Origami Dragons 9781462922048

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Folding Sheet Photo Credits: Shutterstock.com Asia Kravchuk (Pearlescent pattern); Gribanessa (Zhulong—The Torch Dragon); Jojo Textures (Bronze pattern, Dragon Hatchling, Faerie Dragon, The Chinese Dragon, The European Dragon, Rainbow pattern, The Rearing Dragon); Koxae Sun (The Wyvern); Kutlayev Dmitry (Amphiptere—The Winged Serpent); vadim.ivanchin (The Lrndwyrm) Published by Turtle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd. www.tuttlepublishing.com Copyright © 2020 Marc Kirschenbaum All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher. ISBN 978-1-4629-2204-8 DISTRIBUTED BY North America, Latin America & Europe Turtle Publishing 364 Innovation Drive North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436 U.S.A. Tel: (802) 773-8930 | Fax: (802) 773-6993 [email protected] | www.tuttlepublishing.com Japan Turtle Publishing Yaekari Building, 3rd Floor 5-4-12 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku Tokyo 141 0032 Tel: (81) 3 5437-0171 | Fax: (81) 3 5437-0755 [email protected] | www.tuttle.co.jp Asia Pacific Berkeley Books Pte. Ltd. 3 Kallang Sector, #04-01 Singapore 349278 Tel: (65) 6280-1330 | Fax: (65) 6280-6290 [email protected] |

www.tuttlepublishing.com First edition 24 23 22 21 20 5 4 3 2 1 2004 VP Printed in Malaysia TUTTLE PUBLISHING® is a registered trademark of Tuttle Publishing, a division of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

MARC KIRSCHENBAUM

ORIGAMI DRAGONS MAGNIFICENT PAPER MODELS THAT ARE FUN TO FOLD!

Contents Introduction Origami Symbols and Terminology

Dragon Footprint

Amphiptere—The Winged Serpent

The Lindwyrm

Dragon Hatchling

Zhulong—The Torch Dragon

The Wyvern

The European Dragon

Faerie Dragon

The Chinese Dragon

The Rearing Dragon

Introduction

D

ragon lore is rich and extends back many centuries. It is not clear where the inspiration for these fantastic creatures originated, but Eastern and Western cultures have produced their own unique incarnations independently. Dragons have been a popular subject in art throughout the ages, and origami is no exception. This collection is unique in its inclusion of a wide range of legendary dragon varieties from around the world. The winged varieties hail from Western tradition, while the more serpentine group hails from the East. To round out the collection, there is even a model of a dragon’s footprint, and a cute dragon hatchling emerging from its egg. Ease of folding was a major criterion for the folding sequences I developed for these models. Many of these dragons start with traditional origami bases, which will give anyone familiar with paper folding a nice head start. I also kept the number of folds per project to a minimum—with some practice, many of these models can be folded in mere minutes. The important details have not been omitted, with all the models showcasing the requisite number of legs, wings and other key dragon parts. The projects are presented roughly in order of difficulty. The relative simplicity of these models comes with a subtle advantage. Most of the pieces sport large unadorned areas. This makes it possible to showcase patterned papers, like the ones included with this kit. You can even use your own materials and draw in scales if you wish. You can also express yourself with your own choice of colors, as many have done before in fantasy illustration, sculpture, film and even paper folding. Have fun!

Origami Symbols and Terminology The meaning of different line styles

Valley Fold—Fold the paper toward you on the dashed line.

Mountain Fold—Fold the paper away from you on the irregularly dashed line.

Crease—The thin rule in the diagram on the right indicates a crease left in the paper.

Hidden / X-Ray—Dotted lines show the location of hidden folds and flaps.

The meaning of different arrow styles

Fold Forward—Valley fold in the direction indicated by the barbed arrow.

Unfold—Return the paper to its previous state, leaving a crease.

Fold Behind—The open half arrow indicates that you should fold to the back.

Fold and Unfold—Fold in the direction of the barbed arrow. Then, unfold in the direction of the open arrow.

