Making origami boxes

It is not necessary to buy a gift box, it is quite possible to make it with your own hands, turning to the well-known origami technique. From very simple - to one that will resemble a heart in shape. There are a lot of techniques and algorithms - there is for every level of training.

Such an origami paper box is made so quickly that you can make several at a time. And this is convenient, for example, if the box is used for treats to take with guests at a birthday party. Beautiful paper with a suitable print is useful for work.

How to fold the box?

• The colored paper is placed side down and then folded in half. You will get a rectangle, fold it again until you get a square. Then it must be expanded and bent to the center at each corner. Then again each corner to the center - you get a hexagon.
• The two sides must be raised so that they are perpendicular to the sheet - these will be the walls of the box. They must be delicately held in the same position, and then the other two sides must be raised, bending the tips inward.
• It remains only to straighten out all the details.

But masters rarely stop at something simple, move on to more interesting and elegant works. And these are no longer just rectangular boxes, but something more.

A good option for a children's party, because it is cute, not the most difficult and the guests will definitely like it. The color of the paper used can be any, you need two different-sized squares.How to make a box in the form of a cat? First, a large square is taken, it is folded in half. Then they unbend and fold in half, too, but in the other direction. And again the same way, only diagonally. Each corner must be bent to a center point. Then what was done is turned over and folded in half horizontally. The workpiece is taken, the right and left corners are clamped with fingers. You can fix them with paper clips, for example, and then connect all the corners - as in the picture. The triangles are bent - front to the right, back, respectively, to the left.

You get something that looks like a pocket. And in each half you need to stick your fingers, carefully straighten the paper, pulling it slightly downward. The workpiece is turned over, the same is done on the other side. The triangles are folded together on each side. You get a blank that resembles a house. The left and right paper is folded towards the center. The workpiece is turned over again, the steps are the same. The folds must be unfolded, the small triangles must be tucked in the bottom in the center, and then they are bent inward. On the left side, the paper is folded to the first vertical line. And this step must be repeated. On the right side, everything is the same. Bend the upper parts of the triangle slightly, they should not join.

You need to take the top of the triangle, wrap it up, you can fix it with a paper clip. And then straighten everything back to make the folds. Raise the triangle, clamp it with a paper clip, pull out the part a little. Turn the workpiece over, bend the triangle down, and then up. The paper is straightened in the middle. So the body of the animal will be ready. It's time to make a muzzle out of a small square. The square is bent diagonally, the corners of the triangle are connected to the apex.

A small triangle is bent from below, the upper corners are down. Part of the upper triangle folds over. The workpiece is turned over, the lower triangle is folded twice. So the head is ready. And now the two parts of the kitty need to be connected together. This can be done more conveniently with double-sided tape.

You will need A4 sheet, a long ruler, PVA, a sharp simple pencil, scissors or a stationery knife for work. A beautiful box-heart looks like this in stages. On the back of the sheet, a template is made with a pencil along a ruler. You can, of course, print it on a printer - it's easier that way.

All small parts fold inward, so it will be more convenient to glue them together. You need to start gluing from the lower right side of the heart, then small parts are glued to the upper right side. The adhesive should be applied carefully and not over the edges.

The box must be closed with the upper part of the heart, and then the remaining parts must be fixed. That's all: the box with the lid is ready. Fairly affordable folding option for beginners.

To get it, you just need to change the folding technique. The main thing is to take a sheet with different sides for work: one printed, the second one-color... The diagram looks like this step by step. The basic shape "pancake" is taken as a basis. It is necessary to outline the center lines of the original square. The corners at the bottom are folded to the middle. The same is repeated for the top. The future box is turned upside down. And again the corners are towards the center. It turns out the same "pancake", only smaller.

The bottom and top edges are folded towards the middle. The composition is revealed. The right and left sides extend to the central axis. Previous folds are expanded to the starting square. The pattern must be placed on the wrong side. The corners are folded to the first designated section. All 4 sides fold diagonally again.

Now the workpiece is turned right side up. The upper and lower corners are towards the center. Fold them back up with alignment along the axis.The top and bottom walls open up, and reverse folds form on the sides. Bend the first valve over the box and bring it inside. The same is with the left one.

Smooth out folds. Straighten everything, make sure the lines are even. The box is ready, you just need to make the bottom part.

The pentagonal box is just a chic version of a gift box, it will not just be packaging, but can be used further. For manufacturing, you will need 5 square sheets for the bottom, the same amount for the lid. The modules are of the same type, but the lid should fit well on the base, so the squares for it will be a little larger.

