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How to fold an origami diving falcon

A kite narrowed twice, then snipped so its long side flaps swing out from behind as swept-back wings. Slim the body, blunt the tail and shape a small head before it dives.

You need: 1 square sheet, 15 × 15 cm, slate grey on one side; scissors and a white pen. Hard, 12 steps, about 20 minutes.

Steps

  1. Fold in half. White side up, like a diamond. Fold the right corner onto the left corner and crease firmly.
  2. Unfold it. Open it again, so a crease runs down the middle.
  3. Make a kite. Fold the two lower edges in to lie along the middle crease.
  4. Narrow it. Fold the new lower edges to the middle again, making a long, thin point at the bottom.
  5. Turn it over. Flip it over, keeping the long point at the bottom.
  6. Snip the wings. Cut along both long outer edges from the bottom point, stopping 2 cm below the side corners. This frees the narrow flaps behind.
  7. Wings out. Fold each cut flap out from behind, creasing from the end of the cut, so it leans out just a little. These are the swept-back wings.
  8. Tail. Fold the body's bottom point behind, 3.5 cm up, so the tail ends square and shorter than the wing tips.
  9. Slim the body. Fold each long edge of the body behind, creasing from the end of the wing cut down to just inside the tail's corner.
  10. Blunt the nose. Fold the top point behind, 1.5 cm down.
  11. Shape the head. Fold each slanted top edge behind, creasing from the side corner to 6 mm in from the end of the nose. The head gets small and round.
  12. Dive!. Turn it upside down, head first, so the falcon plunges toward the ground.

Stoop!

Draw two white eyes on the sides of the head. Hold it high and swoop it straight down, like a falcon diving for its dinner.

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