Robert Lang - Finch

Diagrams: Finch

by Robert J. Lang

Edited by Jason Ku

This complex design, from a square, uses a mix of 30 and 22.5 degree symmetries. This

figure requires both soft 3-D rounding and precise skinny-flap folding. For best

appearance, fold mostly dry from a surface-sized paper (see here for a description of

surface-sizing), then selectively dampen the legs and portions of the body for shaping.

For your first attempt, foil-backed paper (folded entirely dry) works well.

1. Begin with a square, white side

up. Fold and unfold along both

diagonals.

2. Make a pinch halfway up one

side.

3. Fold the top right corner to the

pinch you just made and unfold.

4. Fold the raw edge to the crease

you just made and unfold.

5. Fold and unfold, making valley

folds on the upper left and

mountain folds on the lower right.

6. Fold and unfold, forming

mountain folds.

7. Fold and unfold, forming valley

folds.

8. Fold and unfold, forming valley

folds.

9. Fold the paper in half along the

diagonal.

10. Rotate the paper.

5/8

11. Fold and unfold.

12. Mountain-fold about 1/4 of the

tip underneath.

13. Squash-fold

symmetrically.

14. Reverse-fold in and out

on the existing creases.

15. Squash-fold so that point

A ends up on the fold line.

fold. The model will not lie flat.

19. Petal-fold. All the raw

edges should line up with

each other.

20. Repeat on the left.

13—19

21. Fold the flaps out to the

sides, folding all layers

together.

22. Mountain-fold the edges

behind to line up with folded

edges.

23. Fold and unfold along

angle bisectors.

24. Crease mountain folds

along existing creases

through all layers.

25. Bring the top corners toward each

other while swinging one layer up in

front and one behind. As you do this,

try to avoid making a sharp horizontal

crease between the two crease

junctions.

26. Like this.

27. Petal-fold the hidden

edge.

28. Like this.

29. Reverse-fold, folding

as much paper as possible

behind.

30. Fold the flap down,

forming a squash fold at its

base utilizing a vertical

existing crease.

31. Fold the flap back up.

32. Repeat on the left.

29—30

33. Shift a little paper out

to the sides and adjust the

creases at the top.

the creases at the top.

37. Bring the raw edges to

the front.

38. Shift some paper

toward the center.

39. Fold the edges out

toward the sides.

40. Fold the tail up as far

as possible.

41. Turn the model inside out, stretching

the head and tail in opposite directions

and rounding the body. The model will

be 3D from here on out.

42. Crimp the two legs down and

slightly backward.

43. Mountain-fold the fold edge inside.

Repeat behind.

44. Crimp the head upward, keeping

the body round and 3D.

45. Form a rabbit ear from about 1/3

of the tip of the flap. (There is no fixed

reference point; by varying this step,

you can vary the beak size to create

different types of finch.)

46. This is the view from the

underside.

47. Reverse-fold the tip.

47. Reverse-fold the tip.

48. Reverse-fold the tip

upward.

49. Fold the tip of the beak in

half, adjusting the layers so

that all of the folded edges are

aligned.

50. Dent the top of the beak and pinch it.

53. Reverse-fold the front of the foot

forward and the tip backward.

54. Narrow and shape the leg. Repeat on

the other leg. Round the body, neck and

head.