Turn over and rotate symbols

The turn over and rotate symbols are diagram marks that tell you either to flip the paper to show its other side or to spin it flat on the table without flipping.

Turn over is usually drawn as a looping arrow and means flip the model like the page of a book, left to right, so the back becomes the front. Rotate is drawn as a curved arrow around the model, often with a number such as 90 or 180 degrees, and means turn it while it stays face up. In animations, both are shown as smooth motions between steps.

Confusing the two is a common source of frustration, because the next step then looks impossible. After any turn or rotation, compare your paper with the next picture: the same edges, corners and flaps should be in the same places. Flip left to right rather than top to bottom unless the diagram says otherwise.

How to turn over and rotate correctly

1
Turn over (a looping arrow): hold the left and right edges and flip the model like the page of a book, so the back becomes the front.
2
After turning over, keep the model in the same position on the table; the top stays at the top unless the diagram shows otherwise.
3
Rotate (a curved arrow around the model, often marked 90° or 180°): spin the model flat on the table without lifting or flipping it.
4
Rotate in the direction the arrow points, by the angle given.
5
Compare your paper with the next picture: the same corners, edges and flaps should be in the same places.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

The next step looks impossible
You probably flipped instead of rotating, or rotated instead of flipping. Undo the move and check which symbol the diagram uses.
The model is upside down after turning over
Flip left to right, like a book page, not top to bottom, unless the diagram says otherwise.
You rotated by the wrong amount
Look for the angle next to the arrow. If there is none, match the orientation of the next picture.

When you’ll use it

Diagrams use these two symbols constantly, and misreading them is the most common reason folders get stuck. A good habit is to say the move out loud, "turn over" or "rotate a quarter turn", and then check that a landmark, such as a colored corner or a particular flap, ends up where the next picture shows it. Some books also draw a vertical turn-over, an arrow looping from top to bottom, which means flip the model top to bottom instead of left to right. Watching a few turns and rotations in our animated diagrams makes the symbols easy to recognize in printed ones.

Practice it on these models

Advanced15 min · 19 steps

Paper Crane

The origami crane is the traditional Japanese orizuru, a bird with spread wings folded from a single square without cuts or glue. It is an advanced model: expect about 15 minutes for your first one, mostly spent learning the petal fold and inside reverse fold.

Easy5 min · 10 steps

Paper Boat

The origami paper boat is a classic folded from a rectangular sheet, passing through a paper hat on the way to a small boat that really floats. It is an easy model that most children and adults finish in about five minutes.

Easy3 min · 6 steps

Lucky Star

An origami lucky star is a tiny, puffy five-pointed star made by knotting a long paper strip into a pentagon and wrapping it. It is easy and takes about three minutes, though the final puffing step needs a light touch.

Easy5 min · 8 steps

Origami Heart

The origami heart is a flat, symmetrical heart shape folded from one square, ideal for slipping into a card or envelope. It is an easy model that takes around five minutes and uses only simple valley and mountain folds.