Origami Dragon

Classic Zing Dragon

by John Szinger

This Dragon is a two-colored model when folded from a standard sheet of origami paper. Start with the white side up to fold a white dragon with colored head and wings, or the colored side up to make a colored body with white head and wings. A 10" square will fold into a 6" dragon, but I recommend using a larger sheet if available. I also recommend using foil paper to get the best effect.

1. White side up. Pre-fold diagonals. Valley-fold the top corner to the center and unfold.

2. Fold the corner down to the crease from step 1.

3. Fold the bottom corner up to the edge.

4. Fold behind.

5. Unfold step 3.

6. Blintz-fold.

7. Preliminary fold. Flip and rotate the model so that the upper-right quadrant is facing the front in the next step.

8. Squash-fold the top flap on the right.

9. Petal-fold.

10. Unfold steps 8 and 9. Pull out the flap and refold as in a blintz frog base.

11. Squash-fold.

12. Petal-fold.

13. Untuck flaps.

14. Fold flap down. Turn model over.

15. Petal fold.

16. Pull out flap.

17. Pull out flap.

18. Fold down.

19. Swing the flap to other side.

20. Repeat steps 15 thru 19 on the other side.

21. Pull out flap.

22. Squash fold. (Ah, symmetry!)

23. Petal fold.

24. Fold flap down.

25. Fold and unfold the bottom. Turn the back half of the model up.

26. Unfold the bottom flap on one side.

27. Inside reverse-fold. Turn the model over.

28. Inside reverse-fold.

29. Insdide reverse-fold. Turn the model over.

30. Repeat steps 26 through 29 on the other side.

31. Valley fold the tip in the middle up.

32. Valley fold model in half. Turn clockwise 90 degrees.

33. Valley fold through the marked point. Repeat behind.

34. Squash-folds. Repeat behind.

35. Rabbit-ear. Repeat behind.

36. Fold the bottom edges inside. Pull out flap in front.

37. Detail of front flap. Squash-fold.

38. Fold and unfold.

39. Fold tip to the marked point and unfold.

40. Unfold step 37 and turn the model over.

41. Repeat steps 37 through 40 on the other side.

42. Inside reverse-fold. (Undo step 36.)

43. Double reverse-fold on creases from steps 38 and 39. Repeat behind.

44. Like so.

45. Crimp fold the entire model.

46. Inside revrerse-folds to form the legs. Repeat behind. Double rabbit-ear to form the neck.

47. Reverse-fold top and bottom layers of hind legs and top layer of front legs to make them thinner. Mountain-fold back flap of front legs/top layer of the wing. Repeat all behind. Outside reverse-fold to form the head.

48. Crimp folds on the head and tail. Crimp to form feet. Repeat behind. Mountain-fold the corners of the bottom flaps inside to shape the torso. Repeat behind.

49. Make the body and head three-dimensional. Curl the wings
and curl the feet. Turn the tip of the tail inside-out.

50. Dragon!

1. White side up. Pre-fold diagonals. Valley-fold the top corner to the center and unfold.		2. Fold the corner down to the crease from step 1.
3. Fold the bottom corner up to the edge.		4. Fold behind.
5. Unfold step 3.		6. Blintz-fold.
7. Preliminary fold. Flip and rotate the model so that the upper-right quadrant is facing the front in the next step.		8. Squash-fold the top flap on the right.
9. Petal-fold.		10. Unfold steps 8 and 9. Pull out the flap and refold as in a blintz frog base.
11. Squash-fold.		12. Petal-fold.
13. Untuck flaps.		14. Fold flap down. Turn model over.
15. Petal fold.		16. Pull out flap.
17. Pull out flap.		18. Fold down.
19. Swing the flap to other side.		20. Repeat steps 15 thru 19 on the other side.
21. Pull out flap.		22. Squash fold. (Ah, symmetry!)
23. Petal fold.		24. Fold flap down.
25. Fold and unfold the bottom. Turn the back half of the model up.		26. Unfold the bottom flap on one side.
27. Inside reverse-fold. Turn the model over.		28. Inside reverse-fold.
29. Insdide reverse-fold. Turn the model over.		30. Repeat steps 26 through 29 on the other side.
31. Valley fold the tip in the middle up.		32. Valley fold model in half. Turn clockwise 90 degrees.
33. Valley fold through the marked point. Repeat behind.		34. Squash-folds. Repeat behind.
35. Rabbit-ear. Repeat behind.		36. Fold the bottom edges inside. Pull out flap in front.

37. Detail of front flap. Squash-fold.	38. Fold and unfold.	39. Fold tip to the marked point and unfold.
40. Unfold step 37 and turn the model over.	41. Repeat steps 37 through 40 on the other side.	42. Inside reverse-fold. (Undo step 36.)
43. Double reverse-fold on creases from steps 38 and 39. Repeat behind.	44. Like so.

45. Crimp fold the entire model.		46. Inside revrerse-folds to form the legs. Repeat behind. Double rabbit-ear to form the neck.
47. Reverse-fold top and bottom layers of hind legs and top layer of front legs to make them thinner. Mountain-fold back flap of front legs/top layer of the wing. Repeat all behind. Outside reverse-fold to form the head.		48. Crimp folds on the head and tail. Crimp to form feet. Repeat behind. Mountain-fold the corners of the bottom flaps inside to shape the torso. Repeat behind.
49. Make the body and head three-dimensional. Curl the wings and curl the feet. Turn the tip of the tail inside-out.