Sink—Push the point inside, defining the depressed area with a series of connected mountain folds. You may have to mostly unfold the model to execute this maneuver without tearing the paper.

Turn Over—Turn the paper over in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Rotate—Turn the paper in the direction indicated by the arrows to the indicated degree (90 degrees, ½ turn, etc.).

Maneuvers Reverse Folds

Inside Reverse Fold—Push the corner flap in between the layers.

Outside Reverse Fold—Invert the corner flap, wrapping it outside of the original layers.

Crimp—The four paired examples above show different types of crimps. They consist of different combinations of reverse folds.

Rabbit Ear—Collapse the corner to create a new flap (bisect the angles individually, and then fold up both edges at the same time).

Squash—Pull over a flap of paper and press it flat.

Petal Fold—Pull up a flap and squash it flat, causing the opposite sides to meet in the middle.

Pleat—Make back-and-forth mountain and valley folds.

Swivel—Pivot layers of paper to a new position and squash them flat.

Dragon Footprint

T

here was a time when most people believed in the existence of dragons. The tangible proof for this belief would often be outsized footprints that had been discovered in the wild. Of course, those markings were likely created by a less fantastic creature. These origami footprints could have been left by any number of beasts—I’ll leave that to your imagination.

1 Precrease the bottom corner in half.

2 Valley fold in half.

3 Valley fold toward the central crease, leaving a small gap in the middle.

4 Valley fold the flaps outward.

5 Valley fold the bottom corners to the dotted locations.

6 Turn over. You can make many of these to create a trail.

7 The completed Dragon Footprint.

Amphiptere—The Winged Serpent

T

he Amphiptere is a serpent-like dragon with wings that hails from Northern Africa. In modern times, this beast has been used to illustrate the popular Dragonology children’s book series. This origami rendition uses the classic Fish Base to provide prominent wings. As with the creature it is based upon, this model has no legs.

1 Precrease the diagonals with mountain and valley folds.

2 Valley fold the sides to the center.

3 Turn over.

4 Valley fold in half.

5 Valley fold the sides to the center.

6 Pull out the original corners and flatten.

7 Valley fold the flap, keeping the side edges aligned.

8 Valley fold the opposite flap over.

9 Turn over.

10 Valley fold the flap up as far as possible.

11 Valley fold in half, allowing the flaps to come out from behind.

12 Outside reverse fold.

13 Outside reverse fold. The starting point determines the height of the neck.

14 Outside reverse fold.

15 Pleat the flap with soft folds. Rotate the model.

16 The completed Amphiptere.

The Lindwyrm

T

he Lindwyrm hails from Norse mythology, with other countries adopting this wingless serpent into their folklore. Its two robust forelegs added to its mobility, giving the creature a distinctive look. It was blamed for the plagues that befell many villages, but possessing its shed skin was reputed to bestow great wisdom. This origami version uses the fins of the classic Fish Base to form the powerful arms.

1 Precrease the diagonals with mountain and valley folds.

2 Rabbit ear the sides.

3 Mountain fold in half.

4 Precrease the side flaps along the angle bisectors.

5 Valley fold the side flaps down along the angle bisectors.

6 Mountain fold the sides inside along the angle bisectors.

7 Inside reverse fold the flap up.

8 Inside reverse fold down. Rotate the model slightly.

9 Inside reverse fold up to establish the model’s horizontal base.

10 Inside reverse fold the tip down.

11 Inside reverse fold so the edge hits the dotted corner.

12 Valley fold the sides.

13 Inside reverse fold the flap.

14 Crimp the flap so the edge hits the dotted corner.

15 Outside reverse fold.

16 Outside reverse fold the tip and curl up the side flaps.

17 The completed Lindwyrm.

Dragon Hatchling

B

aby dragons are known for being extremely cute, but that appearance is deceptive. Their teeth and magical powers are already present and they have voracious appetites. To be sure, they are weaker than their adult counterparts, but it is likely that a hatchling’s parents are nearby, providing expert protection if necessary. The shell is a big part of this origami version, as are the awkwardly-formed features, giving this dragon an adorable appearance.

