The manatee is a fascinating sea animal, with a huge flat tail like a big spatula. This original origami manatee model is based on the traditional origami whale.
To make a manatee in origami, please follow the instructions from this video on YouTube:
Here are the step-by-step instructions to fold a manatee (photo diagram and/or video).
1. Start with a square piece of paper. Put the colored side on top.
2. Fold and unfold the two diagonals.
3. Turn the model to the other side, and rotate by 45 degrees.
4. Fold the top right and the bottom right towards the horizontal axis.
5. Fold the left tip slightly towards the right.
6. Unfold the two right flaps.
7. Fold the top left and the bottom left towards the horizontal axis.
8. Slightly open the two folds on the left and fold again the two folds on the right.
9. Flatten the folds towards the left.
10. Turn the model to the other side.
11. Fold the bottom of the model over the top of the model.
12. Fold the tail. Start the fold in the middle of the right top side, and fold so that it touches the tip of the flap.
13. Unfold the tail and open the model.
14. Invert the tail fold at the bottom and fold again the top fold.
15. Fold the model in two again.
16. Fold the right tip towards the left, slightly upwards.
17. Unfold the fold you just made and open the flap.
18. Invert the fold of the tip and fold it inside the model.
19. The tip is on one side and the model is not completely symmetric.
20. Fold the flipper (fin) towards the right.
21. Turn the model to the other side and fold the other flipper.
22. Make two small folds inside for the snout, and flatten the tail.
23. Your manatee is ready to swim and graze plants from the bottom of the sea!
24. Don't leave your manatee alone, and fold a whole family of manatees! :-) You can also make the tail point towards the top instead of the bottom.
Did you know that seamen thought that the manatees were mermaids? The manatee is also called the "sea cow", perhaps because it eats so much plants for seven hours every day!
I hope you will like this origami manatee model. It's the first sea animal on Origami Plus. Which other sea animal would you like to see next?
If you fold this manatee, please send me pictures of your paper manatee so that I can show them here.
Have you tried this this manatee origami model? How did it turn out? Please tell me, and send me a picture of your model so that I can add it on this page!
If you like this manatee and my other origami models, you can support me on Patreon. Thank you!
Origami is the art of folding paper to create animals, plants, objects and geometric forms.
Origami models with easy to follow step-by-step instructions in video and photos.
Diagrams to fold origami models can be difficult to interpret sometimes. For each model we show a photo of each step so that you can easily fold all models. Each origami model also has a video that shows how to fold it.
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