The origami bird base can be used to make many models beside the good old Japanese crane, including other birds.
This relatively simple origami crow is one such example and it’s a great model to keep standing on the corners of things.
Origami Crow Instructions
Step 1
Place a square origami sheet color-side down and fold in half along the height and width to create this vertical and horizontal crease across the center of the square.
Step 2
Flip the paper over and this time fold it in half along both diagonals of the square to create two new creases that pass through the center point.
Step 3
Use the creases you created to collapse the model into this smaller square or diamond shape.
Step 4
Fold the top layer of both bottom edges of your diamond to the central line.
Step 5
Fold the top triangular bit downwards along its base line.
Step 6
Unfold all the three three last folds to get this triangular crease.
Step 7
Lift the top-most layer from the bottom half of the diamond and fold it up along the horizontal crease of the triangle of creases you created earlier.
This forces the side edges flat to form a tall and thin diamond shape.
Flip the model over and repeat the steps on the other side.
Step 8
You’ll end up with an evenly tall and thin diamond shape
Step 9
You can fold down the two wing-like flaps and you get this. This is your origami bird base.
Step 10
Fold one of the wing flaps back up, and fold the whole thing in half along its length so that you can see this stubby triangular bit towards the center.
The direction in which it points is the tail of your crow.
Step 11
If you open it up slightly, on the head side you will find multiple layers. Pull the two loose ones downward towards the center and fold at an angle to form the legs at an appropriate angle to the tail
Step 12
If you open up the central fold along the crow’s body, that’s what the two legs will look like.
Step 13
Fold it back down in half again and now create a head by inside reverse folding the pointed stalk of the head.
Step 14
Inside reverse fold the pointed end of one of the legs to create a clawed foot for it to stand on.
Repeat on the other leg.
Step 15
Clean up the folds, separate the legs a little for balance, and your origami crow will gladly sit perched at the edge of things.
Enjoy!
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