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Animals · Step-by-step guide

Winged Paper Dragon

Build a small dragon with a long neck, pointed wings and a folded tail. Follow the photo panels carefully through the layered folds.

What you’ll need

  • One square of thin paper
Start making ↓

Origami · Creasing, collapse folds & shaping

Finished Winged Paper Dragon

Make it, step by step.

12 steps · Original diagrams with English instructions

Prepare the sheet

Winged Paper Dragon: Prepare the sheetOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Use a thin square sheet; the neck and feet contain several layers.

Make the base

Winged Paper Dragon: Make the baseOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Crease both diagonals and midlines, then collapse into a square base with the opening down. Fold both side edges inward and crease the top triangle.

Sink the center

Winged Paper Dragon: Sink the centerOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Open the folds, reinforce the central square and collapse that square inward, following the four panels.

Fold the layered flaps

Winged Paper Dragon: Fold the layered flapsOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Fold the upper section down, repeat on the remaining faces, then lift a flap upward. Make the indicated diagonal crease and reopen it.

Pinch the creases

Winged Paper Dragon: Pinch the creasesOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Make and reopen the matching crease. Pinch the creases into a raised ridge and fold that ridge to one side.

Rearrange the layers

Winged Paper Dragon: Rearrange the layersOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Repeat on the back. Turn the right front flap left and the left rear flap right; check the side view.

Shape the small points

Winged Paper Dragon: Shape the small pointsOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Open the little corner on each side. Align the indicated edges, then flatten the raised section to the left.

Separate wings and neck

Winged Paper Dragon: Separate wings and neckOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Repeat on all four small edges. Fold the broad flaps into wings and bend the narrow point into the neck.

Bend the neck

Winged Paper Dragon: Bend the neckOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Use the close-up to reverse-fold the long point upward, supporting its base while you press the crease.

Shape the head

Winged Paper Dragon: Shape the headOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Reverse-fold the tip to make the head and adjust its angle above the body.

Flatten the tail

Winged Paper Dragon: Flatten the tailOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Press the tail outward from its center and spread the wing folds.

Balance the dragon

Winged Paper Dragon: Balance the dragonOpen image at full size ↗
  1. Adjust the feet, wings and tail until the dragon holds its shape.

Follow the diagrams alongside the step-by-step English instructions.

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