drummer's head: round it. Fold all four corners behind, 6.6 mm along each edge, so the head is round.
  35. Bass drum: new sheet. Set the head aside. For the bass drum, take a 5 cm red square, white side up.
  36. Bass drum: corners behind. Fold each corner behind, 1.5 cm along both edges. You get a white octagon.
  37. Bass drum: round it. Fold the eight new corners behind, 5 mm along both edges, so the drum is round.
  38. Snare drum: new sheet. Set the bass drum aside. For the snare drum, take a 2.4 × 1.8 cm blue piece, blue side up.
  39. Snare drum: the skin. Fold the top edge down 3.5 mm onto the front: the white drum skin.
  40. Cymbal: new sheet. Set the snare aside. For the cymbal, take a 4.4 × 0.9 cm gold strip, gold side up.
  41. Cymbal: top corners. Fold both top corners behind on long slants, from the middle of each end to 1.2 cm in along the top edge.
  42. Cymbal: bottom corners. Fold both bottom corners behind the same way. A thin gold cymbal, pointed at both ends.
  43. Guitarist's legs: new sheet. Set the cymbal aside. For the guitarist's jeans, take a 2 × 8 cm blue strip, white side up, leaning a little right.
  44. Guitarist's legs: narrow. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle. A strip 1 cm wide, coloured on both sides.
  45. Guitarist's legs: swing it. Fold the top half down along a level line through the middle. The two legs stand apart like an upside-down V.
  46. Guitarist's shirt: new sheet. Set the legs aside. Take a 3.4 × 4 cm piece for the shirt, coloured side up, standing tall.
  47. Guitarist's shirt: shape it. Shape it like the first shirt: lower sides behind on a slant, top corners behind.
  48. Guitarist's head: new sheet. Set the shirt aside. Take a 2.2 cm skin-coloured square.
  49. Guitarist's head: round it. Fold the four corners behind the same way.
  50. Guitar neck: new sheet. Set the head aside. For the guitar neck, take a 1.6 × 6.7 cm brown strip, white side up, leaning left.
  51. Guitar neck: narrow. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle. A strip 0.8 cm wide, coloured on both sides.
  52. Guitar body: new sheet. Set the neck aside. For the guitar body, take a 3.6 × 3 cm orange piece, orange side up.
  53. Guitar body: round it. Fold all four corners behind, 8 mm along each edge: a rounded guitar body.
  54. Singer's hair: new sheet. Set the guitar aside. For the singer's long hair, take a 3 × 4.4 cm black piece, black side up, standing tall.
  55. Singer's hair: round the top. Fold the two top corners behind, 1 cm along each edge, so the hair is round on top.
  56. Singer's arm: new sheet. Set the hair aside. For the singer's arm, take a 1.4 × 3.6 cm skin-coloured strip, white side up, leaning right.
  57. Singer's arm: narrow. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle. A strip 0.7 cm wide, coloured on both sides.
  58. Singer's dress: new sheet. Set the arm aside. For the singer's dress, take a 4.4 × 7.2 cm pink piece, pink side up, standing tall.
  59. Singer's dress: shape it. Fold the upper sides behind on a long slant, so the top is 1.8 cm wide and the skirt flares. Fold the bottom edge up 6 mm: a white hem.
  60. Singer's head: new sheet. Set the dress aside. Take a 2.2 cm skin-coloured square.
  61. Singer's head: round it. Fold the four corners behind the same way.
  62. Mic stand: new sheet. Set the head aside. For the mic stand, take a 0.8 × 7.3 cm silver strip, white side up, standing tall.
  63. Mic stand: narrow. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle. A strip 0.4 cm wide, coloured on both sides.
  64. Microphone: new sheet. Set the stand aside. For the microphone, take a 1 cm black square.
  65. Microphone: round it. Fold all four corners behind, 3 mm along each edge: a round mic head.
  66. Cheering arms 1: new sheet. Set the mic aside. For a pair of cheering arms, take a 1 × 7 cm black strip, white side up, leaning right.
  67. Cheering arms 1: narrow. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle. A strip 0.5 cm wide, coloured on both sides.
  68. Cheering arms 1: swing it. Fold the lower half up along a level line through the middle: two arms raised in a V.
  69. Cheering arms 2: new sheet. Set them aside. For a pair of cheering arms, take a 1 × 7 cm black strip, white side up, leaning right.
  70. Cheering arms 2: narrow. Fold both long edges in to meet along the middle. A strip 0.5 cm wide, coloured on both sides.
  71. Cheering arms 2: swing it. Swing the lower half up the same way: a V.
  72. Fan 1: new sheet. Set the arms aside. Take a 2.4 cm black square.
  73. Fan 1: round it. Fold all four corners behind, 7.2 mm along each edge, so the head is round.
  74. Fan 2: new sheet. Set it aside. Take a 2.4 cm black square.
  75. Fan 2: round it. Fold the four corners behind the same way.
  76. Fan 3: new sheet. Set it aside. Take a 2.4 cm black square.
  77. Fan 3: round it. Fold the four corners behind the same way.
  78. Fan 4: new sheet. Set it aside. Take a 2.4 cm black square.
  79. Fan 4: round it. Fold the four corners behind the same way.
  80. Fan 5: new sheet. Set it aside. Take a 2.4 cm black square.
  81. Fan 5: round it. Fold the four corners behind the same way.
  82. Fan 6: new sheet. Set it aside. Take a 2.4 cm black square.
  83. Fan 6: round it. Fold the four corners behind the same way.
  84. Crowd: new sheet. Set the head aside. For the crowd's shoulders, take a 30 × 3.2 cm black strip, black side up, lying long.
  85. Crowd: round the ends. Fold the two top corners behind, 1 cm along each edge: round shoulders at each end.
  86. Backdrop: new sheet. Set the crowd aside. Last, the backdrop: a 30 × 21 cm purple sheet, purple side up, lying long.
  87. Set up the stage. Glue on curtains, valance, beams, lamps and stage. Add the drummer and drums, the guitarist, the singer at her mic, the cheering arms and the crowd.
  88. Stand it up. Bend the backdrop gently towards you between the guitarist and the singer, and stand the whole concert up on the table.

Rock on!

Paint white tie-backs on the curtains and a few music notes. Draw faces and short hair, a star on the bass drum and the guitar's sound hole.

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