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Origins -

The art of paper folding kicked off in Japan in the early 17th century. But there is evidence that the craft was being practiced in China during the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279 CE).

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Water buffalo - The image of a boy atop a water buffalo has Buddhist overtones: a youth looking for an ox and herding it represents some of the steps in the quest for enlightenment.

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Swan -

Waiting perhaps for someone to create its cygnets?

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Eagle - This majestic raptor is about to strike its prey.

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Jack-o'-lantern -

A quirky Halloween alternative to the pumpkin. 

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Dragon -

The serpent-like legendary creature is a favorite subject with aficionados of origami. Pictured is something Picasso might have rustled up.

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Ape - A mighty silverback gorilla in dominant mode. 

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Crane -

The Japanese refer to the crane as the "bird of happiness."

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Crane -

Traditionally, the wings of the crane carry souls up to paradise.

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Shark - A great white patrolling the deep.

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Origami tessellation -

A branch of the paper folding technique where pleats are used to connect things like twist folds together in a repeating fashion. The results can be quite startling.

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Orchid - This exotic flowering rendition almost resembles a face out of folklore.

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Elephant - Earth's largest land animal recreated in miniature. 

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Deer -

Deer are considered messengers to the gods in Shinto, the ethnic religion of Japan.

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Scorpion and snake - A dramatic battle unfolds between two venomous rivals. 

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Cartoon animals -

Colorful, comical origami animals make wonderful gifts, especially for youngsters.

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Tortoise - This paper land-dwelling reptile features a shell that resembles brushed velvet.  

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Coaster -

This is another example of origami tessellation, employed for more practical purposes.

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Yoda -

The Jedi Master from Star Wars, complete with his characteristic wise smirk.

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Heart -

A bookmark gift for a loved one.

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Star -

Ideal as a birthday or Christmas decoration.

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Geometric shape -

Modular origami uses two or more sheets of paper to create a larger and more complex structure.

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Squirrel -

How cute are these little squirrels! 

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Cube -

A fine example of modular origami, the technique of putting a number of identical pieces together to form a complete model.

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Salamander -

The salamander has often been ascribed fantastic and sometimes occult qualities.

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Pegasus -

The mythical winged divine horse, one of the most recognized creatures in Greek mythology.

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Creative - A Palestinian young man from a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip finds a creative way to fight unemployment by learning origami, or the art of paper folding.

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Village - A rural village made out of English, Northern Irish, and Scottish pound notes by professional origami artist Mark Bolitho.

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Piggy - This porker's been folded with paper that matches its skin color. 

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Easter decoration - The egg is real, but the blooms—replete with delicate stamens—are handmade. 

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Unicorn - Multicolored examples of the mythical creature.  

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Patriotic - A state star made from a one-dollar bill. Or is it just an expensive starfish?

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Birdlife - A beautifully proportioned macaw in perfect colors.

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Flowers - A bouquet of roses. Each petal has been carefully folded to resemble a real flower.

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Dinosaur -

A fiery-colored Stegosaurus on the prowl.

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Seahorse -

The Japanese seahorse is usually dark brown and has a relatively long tail.

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Fortune teller - Origami has been used to create this decorated paper fortune teller. 

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Bull -

Bull Tōgyū, also known as ushi-zumo or Bull sumo, is a spectator sport native to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. It's a competition of strength and endurance between two bulls, and no blood is spilled. 

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Gift box - This is a pyramid gift box origami design, tied with a yarn bow. 

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Bonsai - Bonsai and origami—two traditional disciplines—are combined to produce an attractive interior decoration piece.

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Wedding table - A wedding table setting with a nature theme of a leafless tree and origami birds.

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Symbol of protest - Yellow origami umbrellas affixed to the railings outside the Hong Kong Economic and Trade office in London during October 2014, when protesters gathered in solidarity with Hong Kong demonstrators in Parliament Square. No such symbolism has been seen during the 2019 protests.

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Symbol of peace - Origami birds in hope of peace are seen at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan.

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Disney - A giant origami sculpture of the Disneyland Paris Sleeping Beauty Castle is unveiled at St Pancras International railway station in London to celebrate the Disneyland Paris 20th anniversary in 2012.

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Origami at the Museum of Natural History - The Christmas tree decorated with fantastic origami creatures at the Museum of Natural History in New York.

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Origami tree decorations - Every year the museum celebrates the holiday season with its famous Origami Holiday Tree.

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Dove - The dove represents peace of the deepest kind.

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Frog -

The word "frog" in Japanese means "return," which is why the amphibian is considered a Japanese lucky animal and seen as good fortune in regards to things returning.

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Akira Yoshizawa (1911–2005) -

Considered the grandmaster of origami, Akira Yoshizawa is credited with raising origami from a craft to a living art.

See also: The most expensive paintings ever sold at auction

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