Origami Koi Fish
Craft this origami koi fish – one of my favorite origami tutorials that just looks so good! If you need a more beginner origami project, try making this origami butterfly. This post contains affiliate links,
If you’ve been following this blog for some time, you know we’re in love with the art of paper folding. But this 3-D origami koi fish is a whole new dimension! It may seem daunting at first, but with some patience and practice, you really can learn to fold your own stunning paper fish to display in your home or office.
If you’re new to origami, try some of our other tutorials first (such as this simpler origami crab) until you feel comfortable with paper-folding and then come back when you’re ready for a fresh challenge.
Did you know that in Japanese culture, the koi fish symbolizes perseverance, courage, and good luck? Keep one on your desk and gift one to a friend to remind you to keep going no matter what kind of day you’re having. The bright colors are sure to keep your spirits up and your motivation strong!
Choose a lightweight paper to make folding easy. Use orange for a classic origami koi fish, or another color of your choice for creative variety. If you’re feeling extra artsy, try adding scales with a metallic marker or glitter glue.
What you’ll need
- Origami paper – or any thin colored paper
- Glue or double sided tape (recommended)
- Optional: Markers or paint markers
- Optional: bone folder to sharpen your folds
How to make an origami koi fish
1. Prepare a colored paper for the koi fish craft. The sides of the paper should have a ratio of 1:1.5. In other words, if the paper is 6 inches wide it should be 4 inches long; for 9 inches wide cut it to 6 inches long; etc. An 8.5×11 sheet of paper is close. You can trim it down to 7×10.5 inches to use most of it.
2. Fold the paper in half along the longer side. Unfold so that it leaves a crease.
3. Fold each long side of the paper so that their edges reach the crease in middle.
4. On one end of the rectangle, fold the corners in until they reach the middle crease.
5. Unfold all the folds.
6. Fold the long sides to the middle again, but instead of folding all the way to the end, stop when you get to the diagonal creases in the corners. Give those corner creases a pinch.
7. Flatten the right side by folding it down at the point where your triangle folds in step 4 were, spreading the corners out on each side to form a triangular flap on each side.
8. Flip over the whole paper so you see a full rectangle, with two little triangles sticking out.
9. Fold the triangular flaps toward the center (not all the way to the center), on a slight diagonal so they are pointed upwards. You’re folding back a little of the main rectangle too.
10. Next, fold the triangular flaps back outward, along their original edge line.
11. Turn the paper back over to the side you started on. You can now see the slit down the middle of a long rectangle, and at one end you have a smaller almost-rectangle with triangles sticking out. That smaller part with the triangles will be the origami koi fish’s head.
12. Starting at the other end of the paper (the end without triangle flaps), fold the rectangular part of the paper in half until the head starts. Unfold it to leave a crease.
13. Fold to create a new diagonal crease that goes from the edge of the one you just made crease to the spot where the center slit meets the head part. Do this on each side, so that the right half of your big rectangle has a triangle crease marking.
14. Fold the paper along the creases you just created, while also folding the open sides away from you along the very first middle fold you made at the beginning. In other words, the center portion of your origami koi fish – the body – is now accordion folded, but in a triangular, tapered shape.
The head is folded simply along the center line.
15. Flatten it on its side, so that you are looking at the side profile of the fish. You’ll see the left half of the rectangle – the tail – will remain open, but the right – body- and head will be folded flat.
16. Turn it over so the triangle fins are pointing down/toward you.
17. Lift the top of your fin to slightly open up the top layer.
18. Now focus on creating the tail on the left portion of your origami koi fish. Fold the bottom edge of that rectangular part up until it meets the diagonal crease. Sharpen this fold using a bone folder or similar. As you move on in your origami and have more layers, you need to really focus on sharp folds to ensure you have the markings you need.
19. Unfold the folds created in step 18 and flatten that whole entire rectangular shebang, which now has several diagonal crease lines on it.
20. Find the straight line that goes down the middle of the rectangle. Now, take the corners of the paper from the very edge of the rectangle, and fold them outward creating a fold that goes from the middle crease of the rectangle to the corner.
21. Fold the center crease of the rectangle up toward you.
22. You now have two diagonal creases on each side of that center mountain fold. Fold them accordion style. Closer to the center is a valley fold and the outer ones are mountain folds.
23. Leaving the tail portion fanned out, gather the body part accordion-style and use just a touch of adhesive to hold it together. Wow. This is happening!
Your origami koi fish is complete! If you’d like, you can add detail. Cut or hole-punch 2 circles from white paper and use a marker to make an eye on each one. Glue them onto the head.
You can also use paint markers to accomplish this.
I personally love to add a little sparkle at this point, but the koi fish form is now done! Find a decorative place to display it with pride.
How to make an origami Koi fish
Craft an origami koi fish using classic paper folding techniques. This graceful fish features bright colors and is perfect for summer crafting fun! It's quite an advanced origami tutorial, so you'll want to try some easier projects first if you're new to origami.
Materials
- Origami paper - or any thin colored paper
- Glue
- Markers
- Optional: bone folder to sharpen your folds
Instructions
- Prepare a colored paper for the koi fish craft. The sides of the paper should have a ratio of 1:1.5. In other words, if the paper is 6 inches wide it should be 4 inches long; for 9 inches wide cut it to 6 inches long; etc.
- Fold the paper in half along the longer side. Unfold so that it leaves a crease.
- Fold each long side of the paper so that their edges reach the crease in middle.
- On one end of the rectangle, fold the corners in until they reach the middle crease.
- Unfold all the folds.
- Fold the long sides to the middle again, but instead of folding all the way to the end, stop when you get to the diagonal creases in the corners. Give those corner creases a pinch.
- Flatten the pattern by bringing the short edge toward the middle, spreading the corners out on each side to form a triangular flap on each side.
- Turn over the whole paper so you see a full rectangle, with two little triangles sticking out.
- Fold the triangular flaps toward the center (not all the way to the center), on a slight diagonal so they are pointed upwards.
- Next, fold the triangular flaps back outward, along their original edge line.
- Turn the paper over to the side you started on. You can now see the slit down the middle of a long rectangle, and at one end you have a smaller almost-rectangle with triangles sticking out. That smaller part with the triangles will be the fish’s head.
- Starting at the other end of the paper (the end without triangle flaps), fold the rectangular part of the paper in half. Unfold it to leave a crease.
- Create a crease that goes from the edge of the new crease to the spot where the center slit meets the head part. Do the same for the other edge.
- Fold the paper along the creases you just created, while also folding the open sides away from you along the very first middle fold you made at the beginning.
- Flatten it so that you are looking at the side profile of the fish.
- Turn it over so the triangle fins are pointing down/toward you.
- Lift the top triangle fin to slightly open it up.
- Fold the bottom edge of the rectangular part up until it meets the diagonal crease. Sharpen this fold using your fingers or a tool.
- Unfold the folds created in step 18 and flatten the rectangular part, which now has several diagonal crease lines on it.
- Find the straight line that goes down the middle of the rectangle. Now, take the corners of the paper from the very edge of the rectangle, and fold them outward creating a fold that goes from the middle of the rectangle to the corner.
- Fold the center crease of the rectangle up toward you.
- Fold the two diagonal creases on each side accordion-style, as shown.
- Leaving the tail part spread out, gather the middle body part accordion-style and use glue to hold it together.
- Cut or hole-punch 2 round shapes from white paper and use a marker to make an eye design on each one. Glue them onto the head.
Notes
Want to add your own twist? Try adding scales with a metallic marker or glitter glue.
