How to Make an Origami Flying Swan

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The following instruction set will instruct you on how to make an origami flying swan. Although similar to the traditional swan, the flying swan has the added ability for flapping the bird's wings.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Folding the Square Base

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  1. Step 1 Position paper in the portrait orientation.
  2. Step 2 Fold the lower right corner across to the left side.
    When finished, the bottom edge of the paper should now be flush with the left edge.
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  3. Step 3 Fold the excess paper down over the top of the triangle fold you just made.
  4. Step 4 Open the last fold and trim the excess.
    You should now have a square piece of paper.
  5. Step 5 Fold the crease on top of itself and then unfold.
    You should have a piece of paper with an "X" fold when finished.
  6. Step 6 Flip the paper over, fold across the horizontal axis, and unfold.
  7. Step 7 Fold the paper across the vertical axis and unfold.
    Note: Green guide lines are for reference in the next step.
  8. Step 8 Bring the edges of the 4 diagonal folds together.
    This corresponds to the green guide lines in the image above.
  9. Step 9 With the diagonal folds together, fold the two adjacent folds on each side onto each other to create a square.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Folding the Swan

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  1. Step 1 Position the square from Part 1 so that the crease runs vertically and the open end is facing down.
  2. Step 2 Fold the right side flap inwards.
  3. Step 3 Repeat the last step for the left side.
  4. Step 4 Fold the top triangle down on top of the last two folds.
  5. Step 5 Unfold the last three folds.
  6. Step 6 Carefully peel back the first layer of paper at the bottom and open it upwards.
  7. Step 7 After opening upwards, fold the paper on the creases that were made in steps 2, 3, and 4.
  8. Step 8 Crease the opposite side in the same way as the previous step.
  9. Step 9 Flip the paper over and fold the right side flap inwards.
  10. Step 10 Repeat with the left side flap.
  11. Step 11 Fold the top flap downwards.
  12. Step 12 Unfold the last three folds.
  13. Step 13 Carefully peel back the first layer of paper at the bottom and open it upwards.
  14. Step 14 Fold the left side inward over the creases.
  15. Step 15 Repeat with the right side.
  16. Step 16 Confirm that you now have a diamond-shaped paper with two free lower flaps.
  17. Step 17 Fold the right section upwards behind itself diagonally.
  18. Step 18 Repeat with the left section.
  19. Step 19 Carefully unfold the crease in the right section and open the fold.
  20. Step 20 With the fold open, fold the right section upwards into itself so that the section extends from the inside of the body.
  21. 21
    Repeat steps 12 and 13 with the left section
  22. Step 22 Carefully pull the right section downwards to reduce the angle and re-crease.
  23. Step 23 Fold the left section downward to create a head shape.
  24. Step 24 Fold the left wing down and crease.
  25. Step 25 Flip over and repeat with the right wing.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Flapping the Wings

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  1. Step 1 Pinch the breast area of the swan with your left hand and the middle portion of the tail with your right hand.
  2. Step 2 Carefully pull diagonally towards the tip of the tail with your right hand.
    This should cause the wings to flap. Congratulations, you've just created a flapping swan!
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I make the other diagonal line/crease?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You can make the other diagonal crease by either folding the paper in half again to form a smaller triangle, or unfolding the paper and spinning it once. Then fold and do the same process you did the first time.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Yes No
    Not Helpful 13 Helpful 11
  • Question
    My bird's wings won't flap on mine!
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You may have made a mistake in the folds. Undo the paper and try again or use a new piece of paper. Be sure to read the steps really carefully and to check against each image.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
     Thank you for your feedback.
     If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 20 Helpful 7
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Things You'll Need

  • One 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper
  • Pair of scissors (optional)


Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about origami, check out our in-depth interview with Robert Homayoon.

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About This Article

Robert Homayoon
Co-authored by:
Robert Homayoon
Origami Expert
This article was co-authored by Robert Homayoon. Robert Homayoon is an Origami Expert known for his engaging YouTube videos and accessible instructions. He has been teaching origami on YouTube since 2009. His channel has a following of over 676,000 subscribers, and his videos have garnered over 211 million views. Robert uses his channel to highlight his passion for teaching people origami, crafts, and how to solve puzzles. He graduated from SUNY Albany in 2007 and earned his D.M.D degree from Temple University Dental School in 2013. This article has been viewed 44,937 times.
1 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 8
Updated: January 4, 2024
Views: 44,937
Categories: Bird Origami
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 44,937 times.

Reader Success Stories

  • Krisna Sandhu

    Krisna Sandhu

    Jul 25, 2019

    "I've always wanted to learn how to make this origami swan with flapping wings. I finally made it, and now am..." more
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