Origami Ryujin | 3.5 Tutorial

Good luck, and may your folds be sharp.

Completing the Ryujin 3.5 is an exhausting ordeal that can take anywhere from 15 to 30 hours depending on your skill level. You will encounter frustration. You will likely rip a scale or two. But when you hold the finished model—a majestic, serpentine dragon with a saw-toothed belly and sweeping horns—you will have achieved something permanent.

As no single official step-by-step guide exists outside of the CP and paid courses, this section synthesizes the journey as documented by experienced folders like Daniel Brown (Mr. Origami), who teaches the model through a structured series of lessons. origami ryujin 3.5 tutorial

Before touching the main paper, prepare and practice on smaller sheets.

Curve the whiskers, arch the eyebrows, sharpen the teeth, and spread the mane spikes to give your dragon an aggressive, majestic expression. Tips for Success Good luck, and may your folds be sharp

The four legs are pulled out from the sides of the scaled body structure.

Tracing paper (heavyweight), Origamido, or double-tissue treated with Methyl Cellulose (MC). The paper must be incredibly thin but resilient against repeated creasing. You will likely rip a scale or two

The head and claws are located at opposite ends of the sheet, utilizing dense paper clusters left over from the grid packing. 1. The Head

The "Scale Lock." To create the dorsal spines, you must perform a repetitive series of open-sinks on every other row of the grid. There are 96 rows. You will do this 48 times. Do not listen to music; listen to the paper. It will tell you when it is about to tear.