1 Precrease the diagonals with mountain and valley folds.

2 Valley fold the corners to the center.

3 Valley fold the corner up.

4 Swing the flap upward.

5 Turn the paper over.

6 Rabbit ear the sides.

7 Valley fold the edges outward, starting from the dotted hidden corner.

8 Mountain fold the sides. The corners should meet at the center, behind.

9 Open out the top layer, allowing squash folds to form.

10 Pleat the top.

11 Turn the paper over.

12 Pull out the trapped layers and flatten.

13 Mountain fold the sides behind, so the edges meet at the center.

14 Valley fold the top section down.

15 Mountain fold the bottom edges behind.

16 Valley fold the sides to the center.

17 Valley fold the flaps outward.

18 Mountain fold the hidden edges.

19 Mountain fold the corner.

20 Precrease the flaps.

21 Pleat the flaps inward.

22 Form a tiny pleat, allowing the head to become convex.

23 Mountain fold the edges behind.

24 Open out the wings and round out the body and shell.

25 The completed Dragon Hatchling.

Zhulong—The Torch Dragon

C

hinese mythology describes a fantastic creature that created the seasons through its breath and the light of day by opening its eyes. Known as Zhulong in the East, this human-headed serpent became known as the Torch Dragon in the West. Because of their importance, the eyes feature prominently in this origami version. This is accomplished through simple mountain and valley folds, known as the Pureland style of folding.

1 Precrease the edge in half.

2 Valley fold the corner to the crease.

3 Turn over.

4 Valley fold to the dotted intersection.

5 Open out the pleat.

6 Precrease along the diagonals.

7 Valley fold to the crease.

8 Precrease to the flap.

9 Valley fold to the dotted intersection.

10 Valley fold the sides to the center.

11 Valley fold the corner up.

12 Valley fold the corner down.

13 Swing the bottom section down.

14 Turn over.

15 Valley fold the sides to the center.

16 Valley fold the edges outward, starting from the dotted hidden corner.

17 Mountain fold the sides to meet at the center, behind.

18 Pleat the bottom section.

19 Mountain fold the top section behind.

20 Mountain fold the corners behind.

21 Valley fold the sides inward. They will overlap slightly.

22 Mountain fold the sides behind.

23 Mountain fold the flap up.

24 Softly fold the sides down.

25 Raise up the front section and pose the model.

26 The completed Zhulong–The Torch Dragon.

The Wyvern

T

he majestic Wyvern has lent its regal appearance to many logos and European crests. It frequently features in modern fantasy fiction and was one of the original creatures from the popular Dungeons and Dragons game. The dragons from the popular Game of Thrones series are in fact all Wyverns. The classic Bird Base makes the perfect starting point for this paper-folded version, allowing for large wings and its distinctive forelegs.

1 Precrease the diagonals with mountain folds.

2 Precrease the sides in half.

3 Bring the three corners to the top corner and collapse flat.

4 Inside reverse fold the sides.

5 Inside reverse fold the rear flaps.

6 Swing the rear flap down.

7 Precrease along the folded edges.

8 Swing the top flap down and the rear flap up.

9 Swing over one layer while inside reverse folding the bottom flap.

10 Mountain fold the rear flap in half.

11 Valley fold the side flaps over.

12 Squash fold the side flaps down.

13 Valley fold the side flaps up.

14 Slide a layer over at each side and flatten. The mountain fold is along an existing crease.

15 Valley fold the side corners over.

16 Lightly raise a side flap up.

17 Valley fold along the angle bisector.

18 Inside reverse fold the edge inside.

19 Swing the flap back down and rotate the model slightly.

20 Inside reverse fold.

21 Inside reverse fold along the angle bisector.

22 Inside reverse fold the sides.

23 Inside reverse fold the center flap.

24 Valley fold the side flaps over.

25 Reverse fold up.

26 Inside reverse fold the corner.

27 Valley fold the edges of the wings and outside reverse fold the tail.

28 The completed Wyvern.

The European Dragon

T

he European Dragon is a legendary creature from various European mythologies. It is regarded as evil and very dangerous. However, they are often known for keeping to themselves in their underground lairs where they will guard their treasures of gold. They have four legs and a pair of massive wings that are formed from the fins of the classic Fish Base for this origami version.

1 Precrease the diagonals with mountain and valley folds.

2 Rabbit ear the sides.

3 Swing the center flaps over.

4 Mountain fold in half.

5 Reverse fold the sides down.

6 Precrease the sides in half partway.

7 Open out one flap.

8 Form a precrease between the side corners.

9 Close the flap back up while reverse folding up along the angle bisectors.

10 Repeat steps 7–9 on the other side.

11 Fold the flaps over at each side, so their long edges hit the dotted intersection.

12 Mountain fold the bottom corners inside.

13 Valley fold the flap down, so that its edge hits the dotted intersection.

14 Swing the flap back up.

15 Precrease starting from the dotted intersection.

16 Repeat steps 13–15 in mirror image.

17 Crimp the flaps down so the top edges lie straight.

18 Inside reverse fold along the existing crease.

19 Inside reverse fold back up along the existing crease.

20 Repeat steps 18 and 19 on the other side.

21 Inside reverse fold so the bottom edge lies straight.

22 Mountain fold the edges inside, allowing them to hug around the thick hidden layers.

23 Mountain fold the edges in on the other side to match.

24 Outside reverse fold the flap.

25 Crimp the flap up.

26 Inside reverse fold the tip down.

27 Outside reverse fold.

28 Outside reverse fold again.

29 Fold the edges down.

30 Curl the horns up and curl the tail.

31 The completed European Dragon.

Faerie Dragon

F

aerie dragons are a relatively modern variety of dragons, with early appearances in the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy game. They have been depicted to be anywhere from insect size to the scale of a small house cat. They are known for being mischievous and playful, and are powerful in their ability to manipulate magical energy. Their most distinctive feature is their butterfly-like wings, which this origami version highlights by making them a contrasting color.

1 Precrease the diagonals with mountain folds.

2 Precrease the sides in half with valley folds.

3 Collapse the corners down.

4 Precrease the sides along the angle bisectors.

5 Sink the top corner. (You may have to mostly unfold the model to invert the corner without tearing the paper.)

6 Precrease the top layer where it intersects with the hidden corner.

7 Valley fold to the crease.

8 Raise the flap up while squash folding the sides.

9 Repeat steps 6–8 behind.

10 Precrease the flaps starting from the hidden corner.

11 Inside reverse fold the flaps outward.

12 Wrap around a single layer at each side.

13 Reverse fold the hidden corners outward.

14 Fold the flaps down while opening out one side.

15 Inside reverse fold the corner.

16 Valley fold the flap down.

17 Valley fold the flap up.

18 Unfold the pleat.

19 Reverse fold in and out along the existing creases.

20 Repeat steps 16–19 behind.

21 Pull out the reverse fold from step 15.

22 Fold the sides up, tucking the corners into the pockets.

23 Squash fold the flap.

24 Pull the short edge down while squash folding the sides.

25 Tuck the sides of the flap under the top layers at each side.

26 Squash fold the sides up.

27 Mountain fold the corners inside.

28 Inside reverse fold down.

29 Crimp the flap.

30 Crimp the flap upward.

31 Reverse fold the corner to taste.

32 Curl the wings outward slightly and rotate the model.

33 The completed Faerie Dragon.

The Chinese Dragon

T

he Chinese Dragon plays a significant role in Chinese folklore. Revered for its incredible power, it was said to use its supernatural power to ward off natural disasters, especially water-related ones. Consequently, it has been used as a symbol of Chinese power and its form is still seen as part of festivals and celebrations. This origami rendition sports its famously long body with four strong legs.

