This origami camellia is not hard to make, but a first-timer will find it challenging. There are tricky steps where you have to lift a flap, perform a fold, and then replace the flap. On the surface, it looks easy enough: fold, tuck, rotate, fold, tuck, rotate, and you’re done. But in practice, the multiple layers of paper may confuse you. Are you ready to give it a try? Let’s fold!
Top Photo: C. japonica cultivar Ashiya
There are 100 to 250 different species of camellia plants. The most famous one is C. sinensis and it is grown for its leaves and not for its flower. The leaves are used to make tea; the flowers are small and white in color. Most of the plants that you see with the large, beautiful flowers are hybrids cultivated for their showy flowers. Of these ornamental plants, C. japonica is probably the most famous.
Bottom Photo: origami camellia made with double sided origami paper
Origami Camillia Instructions
Step 1:
I used double sided paper with two different colors on the back and front side of the paper. If you use regular origami paper, start with the white-side facing up. This will make the center of the flower white. Start with a square sheet of paper and fold the paper along the diagonals (in both directions). Unfold to give you an “X” shaped crease. You will use these creases as guides in the next steps. |
Step 2:
Fold the bottom-left corner towards the diagonal crease. Align the bottom-edge of the paper to the diagonal crease. |
 Unfold. |
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Step 3:
Repeat with the top-left corner of the paper. Fold it so the left-edge of the paper overlays with the diagonal crease. |
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Step 4:
Repeat with the top-right corner of the paper. |
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Step 5:
Finally, repeat with the bottom-right corner of the paper. |
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Take note of the crease pattern. |
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Step 6:
Now we start the serious folding: refold the bottom-left corner as you did in step 2 above. |
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Step 7:
Refold the bottom-right corner as you did in step 5. |
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Step 8:
Fold the top layer of paper along the x-ray-vision dotted line. See next few steps for details. |
| transitional steps shown |
 Use your fingernail to lightly score the paper at the x-ray line |
 Fold up along the x-ray line. |
 Press down flat. |
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Step 9:
Once that is done, rotate the model quarter turn, clockwise. |
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Step 10:
Fold the bottom-right corner of the paper up along the crease made above. |
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Step 11:
Fold the paper up along the x-ray-vision line. transition steps not shown. |
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Step 12:
Rotate the model quarter turn clockwise. |
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Step 13:
Fold the bottom-right part of the paper up along the existing crease. See next few images. |
| transitional steps shown: |
 Lift up the top-right layer a little. |
 Fold in the bottom-right section of the model. |
 Release the top flap and press down. |
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Step 14:
As in step 8 & 11, fold the flap up along the dashed line (X-ray vision dots not shown this time). See next few photos for details. |
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transitional steps shown as a side view: |
 Lift the top layer a little (asterisk). |
 Fold along the dashed line as shown above. |
 Tuck paper under the top-layer. |
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Step 15:
Rotate the model a quarter turn, clockwise. |
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Step 16:
For the last time, fold along the dashed line (x-ray vision of layer underneath is not shown). See next few images for details. |
| transitional steps shown: |
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 Tuck under the top layer. |
 You’re pretty much done. |
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The camellia flower is quite simple in appearance but you can spice it up by using special paper.
• Left: blue textured iridescent
• Middle: red and orange double sided
• Right: color change and fade with harmony paper
watch video: