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Origami Angelfish

Fold a tall angelfish from one square. Close a prepared triangle base, then move the two front corner packets separately to make a small forked tail behind the broad body.

Preparation + 11 numbered steps

Materials

6-inch square · 6 × 6 inches

One 6 × 6-inch square (15.24 × 15.24 cm) of thin origami paper. Ruler and pencil for the tail guide marks; optional pen for an eye and stripes. No cuts or glue.

Start the interactive guide ↓
Read all illustrated steps ↓Download PDF ↓ · one-page illustrated guide
Origami Angelfish: A tall triangular fish with two crossing tail flaps
A tall triangular fish with two crossing tail flaps

Follow along

Preparation

The interactive guide needs JavaScript. Read every illustrated step below.

Camera only; does not change the fold.
Help · controls & diagram

Play or drag the progress slider to watch a fold from 0% to 100%. Use the view buttons or drag the diagram to look from another angle.

Blue and gold identify the original left and right halves of one sheet. Darker shades show reverse faces. Orange marks moving paper and ordinary fold hinges.

With the diagram focused: Space plays or pauses, ←/→ change steps, and Home resets.

Every step, at a glance

Compare your paper with each diagram after completing the action. Blue and gold identify the original left and right halves of one sheet. Darker shades show reverse faces. Orange marks moving paper and ordinary fold hinges.

  1. 0. Prepare the square
  2. 1. Crease the first diagonal
  3. 2. Open the first diagonal
  4. 3. Crease the second diagonal
  5. 4. Open the second diagonal
  6. 5. Make the reverse cross crease
  7. 6. Reopen the cross crease
  8. 7. Close the triangle base
  9. 8. Rotate the base to the left
  10. 9. Fold the upper front tail flap
  11. 10. Fold the lower front tail flap
  12. 11. Turn over and finish
  1. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldPrepare the square

    PREPARATION · Origami Club Angelfish

    Prepare the square

    Place the square with level edges and the intended fish color facing down.

    Layers: One uncut square.

    Check: The top and bottom edges are parallel.

    Explore this step ↑
  2. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldCrease the first diagonal

    STEP 1 · Origami Club Angelfish

    Crease the first diagonal

    Bring the upper left corner to the lower right corner. Match the adjoining edges and press.

    Layers: Move the full corner half of the sheet.

    Check: The crease joins the other two corners.

    Explore this step ↑
  3. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldOpen the first diagonal

    STEP 2 · Origami Club Angelfish

    Open the first diagonal

    Unfold completely and return the square to the table.

    Layers: Open the same half.

    Check: The first diagonal remains visible.

    Explore this step ↑
  4. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldCrease the second diagonal

    STEP 3 · Origami Club Angelfish

    Crease the second diagonal

    Bring the upper right corner to the lower left corner. Match the edges and press.

    Layers: Move the complete opposite corner half.

    Check: The two diagonals cross at the square center.

    Explore this step ↑
  5. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldOpen the second diagonal

    STEP 4 · Origami Club Angelfish

    Open the second diagonal

    Return the square fully to its starting position.

    Layers: Open the same half.

    Check: Both diagonal guides remain.

    Explore this step ↑
  6. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldMake the reverse cross crease

    STEP 5 · Origami Club Angelfish

    Make the reverse cross crease

    Fold the upper edge behind the lower edge, away from you, and press across the middle.

    Layers: Carry the complete upper half behind the lower half.

    Check: This horizontal crease bends opposite to the two diagonals.

    Explore this step ↑
  7. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldReopen the cross crease

    STEP 6 · Origami Club Angelfish

    Reopen the cross crease

    Open the upper half back onto the table.

    Layers: Open the same upper half without reversing its crease.

    Check: The square has two diagonal guides and a reverse horizontal guide.

    Explore this step ↑
  8. CLOSE ALONG THE PRECREASESOriginal left: blue · right: goldClose the triangle base

    STEP 7 · Origami Club Angelfish

    Close the triangle base

    Bring the left and right edge midpoints inward while lowering the top edge toward the bottom edge. Let the two side triangles tuck between the front and back faces. Press the connected packet flat.

    Layers: The side panels stay attached and close together; do not pull one triangle off the others.

    Check: A broad triangle has a closed point at the top and layered corners at the bottom.

    Explore this step ↑
  9. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldRotate the base to the left

    STEP 8 · Origami Club Angelfish

    Rotate the base to the left

    Rotate the whole closed triangle a quarter turn counterclockwise on the table. Keep every crease closed.

    Layers: Turn all layers together without making a new fold.

    Check: The closed point faces left; the long vertical edge is on the right.

    Explore this step ↑
  10. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldFold the upper front tail flap

    STEP 9 · Origami Club Angelfish

    Fold the upper front tail flap

    On the right vertical edge, mark 0.804 inches (about 2.04 cm) above its midpoint. Join this mark to the closed left point. Fold the upper front corner down on that line.

    Layers: Move the front upper corner with its attached inner triangle. Leave the rear body triangle and the lower front corner still.

    Check: The folded tip projects to the right and slightly below the midpoint.

    Explore this step ↑
  11. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldFold the lower front tail flap

    STEP 10 · Origami Club Angelfish

    Fold the lower front tail flap

    Mark the matching point 0.804 inches below the right-edge midpoint. Join it to the closed left point and fold the remaining lower front corner upward on this line.

    Layers: Move the lower front corner and its attached inner triangle. Do not carry the first tail flap.

    Check: The two tail tips project right on opposite sides of the midpoint.

    Explore this step ↑
  12. TURN THE WHOLE PACKETOriginal left: blue · right: goldTurn over and finish

    STEP 11 · Origami Club Angelfish

    Turn over and finish

    Turn the entire fish over from top to bottom, keeping the head pointed left. Smooth it flat. Optionally draw an eye near the head and curved stripes on the broad body.

    Layers: Turn all layers together. The eye and stripes are optional ink, not additional paper or folds.

    Check: A tall triangular body points left, with upper and lower body tips and a small two-pointed tail to the right.

    Explore this step ↑
Sources & notes

Origami Club; diagram copyright credit: Fumiaki Shingu, An Angelfish (undated web diagram).

Angelfish construction diagram ↗

The diagram credits Fumiaki Shingu. That copyright credit does not establish the model designer or a design-reuse license. This guide does not label the design traditional or public domain. Reference media, wording and code are not reproduced; these English instructions, geometry, SVG diagrams and PDF are original.

Adaptation: The source reaches its triangle base by folding a rectangle in half and squashing the front and back pockets. We teach the same waterbomb triangle base through two reopened diagonal creases, a reopened reverse horizontal crease and one continuous connected collapse. This is an explicit alternate base-making method, not an animation claiming to perform the two separate source squashes. The base is rotated until its closed point faces left. Each tail hinge divides the 90-degree left corner so the selected front flap uses the upper or lower 30-degree sector: the hinges lie 15 degrees above and below horizontal. The guide gives the equivalent 0.804-inch mark on the vertical edge. These numerical marks and separate actions are authored teaching choices. Both attached inner layers move with their respective front corner. The final turn is top-to-bottom so the head remains left. Optional eyes and stripes are learner-drawn ink.

Original instructions and diagrams, made with AI assistance. About & reuse

Accuracy notes

Real-paper follow-along and paper weight have not been tested. Diagrams illustrate the sequence, not paper thickness, contact, collisions or exact layer visibility.