Fold an Origami Mermaid!

 

How to Fold an Origami Mermaid!

Materials Needed:

• Sharpie Markers
• Scissors
• Origami Paper
• Tape  

Note: I am an origami newbie, so yes, I use scissors and tape.  But, I still consider this an origami project because we are mostly folding paper to create this mermaid!

Part 1:  How to Fold the Mermaid's Face

Step 1:  

Grab a piece of skin colored paper.  Place the white side up.  Fold your paper in half one way and unfold.  Then, fold it in half the other way and unfold.

Step 2:

Now flip the paper over so that the paper is brown/peach side up. (Mine doesn't look brown because of the bad lighting.  Sorry!  But it's brown.)  Now fold the paper in half diagonally.

                                                                              Step 3:
3a.  Now open up your fold and flip the paper back so the white side is up.
3b. and 3c.  Your paper now has crease marks so that when it is pressed on both sides and flattened... it should close up to look like a square.

(Super cool, right?)

Step 4:
4a.  Fold back the two top sides.
4b.  Fold up the two back sides.  (Now you have ears.)  Fold the bottom back and you'll have a chin.
4c.  Grab your Sharpie and draw on a face.  (Leave the top portion of your head pointy so that it can fit into your hair.)

Congrats! You've got a face!  Let's make that mermaid's body!

Part 2:  How to Fold the Mermaid's Body

Step 1:
Grab a piece of skin colored paper.  Place the paper white side up.  Then, fold the paper in half one way and unfold.  Then, fold it in half the other way and unfold.

Step 2:
Fold up one side so that it meets one of your middle folds.

Step 3:
Not Shown- Unfold your fold from step 2 to completely open up your paper.  (We did the previous folds so that it will be easier to fold along certain lines later on.)

Step 4:
Now fold the left and right sides of your origami paper in so that they meet the middle.

Step 5:   (Time to create arms.)
5a and 5b.  Push upwards on the bottom creased portion of your paper to create a vertical opening.  (I know this sounds weird.  The pictures hopefully explain what to do better.:-)
5c.  Press down to create arms.

Step 6:  (Time to slim down the body.)
6a. Slightly fold back one side.
6b. Now fold that side back the other way.  (Kind of like a small accordion fold)
6c.  Do the same two folds to the other side of your body.
6d.  Flip over your body.  It should look like this:

Congrats! You have a mermaid's body!  Now let's fold a mermaid tail!

Part 3:  How to Fold the Mermaid's Tail

Step 1:
1a.  Grab a piece of green paper.  Place the paper white side up.  Fold the right side over, leaving about a third uncovered.

1b.  Fold the left side over so that the sides match.
1c.  Fold the top corner down.
1d.  Slip your top corner behind the other pieces.

Step 2:  
2a.  Fold the bottom tip upwards.
2b.  Now fold the tip downwards.
2c. Flip your tail over to the front.  Grab a pair of scissors and cut along the fold to create two fins.
2d.  This is what your fins will look like!

Step 3:
Slide your body into your tail.  Fold the two two corners of your tail back so that your mermaid body fits snuggly in place.  (Add tape!)

This is what it will look like from the front.
(Ack! She's naked!)

Now let's make some hair.

Grab another piece of paper and fashion yourself a hair piece.  (The bangs allow you to slip in the pointed part of the face.)

See?  Tape the head in there.

Tape all your body parts together.  Add more details with Sharpie marker.

Congratulations!  You've got yourself an origami mermaid!

Grab your mermaid tails and flippers and I hope you enjoy making this origami craft with the kiddos!

By the way- if you liked this craft, definitely check out my other origami projects  and these toilet roll mermaid and hula girls.  They're also uber cute and fun to make!