All models

How to fold an origami pachycephalosaurus

Fold a sheet in half, reverse-fold a stiff tail and a short neck that widens to a big head, and cut two sturdy legs. Crimp the heavy head down so its blunt dome leads the charge.

You need: A 24 x 15 cm rectangle, rust brown on one side; scissors and a ruler. Hard, 16 steps, about 30 minutes.

Steps

  1. Fold in half. White side up, long sides at the top and bottom, fold the top edge down to the bottom edge. The fold at the top is the back.
  2. Crease the belly. Fold the bottom edge up on a level crease 3.4 cm below the top fold.
  3. Open it. Unfold it again. The body goes above this crease, the legs below it.
  4. Crease the hips. Fold the right end over on an upright crease 11.7 cm from the left edge.
  5. Open it. Unfold it again. The two legs will be cut on either side of this crease.
  6. Tail end back. Outside-reverse-fold the left end back over the body on an upright crease 8.5 cm from the left edge.
  7. Cut the tail. Cut up the left end fold, leaving 2.6 cm at the top. Trim the flap to a point: a slant from there to its far end on the top fold.
  8. Tail out. Outside-reverse-fold the tail strip out on a crease from its bottom corner, so the stiff tail points back and a little up.
  9. Neck end back. Outside-reverse-fold the right end back over the body on an upright crease 7 cm from the right edge.
  10. Cut the neck. Cut up the right end fold, leaving 2.2 cm at the top; trim the flap widening to 3.3 cm at its tip. Slant the tip's top corner off for a snout.
  11. Cut the legs. Cut along the belly crease to 1.9 cm each side of the hip crease, and up that crease 7 mm. Trim each leg to taper a little to its foot.
  12. Round the body. Snip the two bottom corners of the body off in slants: 1.2 cm along the belly at the tail end, 2 cm at the chest.
  13. Neck up. Outside-reverse-fold the neck strip up on a crease from its bottom corner, so the neck rises up and forward.
  14. Head back. Outside-reverse-fold the top 3.4 cm of the neck back down along it, on a crease from its back edge.
  15. Head down. Reverse-fold it out again from the same point, so the big head points forward and down with its round dome on top.
  16. Round the dome. Snip the sharp corner at the back of the head off in two small cuts, through all the layers, so the top of the head is a round dome.

Bonk!

Dot a ring of white bony knobs round the dome and draw an eye under it. Lower the head and charge, dome first!

What to fold next