Traditional Origami Whale

The traditional origami whale is one of those models that quietly convinces people paper folding is magic. It begins with a fish base — a shape that already looks like a folded paper dart — and a few mountain and valley folds later the body rounds out, the tail lifts, and the sheet suddenly stands on its own.

No scissors, no glue, no special paper: just an eleven-step detour from whatever you were doing. Fold one in a couple of minutes and leave it on a desk or windowsill; from across the room it genuinely reads as a small whale cruising along.

This page walks you through folding a traditional origami whale.

The traditional whale is derived from the fish base, and the whole model takes only 11 steps.

If you’re ready, let’s get started.

You can use almost any kind of paper to fold the whale. It helps a little if the front and back differ in color or texture, because the folds are easier to read that way.

Make sure the paper is a square — all sides equal, all corners 90 degrees. I’m using a 15 cm × 15 cm sheet here, a comfortable size for anyone new to paper folding. Once you know the model well, try smaller paper.

This is the front side of the paper.