The assembly diagram is as follows. The sheet must be bent diagonally. Then turn it over. Bend the bottom corner. And turn it over again. The bottom strip is folded in half, the corner is released from the back. The left corner bends, the bottom rises. The right triangular strip is bent. Its protruding part is bent.

The right lane is hidden behind a triangular layer. The figure is bent in half, the lower points become aligned. The upper corner is bent to align these points. After the intended folds, the workpiece can be expanded: unbend the upper corner, move the upper paper layer to the right. Turn the module 180 degrees. You can make a corner of the structure by laying a zipper fold in the bottom.

There are 4 more corners to be collected for the box. Everything is connected, the sharp corner of the side of one module is inserted between the layers of the side of another. It's time to check the result. The protruding corners of the bottom are bent. The lid is assembled according to the same principle.

The finished work can really be used for pencils and other stationery. You will need a thick sheet of paper, a square with a side of 21 cm. How to do this? One side of the sheet must be divided into 7 parts. The sheet is folded exactly along the marks, then it is opened. The workpiece is positioned so that the lines become horizontal.

The corners of the extreme lines are folded. We must start cutting. The seventh lower section folds in half. The last fold is revealed. The right edge folds over the width of the corner. The same is on the other side. The folds must be revealed. The workpiece is turned over.

Fold lines (dashed) are outlined. The lower right corner folds inward, aligns with the third horizontal fold. All the same is done for the upper part. The rest of the marked fold lines are also processed. The workpiece is turned over. The lower left corner and the 7th section are folded.

The workpiece is turned 180 degrees. The right and left edges fold inward. And again the workpiece is opened (see figure 21). The side fold lines will help the craft become a case. It remains only to close the case and check the fit of the parts.

Sanbo is a traditional Japanese box that is used as a serving item. It can store both medium-sized office supplies and lollipops, for example. As is often the case with origami, you need to work with a square piece of paper.

How to make a sanbo yourself?

• You can ignore the diagonal that appeared if the square was formed from a rectangular sheet. You can even smooth it out.
• But vertically and horizontally, the box must be folded in half. Both folds will form "valleys". A clear fold is made, the paper is unbent.
• All corners are folded to the point of joining in the center.
• The paper needs to be folded horizontally and vertically to create “mountain” folds. They should be clear. Unfold the paper.
• And again turn the sheet over to the other side, turn it so that one corner is directed "facing" the master.
• The left and right corners fold in the center.They are leveled in one corner, the second is folded from above.
• The folds of the square should be well pressed down.
• The two valves unfold at the top of the square and must be pulled outward.
• Pulled, leveled. You will get a rectangle. And the same must be repeated on the other side of the structure.
• The top flap is taken from the right, folded over so that it is on the other side.
• The sheet is turned over, everything is repeated.
• Pull the paper up so that the top of the triangle points up.
• Each side folds inward, it should connect to the center fold.
• The paper is turned over to the other side, everything is repeated.
• The large flap at the top of the leaf folds downward, with the tip reaching downward. And so - on each side of the paper.
• The figurine, finally, needs to be lifted, take the valves bent in the previous episode. They must be arranged so that they stick out, and then pull them - the box will open. The inner folds are bent outward, the figure must remain open.

A lot of work, of course, but it turns out very beautifully.

Perhaps these tips will coordinate creative work and help avoid common beginner mistakes.

• Suitable paper will be sheets with a density of 70-90 per square meter... Almost like paper for office equipment. The denser, it would seem, is stronger, but the folds on it do not hold their shape so well. It is best to work with double-sided colored paper. It is tight, but folds are well preserved and do not diverge. The inner side of such a product will also turn out to be colored.
• Any ready-made box can be perfectly complemented by third-party decor - ribbons, beads, rhinestones, lace, applique. Because the box itself can be considered a standard blank.
• If you are not sure that the folds will hold their shape well, you can glue them for insurance. Yes, this is a little at odds with the classical principles of origami, but it is not always so important.
• If you have to make several boxes of the same type, it is better to film the process of creating the first one on video... Then the rest can be collected by looking at the video instruction, and there will be no mistakes, distractions for unnecessary steps.
• For additional decoration, the bottom of the origami box can be laid out with velvet paper (on glue), this is especially important if there is a valuable and / or elegant gift inside. You can also use satin or metallized, foil paper, crepe or felt. Almost anything can be glued to the base.
• It is convenient to work with collections of printed paper. For example, you buy a package of designer paper with the theme of "autumn". There will be a set of autumn-themed sheets. As a rule, they are double-sided. In terms of quality and density, paper is optimal for folding, and its design can set the mood for simple designs.

Creative success!

To learn how to make an adorable box in the form of a cat using the origami technique, see the next video.