How to Make an Origami Raven

Origami is the centuries-old Japanese art form of paper-folding. Origami artists can create a wide variety of forms, including ones resembling animals and insects, and designs for the holidays. Perhaps the most recognizable origami shape is the paper swan. But experts have developed folding schemes to create the likenesses of other birds, including ravens. If you want to learn how to make an origami raven, follow these steps.

1. Make a square base. The square base is a fundamental concept in origami, making it easier to do intricate folds later in the project.
   
   
   • Fold the paper in half horizontally, forming a rectangle. Crease along the fold.
   • Open the paper and rotate it 90 degrees. Make another horizontal fold and crease it.
   • Open the paper and 4 squares will be visible.
   • Hold your paper with 1 corner facing you.
   • Fold the paper, forming a triangle. Make a crease along the fold.
   • Open the paper. Turn it over and rotate it 90 degrees.
   • Form another triangle and crease along the fold.
   • Unfold the paper and pop it up in the center.
   • Pinch in the sides of the paper and press down. The paper will fold onto itself, forming the square base.
2. Form the bird base. The bird base is a series of folds that help form the distinctive features of the bird, including its head, tail and feet.
   
   
   • With a tip of the square base facing you, fold a flap of the base inward so that it lines up with the crease running from the tip of the square facing you to the one farthest away.
   • Repeat with the opposite flap. The procedure will leave a triangle at the base of the 2 folds.
   • Bend the triangle downward so its tip points at a point between the 2 folded flaps. Make strong creases throughout the process.
   • Open up the end of the paper you just worked on and reverse the folds on the flaps.
   • Repeat the process on the other side. When completed, the bird base is formed. The bird base should have the appearance of 2 triangles joined along their bases. One is considerably shorter than the other.
3. Form the feet of your origami raven.
   
   
   • Fold the top flap of the bird base away from you, revealing 2 independent flaps.
   • Pull the tip of a flap outward, folding it under the flap.
   • Repeat the process on the other side.
   • With the feet formed, fold the raven's body in half lengthwise. The fee should be even. If they're not, repeat the steps.
4. Create the head of the bird.
   
   
   • At the end of the construction opposite the feel, bend the point backward along the spine of the bird. Make a crease and then unfold.
   • Fold this section to the right, along the crease you made. The 2 creases must meet along the spine of the bird.
5. Stand your origami raven up along the edge of a table. The small, triangular "tail" in this construction can be eliminated. Simply unfold the bird along its spine, fold the tail up, and refold. The bird will then be able to stand on its feet.
   
   

• To make the bird look like a penguin, open up the head and fold the beak back into itself. The end of the beak should be barely visible. Fold the point back out. The result will be a shorter beat, very much like a penguin's.
• Make strong creases so they can serve as guide for intricate folds.

• Black construction paper. 15 cm (5.91 inches) by 15 cm.