Vampire Bat

Start with a square sheet of paper and fold it in half both directions. Unfold.

If you are using origami paper which is colored on one side and white on the back side, then you should start with the white-side facing up. Amazon.com sells black & white origami paper which is perfect for bats and penguins.

Turn the paper over.

Fold the paper along the diagonals (both directions) and unfold.

Collapse the paper into a waterbomb base. To do this, bring the left and right sides of the paper towards each other and, at the same time, bring the top edge of the paper down to align with the bottom edge of the paper.

In transition. Note the movement of the red dot.

Use a pair of scissors and make a small cut that is the shape of a letter C. The cut will go through two flaps of paper (top layer and bottom layer) and the cut should not touch the center crease.

Rearrange the flaps so the cut layers are behind and the two uncut layers are on top..

Fold the top layers of the model inwards so the edges meet in the middle.

Fold down the top of the model to get the vampire bat’s head.

For a simple bat, you can stop here. It looks pretty good and you can imagine this being a paper bat.

If you want to make this model a little more sophisticated, then turn the model over.

Fold the right-wing towards the left. Make the fold extend from the top corner of the model to the outer edge of the body (see image).

Fold this flap back towards the right. make the fold about 1/3 of the way from the fold made above.

Fold the flap back towards the left; align the edges. These last few folds will pleat the bat’s wing like a fan or an accordion.

Allow the folds on the right side of the model to flare open. Repeat the folds on the left side of the model.

If you like, you can turn the model over and stop here.
Otherwise keep going.

Fold the bottom flaps up as shown. This will shorten the legs of the vampire bat.

Again, you can turn the model over and stop here. This variation gives you a slightly different look.

Fold the tips of the paper down to make feet.

Turn the model over.

An interesting effect is to curl the tip of the wings and to fold or curl the feet forward.

One last variation is to make the face more narrow by folding back (mountain fold) the edges of the face.