Origami is not just in Japan. This origami pajarita probably originated in Europe. It means “small bird” in Spanish. Pajarita is equal to the the paper crane in popularity: many people recognize this little bird as a symbol of paper folding. In fact, the Spanish Paperfolding Association (AEP) uses the origami pajarita as their logo.
Instructions for Origami Pajarita
Step 1:
Start with a square sheet of paper with the white-side facing up. |
Step 2:
Fold and unfold the paper in half (horizontally and vertically) to get a + crease. |
Step 3:
Fold the corner of the paper to the middle of the paper (red dot to red dot). Do this for all 4 corners. |
Step 4:
Turn the model over so the bottom is facing up. |
Step 5:
Repeat the blintz fold: fold the corner of the model to the center of the paper (red dot to red dot). |
Step 6:
Unfold the model completely so you are back to a square with white-side facing up. |
Step 7:
Notice the crease pattern (the pattern of the lines where a fold was made). These creases will allow you to “collapse” the model into pajarita. |
Step 8:
Hold down the middle section of the paper (shown with yellow line) while you fold up the bottom section of the paper. |
Flip up the bottom right corner. It will “pop” a bit as you reverse the fold. |
Fold the bottom layer up and behind the model. |
Step 9:
Fold the left section of the model towards the right. |
Pull down the bottom-left corner as you keep folding the left flap towards the right. |
Fold the bottom layer of paper back and behind the model. The top-left corner of the paper will automatically fold down to form the bird’s head. |
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Done! |
Origami pajarita has been around for over 200 years. You can see her in paintings from the 1800’s.
“The Merrymakers” by French painter, Carolus-Duran. Painting is dated to about 1870. |
“Marie-Laetitia Murat portant le buste de Napolean” by CHAUDET-HUSSON Jeanne Elisabeth. Painting is dated to about 1806. |
Another sighting is “The Boy with the Book” by P Petrov. Painting is dated to about 1855 and is located in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. You can see the painting in Didactics & Research of Folding.
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