Making a simple paper bird that can actually fly is an enjoyable craft project that anyone can do with just a sheet of paper. The key to success is choosing the right paper, folding it into an aerodynamic shape, and providing enough lift to get the bird airborne. With a few basic origami folds and some trial and error, you can design a paper bird that gracefully soars through the air.
Choosing the Right Paper
The type of paper you select will greatly impact your paper bird’s ability to fly. Regular printer paper is too dense and heavy for flight. Instead, you’ll want an ultra-light paper with enough stiffness to hold its shape once folded. Here are some options:
- Tissue paper – The gossamer thin sheets used for gift wrapping or origami are perfectly suited for flying paper birds. Look for tissue paper in light colors like white, yellow or blue.
- Rice paper – Often used for stationery or pressed flowers, rice paper has a delicate translucent quality ideal for airborne origami.
- Delicate origami paper – While origami paper comes in various weights, look for thinner paper advertised as “flying paper” or recommended for action models. The paper should have some body while still being featherlight.
- Printer paper – If you don’t have specialized paper, regular printer paper can work in a pinch. Just avoid heavier card stock paper. Look for lightweight paper 60 gsm or less.
In general, aim for the thinnest paper that can still hold a crease well. Test different sheets by folding them to see which papers will best maintain their form once folded into 3D shapes.
Basic Folding Techniques
There are endless ways to fold a sheet of paper into an airworthy bird model. Many different origami bird designs will work, from simple dart designs to intricate flapping models. Start by learning a few basic folds:
The Valley Fold
Thiscommon fold simply folds the paper in half into a “valley” shape. The crease folds the paper down rather than up. Valley folds allow the paper model to take shape.
The Mountain Fold
The opposite of a valley fold, the mountain fold bends the paper up into a “mountain” shape. Mountain folds add definition details to paper models like wings or heads.
The Inside Reverse Fold
This origami move folds part of the paper into itself, leaving the rest of the sheet in place. It creates an inner layer while revealing the paper color on the outside. Inside reverse folds form details like beaks, eyes, tails, and more.
The Outside Reverse Fold
Similar to an inside reverse fold, this fold creases the paper inward but leaves the inner portion visible instead of the outer folded area. This helps shape details like wings or feet on origami birds and animals.
The Squash Fold
A squash fold flattens and spreads part of the paper, adding width and depth. Squash folding forms wide shapes like wings from a basic sheet of paper.
Master these simple origami folds, and you can create an endless array of paper birds. The folds control how a flat sheet of paper takes shape into a 3D object. Once you have the folding down, it’s time to choose a paper bird design to make.
Simple Flying Bird Designs
Here are some easy paper bird designs perfect for beginning origami artists:
Simple Dart Paper Plane
The classic paper airplane is a great introductory model for paper flight. Fold an 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheet of paper in half lengthwise. Open it and fold down the top corners to meet the center crease. Fold the top tips down again to the center line. Angle the wings up slightly and you have a basic dart plane ready for flying.
Gliding Swallowtail
This graceful bird model has long wings for gently floating on air currents. Start with a square sheet of paper. Make a valley fold vertically and horizontally. Unfold. With the paper color side down, fold diagonally in both directions to make a smaller square. Fold top corner down to meet the bottom edge. Repeat on other side. Inside reverse fold top tip down for the head. Fold top corners down for tail feathers. You now have a delicate swallowtail form that will drift slowly to the ground.
Soaring Seagull
Let this paper seagull ride breezes thanks to its wide wingspan. Start with paper color side down and fold in half vertically. Unfold. Pull top left and right corners down to meet the center line, creasing well. Square off the bottom by folding up the left and right edges to meet the angled creases you just made. Make an inside reverse fold to tuck the top triangle into a head. Angle the wings slightly up. The flood will catch air and keep the bird aloft.
You can find many more paper bird designs with a quick online search. The right folds result in birds that require only a gentle toss to start soaring.
Improving Flight
If your paper creation isn’t achieving much lift, try these tips:
- Make sure the wings are angled slightly up so air can pass smoothly under them.
- Adjust the center of gravity by folding the body higher or lower.
- Curl the back edges of the wings upward slightly to provide more lift.
- Make the wings longer or shorten the tail for more gliding stability.
- Throw the bird gently at an upward angle for best flight results.
- Use thinner and lighter paper to avoid excess weight.
Some trial runs and tweaking the design can help your paper bird fly true. Playing with different shapes and paper types is key to creating a bird that can practically soar on its own. Here are some other design tips for smooth sailing:
Pick Sturdy Paper
Thin paper is essential, but it still needs enough stiffness and strength to maintain its form without collapsing. Test different paper weights and substances to see which offers the best balance of delicacy and sturdiness.
Fold the Wings Up
Don’t keep the wings flat. Fold them at a slight upward angle so air can give your bird extra lift. The uptilt design will help the bird generate stability and altitude.
Position the Head and Tail
Where you place the folded head and tail will affect how the bird’s weight is distributed. Adjusting the balance can impact how well your paper creation glides on air currents.
Make Adjustments
No paper bird will be perfect right away. Make small tweaks to the wings, body, and tail based on test flights to improve balance and flight performance.
Indoor vs. Outdoor Flying
While a properly folded paper bird can fly outdoors, they are designed to soar best indoors. Outside conditions are hard to control, while indoor spaces provide smooth, gentle air flow. Some tips:
- Aim for still indoor air by avoiding blustat, vents, fans, etc. Too much air movement will disrupt flight.
- Toss the bird parallel to the ground, not pointed up or down.
- Give a very gentle, smooth throw to get the bird airborne.
- Pick a wide open indoor area with space to soar.
Outdoors, look for the calmest conditions possible:
- Avoid windy days that can easily disrupt flight.
- Find a large open field away from buildings and trees.
- Aim for still spaces without cross breezes or gusts.
- Throw as gently as possible, just enough to become airborne.
- Pick times when weather is cool and calm like early morning.
Flying paper birds outside can be unpredictable but rewarding when conditions are just right.
Troubleshooting Flight Issues
Problem | Solution |
Bird nosedives quickly | Reposition wings to a higher angle |
Bird stalls and drops | Angle wings upward more to create lift |
Bird only glides a short distance | Extend the wingspan and length |
Bird flips over | Adjust center of gravity by repositioning folds |
One wing is heavier than the other | Refold wings evenly for balance |
Simple test flights will reveal what adjustments need to be made for smoother sailing. Folding origami birds takes experimentation until their flight path is fine tuned.
Fun Ways to Use Flying Paper Birds
Once you master the art of crafting flying paper birds, there are many creative ways to use them for play and decoration:
- Have gentle indoor competitions to see whose bird glides the longest distance.
- Create a mobile of colorful gliding birds to hang in a child’s room.
- Give origami birds as art gifts by personalizing with messages written on wings.
- Use different bird shapes for holiday decorations like doves or Christmas tree angels.
- Organize an outdoor aerial flock display by launching dozens of folded birds together.
- Film birds in graceful slow motion flight and make art videos set to music.
However you choose to use them, watching these lightweight paper birds take graceful flight never gets old. Simple origami folding transforms plain paper into soaring works of art.
Conclusion
With just folding skills and lightweight paper, it’s easy to create origami birds that really fly. Start by selecting thin, delicate paper and master basic folds like valleys and mountains. Model simple dart shapes or elegant swallowtail birds. Adjust designs for better lift and balance through indoor test flights. Soon your custom paper birds will be floating on air currents and amazing friends. The sky’s the limit when making basic paper soar to new heights through creative folding.