Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (2024)


Origami has expanded and evolved beyond birds and boats. There are now many types of origami. In a recent, informal survey, origami enthusiasts have come up with over “80” different types of origami. You can see the list here. In the future, we hope to organize the list so that we can have a better understanding of how the art form is evolving.

There are different ways to categorize paper folding. John Smith’s Evolution of Origami sorts origami chronologically: Classical, Neo Classical, Modern, and Hyper-Modern. David Mitchell’s site shows a family tree of origami design styles.

Below is a list of origami types featured in this web site. Each style of origami will produce a different genre of origami models. Click on to a branch of origami to learn more.

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (1)Action Origami

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (2)Business Card

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (3)Candy Wrapper

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (4)Crease Pattern

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (5)Dollar Bill

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (6)GVF

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (7)Modular Origami

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (8)Tessellations

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (9)Palm Weaving

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (10)Pure & Pureland

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (11)Origami Quilts

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (12)Strip Folding

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (13)Toilet Paper

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (14)Wet Folding

Origami Fringe

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (15)Tea Bag Folding

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (16)Fabric Folding

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (17)Quilling

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (18)Kirigami

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (19)OA

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (20)Iris Folding

Origami Themes

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (21)Christmas

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (22)Weddings

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (23)Paper Magic

Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (24)Red, White , Blue

  • Books with Easy Origami

    • Easy Origami: over 30 simple projects by John Montroll
    • Origami Fun Kit for Beginners by John Montroll
    • My First Origami Kit by Joel Stern
    • Easy Origami: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids by C Alexander & M Meinking
    • Fun With Easy Origami (Dover Origami Papercraft)
    • Origami: A Step-by-Step Introduction to the Art of Paper Folding by T Cook & S Henry
    • Easy Origami For Kids Book Traditional Japanese Folding Papers Overs 20 Projects by J Wish
    • Easy Origami for Kids: Over 40 Simple Origami Projects by O Brooks

    Easy Origami Books

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  • More Origami Diagrams and Instructions…

    • These free origami instructions are made available to you by the paper folding community at large. If you have a diagram you would like to share, or if your diagram is listed here and you wish to have it removed, please Contact Us. Diagrams are intended for personal use. Copyright of the models lie with the origami creators and designers. Please contact the designer and/or creator directly for non-private usage of a model and/or artwork.

    Types of Origami | There are Many Types and Categories of Paper Folding (2024)

    FAQs

    How many types of origami paper are there? ›

    The Best Paper for Most Folders and Models

    Standard origami paper has about 60 different color options. Standard origami paper is colored on one side and white on the back.

    What are the 5 basic folds of origami? ›

    There are five stan- dard basic origami techniques [16], as shown in Figure 1, including book fold, kite fold, cupboard fold, shawl fold and cushion fold. Figure 2 shows that many complex form of origami can be de- rived from these basic foldings. ...

    What are the three main types of origami? ›

    Single sheet origami. 2. Modular origami, where multiples of identical modules are pieced together and 3. Composite origami, where a model is made from two or more different pieces each folded in different ways.

    How many origami folds are there? ›

    There are a foundation of 10-12 basic folds / maneuvers that are essential to build origami: Rabbit Ear Fold, Reverse Fold (Inside & Outside), Squash Fold, Swivel Fold, Pleat Fold, Crimp Fold, Petal Fold, Sink Fold (Open, Closed, Spread).

    What is the hardest origami thing to fold? ›

    In particular, Ryu-zin 3.5 (created in 2005), considered to be one of Kamiya's most intricate creations, is a major work that took around one month to complete, using only a single sheet of paper measuring two meters on each side. Ryu-zin 3.5 is widely regarded as the one of most intricate origami pieces ever created.

    What is the most common type of origami? ›

    One of the most famous origami models is the crane, closely followed by the star, flower, boat, box and butterfly. Top origami folds include: the valley, mountain, reverse, squash and book folds, as well as pleats and sinks.

    What is the difference between paper folding and origami? ›

    Is origami different from paper crafts, and if so, how? Origami is one specific sort of paper craft. It involves folding a single square of paper into a three-dimensional sculpture. Origami is usually considered a traditional art, and doesn't allow cutting, glue, or tape.

    Which is the most easiest origami? ›

    Origami for beginners
    1. Origami swan. This traditional Japanese origami swan is easy to make and looks great with double-sided paper. ...
    2. Origami crane. If you could have one wish, what would it be? ...
    3. Origami owl. ...
    4. Lucky Stars. ...
    5. Origami hearts. ...
    6. Origami necklace. ...
    7. Origami paper lampshade. ...
    8. Origami flower wreath.
    Feb 20, 2024

    What was origami originally called? ›

    Origami is derived from two Japanese words, Ori (folded) and Kami (paper). The transition from the term orikata to origami came into use in 1880.

    What paper is best for origami? ›

    STANDARD. Standard is the go-to for all origami folders; this paper is colorful, thin, and resilient. Sometimes referred to as “Kami” (the Japanese word for paper) standard is probably the most common and well-known kind of origami paper.

    Is origami easy to learn? ›

    Origami is actually a very easy hobby to pick up, and it's a lot of fun. All you need is paper, and you can use pretty much any paper you can find.

    What is the biggest origami in the world? ›

    The largest origami paper crane has a wingspan of 81.94 m (268 ft 9 in) and was created by 800 people of the Peace Piece Project (all Japan) at the Hiroshima Shudo University, Hiroshima, Japan, on 29 August 2009.

    What are the 12 basic folds of origami? ›

    Origami Beginner's Guide
    • Inside Reverse Fold.
    • Outside Reverse Fold.
    • Rabbit Ear Fold.
    • Squash Fold.
    • Pleat.
    • Crimp.
    • Petal Fold.
    • Petal Fold Variation.

    What type of paper is best for origami? ›

    STANDARD. Standard is the go-to for all origami folders; this paper is colorful, thin, and resilient. Sometimes referred to as “Kami” (the Japanese word for paper) standard is probably the most common and well-known kind of origami paper.

    What type of paper is used for origami? ›

    Kami, or koiy paper, is the cheapest paper made specifically for origami, and the most widely available. It was developed for use in schools. The word kami is simply Japanese for paper, but it has acquired this specific meaning. Kami is thin and easy to fold.

    What is the oldest form of origami? ›

    The art of paper folding was popularized in Japan, but the origin of origami happened earlier in China. Paper origami was originally practiced by monks who brought paper and the ideas for folding it to Japan from China in the 6th century. Japanese origami was used to decorate temples and shrines.

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