Want to create a unique origami turkey for Thanksgiving? Learn the basics of origami and create unique turkey origami for children and decor purposes…
Origami is the art of folding single colored or decorative paper in small folds to create paper models of different objects. From animals to flora and fauna you can build different origami shapes and symbols as a hobby. The art originated in Japan and is considered a great skill as most of the pieces are folded with great intricacy.
If you’re interested in origami turkey then the best idea is to create fan tailed turkey using origami techniques. This makes a wonderful decoration during Thanksgiving or it can be given out as a gift to young children.
Materials and Technique for Origami Turkey
To start with you will require a brownish colored paper which you will have to fold 2/3rd of in the form of a traditional fan to create 8 to 9 vertical folds which will act as the tailed fan.
Divide this 20 inch long by 8 inch wide brown paper sheet into half lengthwise by drawing the line through its length. Next you will create a symmetrical design on both sides of the paper as it will be folded first in the center to create an origami design. Draw a profile of the turkey’s head by creating a long head of the gobbler and eyes and the beak along with the red beard.
Decorating the Turkey Origami with Paint
Paint the head orange, the beak yellow and the beard in red color. Next draw an angular line 2 inches below the beard to make it look like the chest of the turkey and finish the line at the halfway mark on the page. Next draw two yellow stripes on the vertical length of the brown sheet which is the part folded into a fan, to look like the tail feather is colored.
Folding the Turkey Origami to Get the Sitting Turkey
Unfold the brown sheet and lay it flat on a table. Cut off the extra paper along the head and chest of the turkey to make a cut work profile of the turkey head which is reflected on both sides of the sheet. Basically you’ll be cutting in 3 inches from each side of the brown sheet thereby giving the head and chest of the turkey a U-shaped while the rest of the brown sheet follows straight on the bottom.
Next start folding the brown sheet that is left from the bottom to the top to make the tail feathers till you reach the part where the chest of the turkey is supposed to start. This version gives you 8 to 9 folds on the tail of the turkey. Fold the turkey head and chest diagonally backwards to meet the tail fans and make the turkey sit up.
Fan out the tail and paste it with tape in the center so that the tail fans out behind the head of the turkey. The base of the paper will be plain brown. You can set it up on a table or give it to children to paste on a stick and play with during Thanksgiving.
