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How to fold an origami hippo

Crease and cut a triangle into a round body on stubby legs, with a big head. Shape the huge muzzle with cuts, crimp the head down a little and hang a short tail.

You need: 1 square sheet, 15 × 15 cm, purple-grey on one side, small scissors, a ruler and a black pen. Hard, 12 steps, about 25 minutes.

Steps

  1. Fold in half. White side up, fold the top corner down to the bottom corner. The long fold at the top is the hippo's back; it faces right.
  2. Crease the legs. Fold the right point to the front on an upright crease 2 cm right of the middle, and the left point behind on one 2.5 cm left of it.
  3. Open them. Unfold both points. The creases mark the back of the front legs and the front of the hind legs.
  4. Crease the chest and rump. Fold the right point to the front again on a crease 3.6 cm right of the middle, and the left point behind on one 4.6 cm left of it.
  5. Open them. Unfold both. Right of the chest crease is the head; left of the rump crease is the tail.
  6. Cut the legs. Cut the bottom point off level, 4.9 cm below the top fold. Cut up both leg creases to 3.7 cm below the top, then across between them, dipping 5 mm in the middle.
  7. Cut the big head. Cut up the chest crease to 2.5 cm from the top, then under the chin, sloping down to the right point's edge, and off square 7.6 cm right of the middle.
  8. Shape the muzzle. Cut the top of the nose down on a slant from 5 cm right of the middle, so the brow stands up. Round both front corners of the muzzle.
  9. Round the rump. Cut up the rump crease to 5 mm below the top, then along to the left for a short tail, 1.4 cm long. Round the rump down to the hind feet.
  10. Head back. Outside-reverse-fold the head back over the body, on a crease from the top of the chest cut up to the back, 5 mm in front of the cut.
  11. Head down. Reverse-fold the head forward again on a crease from the same top corner, so it points forward, tipped down a little below the back.
  12. Tail down. Fold the short tail down on a slanted crease from the top of the rump, so it hangs behind the hind legs.

Big yawn!

Draw an eye high on the head, a tiny ear behind it, a nostril on top of the muzzle and a long smile with two white teeth. Add pale toenails.

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