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Make Your Own Beautiful Butterfly Origami

Video Origami
Make Your Own Beautiful Butterfly Origami

Students of origami history might know that butterflies are likely the first known form of representative origami. Though they've changed significantly over the centuries, people still enjoy creating these cute critters. And with these tutorials, you too can fold your very own fluttering friends.

5. Simple Butterfly with Rounded Wings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1nJYVfK0Jw

We begin our list with a simpler project from the good folks at OrigamiFuns. While some origami enthusiasts discourage using scissors (as this delves into the realm of kirigami or paper cutting), to make the wings of this butterfly cute and round, you're going to have to trim a little around the edges.

4. Flapping Butterfly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGlFLruFfYo

Looking for a little more action in your origami? Follow this tutorial from JeremyShaferOrigami to make a fluttering butterfly!

3. Swallowtail Butterfly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1KMluhDVbE

Leyla Torres brings lots of adorable animals and shapes to her YouTube origami page, including these vivid swallowtail butterflies. Make sure to use two-toned or multicolored paper to get the magnificent gradation of the butterflies at the beginning of the video.

2. Detailed Dichromatic Butterfly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbUGg7CDdc4

We've featured a few videos from master folder Tadashi Mori, including some of his fearsome dragons, but this butterfly shows the softer side of his paper skills. What's special about this design is that it shows off both sides of the paper. So, you can use a two-sided sheet for multiple color options, or just use the white side of a typical sheet of origami paper to highlight the detail and color of the wings.

1. Gorgeous Complex Butterfly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GoqQf7GRyk

Finally, for a full-figured and highly detailed butterfly, we bring you one of the more challenging tutorials. This is another from Tadashi Mori, who credits a Vietnamese YouTuber named Hoàng Tiến Quyết with the design. It's tricky, but Mori's use of a pen to mark the fold lines makes it easier to understand. Give it a try and let us know how your creations turn out.