How to fold an origami oarfish
A long silver strip folded in half and glued onto a red crest strip. Pleat the ribbon into waves, taper the tail and swing up the red plume.
You need: 1 strip 36 × 4.5 cm, silver on one side and white on the other; 1 red strip 38 × 2 cm; glue and a black pen. Hard, 15 steps, about 30 minutes.
Steps
- Fold in half. White side up, fold the long bottom edge up to the top edge. The fold is the belly.
- Round the head. Fold the top left corner behind on a small slant.
- Taper the tail. Fold the top right corner behind on a long slant to the belly, so the tail ends in a point.
- The crest. Set the body aside. Take the red strip, white side up.
- Fold the crest. Fold it in half along its length, so it is red on both sides.
- Glue on the body. Glue the body over the crest, a little lower, so a red band shows along the back and 4 cm of red sticks out past the head.
- Wave 1: over. Fold everything right of a point 9 cm from the head over to the left on a square crease.
- Wave 1: back. Fold it back on a crease from the same point on the back, leaning out, so the ribbon bends down.
- Wave 2: over. Fold the rest of the ribbon over again on a crease 7 cm further along.
- Wave 2: back. Fold it back on a crease from the same point on the belly, leaning out, so the ribbon bends up.
- Wave 3: over. Fold the rest of the ribbon over again on a crease 7 cm further along.
- Wave 3: back. Fold it back on a crease from the same point on the back, leaning out, so the ribbon bends down.
- Wave 4: over. Fold the rest of the ribbon over again on a crease 7 cm further along.
- Wave 4: back. Fold it back on a crease from the same point on the belly, leaning out, so the ribbon bends up.
- Raise the plume. Fold the red end sticking out past the head up behind on a slant, so it sweeps up and back like a feather over the head.
Sea serpent!
Draw a round eye and a small mouth on the head.