How to read origami diagrams

Origami diagrams use a small, shared set of symbols so that anyone can follow them, whatever language they speak. Once you know these eight marks, you can read nearly any diagram — ours, in books or from other folders.

• Valley fold

  A dashed line. Fold the paper toward you along it, so the crease sinks like a valley. It is the most common fold in any diagram.

• Mountain fold

  A dash-dot line. Fold the paper away from you, behind the model, so the crease rises like a ridge.

• Existing crease

  A thin solid line shows a crease you made earlier. It is often a guide for the next fold.

• Fold arrow

  A curved arrow shows which part moves and where it lands. Fold in the direction the arrow travels.

• Fold and unfold

  An arrow with a head at both ends: make the fold, crease firmly, then open it again. The crease stays as a guide.

• Push in

  A hollow arrow means push or sink the paper inward — used for reverse folds and squash folds.

• Turn over

  A looped arrow: turn the whole model over, left to right, before the next step.

• Repeat

  A repeat mark means do the same fold on the other side or the other flap.