1 Precrease the diagonals with mountain and valley folds.

2 Rabbit ear the sides.

3 Mountain fold the flap behind.

4 Valley fold the flap over.

5 Valley fold the flap down.

6 Unfold the pleat.

7 Repeat step 4–6 in mirror image.

8 Squash fold the flap.

9 Squash fold over.

10 Pull out the trapped single layer to match the other side.

11 Squash fold the center flap.

12 Fold the flap down while squash folding the sides.

13 Swing the rear flaps down.

14 Swing the top flap up.

15 Valley fold to the corner.

16 Valley fold to meet the interior edge.

17 Valley fold along the center.

18 Repeat steps 16–17 in mirror image.

19 Swing the flap down.

20 Valley fold in half.

21 Valley fold the corners up and rotate the model.

22 Reverse fold the flap straight up.

23 Valley fold the four flaps over about 1/4 of their widths.

24 Inside reverse fold the four corners.

25 Inside reverse fold the flap up.

26 Inside reverse fold the tip down.

27 Mountain fold the edges inside.

28 Inside reverse fold the flap.

29 Inside reverse fold the flap back.

30 Inside reverse fold the flap again.

31 Outside reverse fold the flap.

32 Crimp the flap up.

33 Inside reverse fold down, so the tip is in alignment with the base of the neck.

34 Outside reverse fold.

35 Outside reverse fold again.

36 Spread apart the flaps and bend the tips upward.

37 The completed Chinese Dragon.

The Rearing Dragon

T

his model combines elements of many of the preceding dragons, following the basic form of the classic European dragons. The most notable enhancement is its pair of piercing eyes, which are formed by turning a small portion of the paper inside-out. The head is more detailed than the other models in this collection and the appendages are more articulated. The price for this extra detail is a bit more complexity in the folding sequence, but the results are well worth it.

1 Precrease with a mountain fold.

2 Precrease along the angle bisector.

3 Valley fold.

4 Precrease with a mountain fold.

5 Unfold.

6 Repeat steps 2–5 in mirror image.

7 Precrease with a mountain fold.

8 Valley fold the corners inward.

9 Mountain fold along the existing creases.

10 Collapse downward.

11 Petal fold upward.

12 Turn over.

13 Petal fold upward, keeping the excess layers together.

14 Pull out a single layer from each edge.

15 Valley fold the sides inward.

16 Pull out the original corner and flatten.

17 Squash fold.

18 Squash fold.

19 Petal fold up.

20 Swing over while incorporating a reverse fold.

21 Repeat steps 18–20 in mirror image.

22 Lightly valley fold up.

23 Lift up the top single layer.

24 Mountain fold the corner behind.

25 Flatten.

26 Swing the flap back down.

27 Repeat steps 22–26 in mirror image.

28 Valley fold the small flap up.

29 Valley fold the top flaps down.

30 Precrease.

31 Valley fold toward the crease.

32 Unfold.

33 Sink the top, noting the intersection of the crease.

34 Valley fold the top edges down.

35 Swing the outer flaps up.

36 Swing over a layer on each side, while reverse folding the top flaps outward.

37 Swing down a flap at each side.

38 Swivel in the sides.

39 Swing the flaps back up.

40 Rabbit ear the flap.

41 Valley fold.

42 Lay the colored edge along the center, allowing a squash to form.

43 Swivel fold.

44 Reverse fold the flap into the hidden pocket.

45 Wrap around the single layer.

46 Wrap around.

47 Repeat steps 40–46 behind.

48 Crimp the flaps.

49 Rabbit ear the flaps down.

50 Inside reverse fold.

51 Spread apart the center layers of the flap to make it 3-D.

52 Valley fold the outer edges over.

53 Squash fold.

54 Pleat the wings and crimp the tail. Valley fold the sides of the head down, and lift the edges from step 52 up. Shape the model to taste. Rotate the model.

55 The completed Rearing Dragon.