There is something irresistible about a giraffe in paper form — that impossibly long neck, the gentle tilt of the head, the spindly legs that somehow hold the whole thing up. This model captures all of it, and the clever part is that it is built from two simple squares rather than one impossible sheet. You fold a head and a body separately, then bring them together at the end, which keeps each stage manageable. It is a longer fold than a crane or a box, but none of the moves are hard on their own — it is the kind of project you settle into on a quiet afternoon. By the time you attach the head to the body, you will have a little giraffe standing on your desk, ready to be admired.

This giraffe is folded from two identical squares of paper — one for the head and one for the body — which are then joined together. It takes a little patience, but each step is easy, so do give it a try.

How to fold a giraffe

The three-dimensional giraffe below is built from a head piece and a body piece, each made from one square sheet of the same size.

Part 1 — The Head

STEP 1. Crease the paper along the diagonal.

STEP 2. Fold the left and right edges in to meet the center crease.

STEP 3. Turn the paper over and fold the top corner down so it lines up with the bottom corner.

STEP 4. Turn it over again and open it out as shown in the picture.

STEP 5. Fold the bottom corner up just a little.

STEP 6. Fold it up once more.

STEP 7. Fold the top up along the dotted line.

STEP 8. Fold the left and right edges in to the center crease and press to make a crease.

STEP 9. Refold the left and right edges along those creases.

STEP 10. Fold the left and right edges in to the center crease.

STEP 11. Fold the bottom corner upward.

STEP 12. Fold the model in half.

STEP 13. Fold the top corner over as shown.

STEP 14. Fold the indicated section over.

STEP 15. Fold it inward once more to finish the giraffe's head piece.

Part 2 — The Body

STEP 1. Make vertical, horizontal, and diagonal creases across the square.

STEP 2. Turn it over and fold each corner in to the center, creasing as you go.

STEP 3. Fold the top and bottom edges in to the center crease.

STEP 4. Fold the left and right edges in to the center crease.

STEP 5. Fold each corner back outward.

STEP 6. Pull the corner out.

STEP 7. Do the same with the other corners.

STEP 8. Fold the left corner back.

STEP 9. Fold the edges along the creases as shown.

STEP 10. Turn it over and fold along the dotted line.

STEP 11. Fold the edges so they meet neatly.

STEP 12. Fold to fit the edges and make a crease.

STEP 13. Fold the edges along the creases.

STEP 14. Fold the edges so they fit together.

STEP 15. Fold the lower side in the same way.

STEP 16. Fold it in half to complete the giraffe's body piece.

Place the head piece on top of the body piece and attach them — and your giraffe is complete!