Simple Origami Dragon Diagram – a Step by Step Origami Guide

After countless hours of hard work I hereby present my first diagram! :) I made it using Inkscape for vectoring and Photoshop for everything else. I didn’t actually expect that diagramming even the simplest models is so slow(and dull). Taking some pictures while folding is much, much faster, and require almost no specific post-processing. I have a very simple action set in Photoshop which I use to batch process all of the images, rarely tweaking some of them after.

Note: There is an updated, more complete, final version of the simple origami dragon diagram.

Since this is my very first simple origami diagram, I’d love to get some feedback. It isn’t flawless, I know, but to be honest it is very hot right now, and I’m too f’ed up with the diagramming at the moment >_> I will work on it in the next days, and will probably update it.

If you have any concrete questions, suggestions – feel free to express them in comments. If you don’t understand something – tell me, so I can make the diagram more self-explanatory and easier to understand.

I tried to fit everything into one 512×512 image, and I think the result is quite readable. I will supply text instructions as well. Tell me if you’d like to see a photo version by the way.

Note: as you can see that I started with vector arrows and stuff, but I decided to simply draw them by hand in Photoshop, since drawing every single arrow in Inkscape, exporting and adjusting in Photoshop (where I assembled the whole diagram) was soooo slow, so I gave up and drew all of the remaining arrows with mouse :D

Oh, and one more thing before you start folding. This model uses a lot of inside reverse-fold, and if you don’t know what it is and how to do it, you can figure this out at this page. Just in case, here is an outside reverse-fold. It is very similar to inside reverse-fold.

So here is the simple origami dragon diagram. Click to view full size.

Note: there is a final, much better version of the diagram here.

Simple Origami Dragon Diagram

Simple Origami Dragon Diagram

01) Start with a fish base. You can find a step by step origami turorial on folding a fish base in the earlier post.

02) Fold the fish base in half by taking a top corner and bringing it to the bottom corner through the back of the model. I hope the instructions aren’t too cryptic >_<

03) Take the bottom corner and fold it upwards just a little below the center line between the leftmost and rightmost corners of the model.

04) Rotate the model 90 degrees CW(Clockwise).

05) Fold the model in half.

07) Fold the wing along the dotted line to form a wing. Repeat on the second side.

09) Inside reverse-fold the neck downwards.

10) Inside reverse-fold it again upwards.

12) Inside reverse-fold it again to the right to form the head.

13) Inside reverse-fold it again to finalize the head and form a little horn on the back of the head.

14) Inside reverse-fold the tail to the right through the bottom of the model.

15) Inside reverse-fold the tail again to form the lower back and the tail.

17) Fold the corner inward for smoother shape. Repeat on the other side.

19) Pleat-fold the tail.  This step is optional. (Pleat-folding is very simple. You just make a mountain fold very close to a valley fold to get that zigzag).

So, what do you think? Should I put additional, more detailed instructions (text\graphics)? Want to see the photo version? Feel free to express your opinion in comments :)


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Related posts:

  1. About That Origami Dragon
  2. The Bird Base
  3. Simple Origami – Making a Fish Base
  4. Origami Dragon for a Complete Beginner
  5. Origami Dragon Diagram, Final Version

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2 Responses to “Simple Origami Dragon Diagram – a Step by Step Origami Guide”

  1. bob says:

    This sux i couldnt figure out hoe to do this because our pictures sucked. You didn’t show the inside of the dragon so i couldnt figure out what i was doing.maybe u should make it more detailed and understandable. This just plain sucked!!!

  2. OrigamiDragon says:

    There is an updated version of the diagram here: Origami Dragon Diagram, Final Version

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