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Origami Lion Face

Fold the side borders inward and the tall upper packet behind to frame a shorter face with a broad mane. The mane is folded paper; eyes and whiskers are optional pen marks.

Preparation + 9 numbered steps

Materials

6-inch square · 6 × 6 inches

One 6 × 6-inch square (15.24 × 15.24 cm) of thin two-color origami paper. Ruler and pencil for shaping marks; optional pen for facial features. No cuts or glue.

Start the interactive guide ↓
Read all illustrated steps ↓Download PDF ↓ · one-page illustrated guide
Origami Lion Face: a folded inner face framed by a contrasting pointed mane
A folded inner face framed by a contrasting pointed mane

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 halves of one sheet, not your paper colors. Darker shades show the reverse. Orange highlights moving paper and its hinge.

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 halves of one sheet, not your paper colors. Darker shades show the reverse. Orange highlights moving paper and its hinge.

  1. 0. Prepare the diamond
  2. 1. Crease the vertical center
  3. 2. Open the vertical crease
  4. 3. Crease the horizontal center
  5. 4. Open the cross creases
  6. 5. Shorten the chin
  7. 6. Fold the right mane border
  8. 7. Fold the left mane border
  9. 8. Fold the upper mane behind
  10. 9. Finish the lion face
  1. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldPrepare the diamond

    PREPARATION · Origami Club lion-face diagram; measured adaptation

    Prepare the diamond

    Place the square with a point upward and the intended inner-face color facing up. The reverse color will appear in the mane.

    Layers: One uncut square.

    Check: Top and bottom points line up.

    Explore this step ↑
  2. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldCrease the vertical center

    STEP 1 · Origami Club lion-face diagram; measured adaptation

    Crease the vertical center

    Bring the right point across to the left point.

    Layers: Move the complete right half.

    Check: The side points coincide.

    Explore this step ↑
  3. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldOpen the vertical crease

    STEP 2 · Origami Club lion-face diagram; measured adaptation

    Open the vertical crease

    Return the right half fully to the table.

    Layers: Open the same half.

    Check: A vertical guide remains.

    Explore this step ↑
  4. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldCrease the horizontal center

    STEP 3 · Origami Club lion-face diagram; measured adaptation

    Crease the horizontal center

    Bring the upper point down to the lower point.

    Layers: Move the entire upper half.

    Check: The top and bottom points meet.

    Explore this step ↑
  5. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldOpen the cross creases

    STEP 4 · Origami Club lion-face diagram; measured adaptation

    Open the cross creases

    Return the upper half fully to the table.

    Layers: Open the same half.

    Check: The two guides cross at the center.

    Explore this step ↑
  6. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldShorten the chin

    STEP 5 · Origami Club lion-face diagram; measured adaptation

    Shorten the chin

    Mark the vertical center crease 1.06 inches above the bottom point. Fold the bottom tip upward on a horizontal line through that mark.

    Layers: Move the small bottom corner only. Do not cut it away.

    Check: The tip reaches 2.12 inches above its original position and shows the reverse color.

    Explore this step ↑
  7. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldFold the right mane border

    STEP 6 · Origami Club lion-face diagram; measured adaptation

    Fold the right mane border

    From the right point, measure 1.98 inches along the upper sloping edge toward the top and 3.30 inches along the lower sloping edge toward the bottom. Fold the corner inward on the line joining these two marks.

    Layers: Move the complete right corner; keep the small folded chin still.

    Check: The old right tip rests inside the face, with a contrasting border beside it.

    Explore this step ↑
  8. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldFold the left mane border

    STEP 7 · Origami Club lion-face diagram; measured adaptation

    Fold the left mane border

    Mirror the sloping guide on the left and fold the left corner inward.

    Layers: Move the complete left corner.

    Check: Two contrasting side borders frame the inner face.

    Explore this step ↑
  9. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldFold the upper mane behind

    STEP 8 · Origami Club lion-face diagram; measured adaptation

    Fold the upper mane behind

    Mark a horizontal line 0.53 inches below the center crossing. Fold everything above it away from you and behind the face.

    Layers: Carry the whole upper packet, including the upper parts of both side borders. Keep the lower face in front.

    Check: The original top point projects below the short chin to make a pointed lower mane.

    Explore this step ↑
  10. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldFinish the lion face

    STEP 9 · Origami Club lion-face diagram; measured adaptation

    Finish the lion face

    Smooth the side borders and rear mane. Add two eyes, a nose and whiskers with a pen if you like.

    Layers: No extra paper and no new fold; facial marks are optional ink.

    Check: A short inner face sits inside a broad pointed mane even before decoration.

    Explore this step ↑
Sources & notes

Origami Club, reference publisher; model designer unestablished, Origami Club: A Lion (face) (undated web diagram).

Complete lion-face reference diagram ↗ · Reference model photograph ↗

The reference is published by Origami Club. The inspected diagram does not establish the model designer or a design-reuse license; no traditional or public-domain status is asserted. No reference media, wording or code are reproduced. These English instructions, material geometry and diagrams are independently authored.

Adaptation: Follows reference panels 1–5: cross creases, shortened lower point, inward side borders and entire upper packet folded behind to form the lower mane. Paired folds are separated. The unmeasured side hinges join marks 1.98 inches up and 3.30 inches down the sloping edges from each side point; the rear mane hinge is 0.53 inches below the center crossing. The lower folded tip remains real paper, not a triangular cutout. Optional facial ink is not what creates the lion construction.

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. One uncut six-inch square retains original material coordinates through a front chin fold, two sloping mane borders and a full-layer rear mane fold. Zero-thickness teaching geometry does not certify general contact or finite thickness. Real-paper folding has not been tested.