How to Craft a Springy Paper Octopus?

Two identical pieces of paper and a marker are all that's required. Come on in and help us get going. The octopus will now arrive in two separate halves. The first one will be our starting point. Just grab a piece of paper. Always keep in mind that you need to know "when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em," as the song says. And here I thought Kenny Rogers had nothing to do with origami in his music. We'll start by making a few folds that will come in handy later. Make a half fold in the sheet, unfold it, then flip the sheet inside out. Reinforce the original folds and unfold it. So, grab your paper, marker, and connect with others through video chat to embark on an origami adventure and enjoy the process of creating the octopus and exploring the world of paper folding.

How to Make an Origami Octopus?

Invert it and fold the top and bottom halves into the centre

Let's see you do it again. Fold the bottom half in towards the middle. Then repeat the process at the top. Put it in half and fold the ends in. You may re-open it at this point. Basically, you need to invert the sheet. It's going to be necessary to start again. Fold the bottom half into the centre. Then bring the upper half towards the middle as well. Remember that this is only the beginning; we'll be doing this again in a moment.

Both the top and the bottom are folded in towards the centre

At this point, the majority of the folding is complete. The last two folds can be undone, but only partially. Right now, you're looking at a fold that includes squares in four vertical columns and eight horizontal rows. Look for the third-from-right vertical crease and fold along that line. Flip the sheet of paper over. Like this. The left side must be the fold. Now, look at these two squares on the bottom left. The octopuses' era has arrived, and this is their place. Now, while it's still flat, is the time to draw it.

The square in the upper right corner is where your attention should now be directed

Turn it inside out by folding the top right corner down to meet the bottom left corner. There's a new fold there. To the upper left, repeat the procedure. Pay close attention to the far left corner now. Fold in half the single sheet of paper you have. When you fold this section again, you'll get a triangle. To ensure perfect symmetry, repeat steps one and two on the left side.

And with that, we may go on to this section

Create new small triangles by folding the top parts in the same way. If you want a sharper crease, unfold them and then fold them backwards using the same technique. Unfold it once again. You need that component since it's what makes your octopus able to swim vertically. To hide the central section, just pull it down and cover it up. Discover the third vertical wrinkle counting from the left side. In addition, fold it in half with the right side on the left.

Bring the top row backwards and tuck it in

To complete the reverse fold, fold the bottom row as well. Invert it and spread out the pieces once again. To create a diagonal crease, start with the top right square and fold it such that its corner hits the bottom left square. Do the same with the top left square. Moreover, you should unfold them. You may make a triangle out of the top by folding the right side in towards the centre.

You should repeat same process with the left side

Make a complete turn with it. Cute little triangles at the very top, one on each side. Turn them inside out, then unfold and refold them. Then unfold it like this. Try pressing down on the centre. Cover over the triangle you just made. Pull down on one set of legs and hold. Grab the octopus's legs and drag them out to the sides to spread it out.

Let's zero on on this particular duo at this time

Fold the corners of each piece into a triangle and then open them back up. Next, fold in half the outermost front layer of the triangle. Fold the triangle in half along the opposite diagonal and unfold it. See the right thigh now. The top left corner of this square has to descend until it meets the bottom left corner of the next square. To press it, fold it like this. You should repeat it with the other. Fold the upper right corner to the lower right and push.

It seems about correct. Please fold this section down

It's time to repeat the process with the second set of legs. These creases are made by folding and unfolding tiny triangles. Take the produced triangle and fold in half the front layer alone. Replace it with the opposite leg and repeat. Applying the contrasting diagonal crease. In this example, we will reverse fold the left leg of the triangle and unfold the right leg. In this square, the top left corner should descend to reach the bottom left corner.

To do so, fold it like this. Don't hesitate to hit it

Replace the right top corner with the bottom right corner on the opposite leg. Repeatedly fold and push. Fold this section in half. Take a look at how your octopus infant should seem now. Yet, there is still more to be done. A total of 4 limbs are required. We'll need the second piece of paper for this, and the steps are fairly similar to the ones we just completed.

Make a half fold using the sheet

Then unfold it, flip it over, fold it in half again, and unfold it again. Fold the top and bottom halves in towards the centre, then repeat on the other side. The base should be folded over the metal. Then, repeat, folding the upper half in towards the centre. You may re-open it at this point. Just flip the page over to continue. The lower half is brought towards the middle, followed by the upper half. Next, unfold the two small triangles you just folded from the top corners to the central crease.

You should reverse the folding and unfolding steps

Lean down and stretch it out. Spread it open and make a triangle by pulling the centre down. The paper's top sheet will hide it. We return our focus to the top two squares. Pull the top left corner of the right one down to meet the bottom right one, producing a triangle. To fold it, first bring the top layer into the bottom. Returning to the square through the opposite diagonal wrinkle. Now, tuck this corner inside like so, and then firmly press the flap closed.

Spread it out and slide the outer layer within

We reverse-fold the triangle, unfold it, then tuck this corner inside using the opposite crease. Set the ready button. We need to switch gears and perform the same thing on the other side. In the last phase, I'll demonstrate it once again. Next, unfold the two small triangles you just folded from the top corners to the central crease. Next, you reverse-fold, unfold, open, and drag the centre down to create a triangle with the top layer of paper covering it.

The second leg need the same treatment at this time

Then, you should flip the paper over, then make a crease on the right side and fold it in half. The same applies to the central left section. What we have now is this. Time is running out. Discover this. Cut a crease in the second from the right corner and fold it. Then fold it in half, second from the left. Carefully, you may now unfold it. This octopus is prepared for you. You can make it leap by pressing the side, so have fun with that.

Conclusion

In conclusion, constructing a paper octopus is a fun and creative activity that requires only two identical pieces of paper and a marker. By following the step-by-step instructions, you can easily create an octopus that can bounce about. The folding process may seem a bit complex, but with a bit of practice, you'll be able to master it. The final result is a cute and impressive paper craft that you can display or play with. So, grab your paper and marker, and let's get folding! Remember, always keep in mind the lyrics of the song "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers - "you need to know when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em."