How to fold an origami koi fish
Fold a triangle and lift its corners into a diamond body. Swivel the flap tips into a forked tail, pleat a fin on the back and belly, and blunt the nose.
You need: 1 square sheet (15 cm), orange on one side and white on the other, and a black and a white pen. Medium, 10 steps, about 15 minutes.
Steps
- Turn it. White side up. Turn the square so a corner points up, like a diamond.
- Make a triangle. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner.
- Corners up. Fold the left and right corners up to the top point, making a diamond.
- Tail: tips down. Fold the tip of each flap down, on a line 4 cm below the top point.
- Tail: lobes up. Fold each tip back up on a slant from the middle line, so it leans out to the side. The two tips make a V.
- Fork the tail. Fold the top point between the two tips behind, on the same line, so the tail has a deep notch.
- Fins: fold in. Fold the left and right corners in, 2.3 cm from their tips.
- Fins: fold out. Fold each one back out on a line a little further in, so the tip sticks out past the new edge as a pointed fin.
- Round the nose. Fold the bottom point behind by 1 cm, so the nose is blunt.
- Turn it. Turn it so the nose points right and the tail left.
Swimming!
Draw an eye near the nose, then add a few white patches on the back with a white pen, like a real koi.