Few creatures capture the magic of summer quite like a dragonfly skimming over the water — and in origami, that same lightness is exactly what makes the fold so rewarding. This is a longer, more detailed take on the dragonfly (hence the "Complete Tutorial"), so pour a cup of tea and settle in; by the end you'll have a surprisingly lifelike insect with wings you can actually pose.

If you've folded a few simpler models before, you'll recognize the familiar preliminary base near the start, but don't worry if the later reverse folds look intimidating at first. Take it one step at a time, keep your creases crisp, and you'll watch a flat square slowly turn into something that seems ready to take flight.

STEP 1.

Take a square sheet of paper and fold it in half diagonally to make a crease, then unfold.
STEP 2.

Fold the paper along the other diagonal and unfold.
STEP 3.

Turn the paper over.
STEP 4.

Fold the paper in half downward and unfold.
STEP 5.

Fold the paper in half sideways and unfold.
STEP 6.

Fold the paper downward along the creases you’ve made.
STEP 7.

Fold the bottom edges to meet the center line.
STEP 8.

Fold the top corner downward and unfold.
STEP 9.

Unfold the side corners.
STEP 10.

Open the upper layer of the bottom corner.
STEP 11.

Turn the model over.
STEP 12.

Open the bottom corner again.
STEP 13.

Fold the upper flap downward.
STEP 14.

Turn the model over.
STEP 15.

Fold the bottom flaps so their inner edges meet the central axis of the model.
STEP 16.

Unfold them.
STEP 17.

Lift the upper layers of the side flaps and bring them together.
STEP 18.

Place your fingers between the two side flaps and pull them upward and away from each other,
STEP 19.

turning their bottom parts inside out. You should end up with a large triangle in the middle.
STEP 20.

Fold the side edges of the triangle to meet the center line, creasing the side flaps parallel to
STEP 21.

the horizontal axis of the model.
STEP 22.

Turn the model over.
STEP 23.

Fold the side edges of the bottom part as you did previously.
STEP 24.

Fold the model in half backward.
STEP 25.

Fold the bottom part to the right at a slant and unfold.
STEP 26.

Unfold the model.
STEP 27.

Wrap the bottom tip upward, folding it 4–5 times. The last crease should go through the top
STEP 28.

point of the previous triangular crease.
STEP 29.

Fold the model in half, creasing the bottom part outward to form the head.
STEP 30.

Unfold the wings and cut them in half.
STEP 31.

Spread the dragonfly’s wings.
STEP 32.

The dragonfly is complete!