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How to fold an origami stag beetle

Fold the sides to the middle for the wing-case split, pleat the shield and fold the corners behind. Taper a strip into two hooked antler jaws, and fold thin strips into legs and antennae.

You need: Dark brown paper: a 9 × 10 cm piece, a 11 × 3.3 cm strip, three 12 × 1.6 cm strips and a 7.5 × 0.8 cm strip; glue, a white gel pen. Hard, 33 steps, about 35 minutes.

Steps

  1. Body: sides to the middle. Hold the 9 × 10 cm piece white side up, standing tall. Fold both side edges in to meet in the middle.
  2. Body: pleat. Fold the bottom up on a crease 3.3 cm from the top edge.
  3. Body: two small snips. Snip 1 cm along the bottom fold from each side.
  4. Body: shoulders. On the flap, fold the two corners just above the snips up on a slant, 7 mm in and 1 cm up.
  5. Body: and back down. Fold it back down on a crease 3 mm higher. The step splits the shield at the top from the two wing cases.
  6. Body: round the shield. Fold the shield's two top corners behind on a slant, 1.2 cm along each edge.
  7. Body: round the tail. Fold the two bottom corners behind on a slant, from the sides 4 cm up to 2.5 cm in along the bottom.
  8. Body: rounder. Fold the new corners behind a little, so the wing cases end in a smooth oval.
  9. Jaws. Set the body aside. Lay the 11 × 3.3 cm strip across, white side up.
  10. Jaws: fold in half. Fold it in half the long way, brown side out.
  11. Jaws: thinner. Fold it in half again the long way. Crease it hard.
  12. Jaws: taper the ends. At the right end fold the top corner behind on a long, gentle slant from 3 cm in. Do the same to the bottom corner at the left end.
  13. Jaws: sharp points. Fold the other two corners behind on a slant from 2 cm in, so each end is a sharp point.
  14. Jaws: hook the tips. 1.6 cm from each point, bend the tip over the same way round, so each jaw curves like an antler.
  15. Jaws: fold a V. Fold the left half over on a slant through the middle, so the two jaws spread in a V with their hooks curving towards each other.
  16. Antennae. Set the jaws aside. Lay the 7.5 × 0.8 cm strip across, white side up.
  17. Antennae: fold in half. Fold it in half the long way, brown side out.
  18. Antennae: thinner. Fold it in half again the long way. Crease it hard.
  19. Antennae: elbows. 1.5 cm from each end, bend the end the same way round, so the strip makes a flat S.
  20. Antennae: fold a V. Fold the left half over on a slant through the middle into a wide V.
  21. Front and back legs: a strip. Set the antennae aside. Take a 12 × 1.6 cm strip, white side up, lying across.
  22. Front and back legs: fold in half. Fold it in half the long way, brown side out.
  23. Front and back legs: thinner. Fold it in half again the long way. Crease it hard.
  24. Front and back legs: bend the knees. Bend both ends the same way round, 3 cm from each end. One leg will reach forward, the other back.
  25. Other front and back legs: a strip. Set it aside and take the next 12 × 1.6 cm strip.
  26. Other front and back legs: fold in half. Fold it in half the long way, brown side out.
  27. Other front and back legs: thinner. Fold it in half again the long way. Crease it hard.
  28. Other front and back legs: bend the knees. Bend both ends the other way round, 3 cm from each end.
  29. Middle legs: a strip. Set it aside and take the next 12 × 1.6 cm strip.
  30. Middle legs: fold in half. Fold it in half the long way, brown side out.
  31. Middle legs: thinner. Fold it in half again the long way. Crease it hard.
  32. Middle legs: bend the knees. Bend both ends down a little, 3 cm from each end.
  33. Glue it together. Cross two leg strips in an X under the middle legs and glue the body on top. Glue the jaws' V and the antennae under the shield's top edge.

Ready to wrestle!

With a white gel pen, draw a shine down each wing case and on the shield, and two small eyes at the front corners of the shield.

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