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How to fold an origami yak

Fold a deep kite body on short sturdy legs. Fold a strip on the head up into a horn and curve its tip, crimp the big head down low and the bushy tail down.

You need: 1 dark brown square (15 cm or bigger), scissors, and black and white pens. Hard, 21 steps, about 35 minutes.

Steps

  1. Crease the middle. White side up, turned like a diamond, fold the top corner down to the bottom corner, crease and unfold.
  2. Kite. Fold the edges at the left point in on creases from the point to 7.1 cm above and below the middle crease. That end is the yak's head.
  3. Narrow the other end. Fold the edges at the right point in on creases from the point to 9 cm above and below the middle crease. That end is the tail.
  4. Tummy corners. Fold the top and bottom corners in on creases 4.7 cm above and below the middle crease. They will be hidden inside.
  5. Fold in half. Fold the top half down onto the bottom half along the middle crease. The long fold on top is the back, the flat bottom is the tummy.
  6. Crease two strips. Fold the bottom edge up 1 cm and the top edge down 0.7 cm, all layers, and crease both hard. These strips give the legs and the horn.
  7. Open it. Unfold both strips again.
  8. Slit the legs. Cut along the strip crease from the front end in 3 cm, and from the back end in 3 cm.
  9. Free the horn. Cut along the top crease from the front end in 3.2 cm.
  10. Front legs. Swing the front strip down on slanted creases from its inner end, the front layers one way and the back ones behind, a little apart.
  11. Back legs. Swing the back strip down the same way, the front layers forward and the back ones behind.
  12. Hooves. Fold the pointed tip of each leg back on a crease straight across it, the front legs forward and the back ones behind, so the feet are blunt.
  13. Horn up. Fold the free strip up behind on a slanted crease from the end of its cut, both layers together, so it points up and forward.
  14. Curve the horn. Fold the top of the horn behind on a slanted crease 1.5 cm up its front edge, so the tip curves forward.
  15. Head: crease. Fold the head end over on an upright crease at the bottom of the horn, 4.2 cm from the tip. Leave the horn up.
  16. Head: crimp down. Fold it back on a crease slanting from the same top point, so the big head hangs low.
  17. Blunt muzzle. Fold the sharp tip of the head behind, 1.2 cm from the tip, all layers together, so the yak has a broad muzzle.
  18. Short body. Fold the whole tail end behind on an upright crease 2.3 cm behind the back legs, all layers together.
  19. Round the rump. Fold the top back corner behind 1.5 cm along each edge and the bottom one 0.9 cm, so the rump is round.
  20. Back: crease. Fold the back half over on an upright crease just behind the front legs, all layers together.
  21. Back: crimp down. Fold it back on a crease slanting a little from the same top point, so the rump drops and the shoulders rise in a hump.

King of the mountains!

Draw a white eye with a dark middle on the big low head.

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