How To Make An Origami Balloon: 8 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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• Origami

How to Make a Paper Origami Balloon Download Article A step-by-step origami guide for beginners Co-authored by Robert Homayoon and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: October 11, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Creating the Balloon Flaps
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• Forming the Balloon
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• Video
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• Expert Interview
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• Q&A
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• Tips
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• Warnings
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• Things You'll Need

|Show more |Show less ARTICLE VIDEO X

This article was co-authored by Robert Homayoon and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Robert Homayoon is an Origami Expert known for his engaging YouTube videos and accessible instructions. He has been teaching origami on YouTube since 2009. His channel has a following of over 676,000 subscribers, and his videos have garnered over 211 million views. Robert uses his channel to highlight his passion for teaching people origami, crafts, and how to solve puzzles. He graduated from SUNY Albany in 2007 and earned his D.M.D degree from Temple University Dental School in 2013. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,748,502 times.

With a square piece of paper and some patience, you can fold a 3-dimensional balloon or cube that you can actually blow up like a little balloon. In fact, you can even fill it with water and make your very own water bomb! We’re here to show you exactly how to make your own origami balloon step by step with pro tips from origami expert Robert Homayoon!

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 2:

Creating the Flaps for an Origami Balloon

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1. 1 Fold a square piece of paper diagonally in both directions. The creases should make an "X" in the paper.[1]
   • Homayoon adds, “Make the folds in a way that they’re both valley folds” (a “down” fold where the edges of the paper come up to meet you).[2]
   • You can find a range of origami paper on Amazon.
   • Feel free to add a design to the paper so it appears once it is folded.
2. 2 Fold the paper in half horizontally. Bring the bottom edge of the paper to meet the top portion of the paper.[3] [4] Advertisement
3. 3 Bring the upper right corner in as shown. Then, repeat this on the other side. Press down firmly on the folds.[5]
   • If making one squash fold is too difficult, Homayoon offers this alternative: “what I do is I take the top edge, I fold it down to the bottom edge, then I tuck the corners in. And what that does is it creates two flaps on the front and two flaps on the back.”[6]
4. 4 Fold the flaps to the top. Then, flip the whole thing over and repeat the same steps on the other side to make a diamond shape.[7] EXPERT TIP

   Robert Homayoon

   Origami Expert Robert Homayoon is an Origami Expert known for his engaging YouTube videos and accessible instructions. He has been teaching origami on YouTube since 2009. His channel has a following of over 676,000 subscribers, and his videos have garnered over 211 million views. Robert uses his channel to highlight his passion for teaching people origami, crafts, and how to solve puzzles. He graduated from SUNY Albany in 2007 and earned his D.M.D degree from Temple University Dental School in 2013. Robert Homayoon Origami Expert

   Create a diamond shape with 4 tips at the top. At this point, you have 4 little triangular flaps. Take the tips of the flaps on one side and fold them up to the top point of the triangle. Then, flip the model over and fold the other 2 tips up to the top. You'll have a small diamond with 4 little tips at the top.

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Part 2 Part 2 of 2:

Tucking the Flaps to Form the Origami Balloon

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1. 1 Fold the right and left corners into the center of the diamond. Then, repeat this on the other side.[8]
   • As Homayoon puts it, “So at this point, you would take the diamond corners, which are on the left and right (there will be 4 of them) and fold them directly into the center. Flip the model over and do the same on the other side where you're folding the outside left and right diamond edges into the center.”[9]
2. 2 Tuck the loose flaps into the folds you just made. Do this by folding a small triangle on each of the flaps and then tucking them into the folds. Repeat this for all four flaps.[10]
   • If you have a hard time tucking the flaps into the folds, use tape to secure them to the folds.
   • You can also use a pencil to open the folds easily and avoid damaging the flaps.
   EXPERT TIP

   Robert Homayoon

   Origami Expert Robert Homayoon is an Origami Expert known for his engaging YouTube videos and accessible instructions. He has been teaching origami on YouTube since 2009. His channel has a following of over 676,000 subscribers, and his videos have garnered over 211 million views. Robert uses his channel to highlight his passion for teaching people origami, crafts, and how to solve puzzles. He graduated from SUNY Albany in 2007 and earned his D.M.D degree from Temple University Dental School in 2013. Robert Homayoon Origami Expert

   Pick up the model and look for the pockets to tuck the flaps into. Look at the little diamond corner you just folded into the center. You'll see a little pocket where you can tuck a flap in. Fold the tip into a small triangle, then tuck the very corner of the triangle into the pocket. Do that with all 4 flaps.

3. 3 Turn the folded paper to the end that does not have any flaps. Locate the hole in the center of this side.[11]
   • According to Homayoon, “At the point on the base of the triangle where we previously had the longest edge, there will be an opening.”[12]
4. 4 Blow into the hole. The balloon should inflate—just remember to keep those flaps tucked in![13]
   • You might also need to loosen up the other folds a little bit for the balloon to become round.
   • To help get the hole to open wider, Homayoon says “take 2 of [the edges] and hold them opposing each other. If you're having a little bit of difficulty you can pull on the edges a little bit.”[14]
   • Alternatively, turn your balloon into a watery weapon. Homayoon says “It’s called a water bomb. You can fill it up with water and make it like a little paper water bomb balloon.”[15]
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Community Q&A

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• Question Why can't I use a rectangle? Community Answer Because it will not fold correctly and turn out wrong. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 252 Helpful 577
• Question How big of a piece of paper do I need if I want to make the balloons 10 inches in size and will tissue paper work? Community Answer Using an 8.5x8.5" piece of paper you will get a balloon about 2.5" in diameter. So paper that is about 34x34 should do the trick. I would advise against using tissue paper, it will probably be too thin for this project. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 180 Helpful 369
• Question How do I make an origami balloon with thin paper? Community Answer The same way. If you can't get it to work, then you may need to try thicker paper. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 161 Helpful 276

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Reader Videos

Tips

• Homayoon says you can teach yourself origami with printer paper. “I find that most people have that handy, whereas you have to go to a shop for origami paper…Use a pair of scissors to trim the edge off and make the paper square.”[16] Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 2
• Homayoon suggests making gentle initial folds “so you can realign it afterwards” if needed. You can “make a more sharp fold once you know that the edges are aligned.”[17] Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1
• The flaps at the end don't have to go completely into the edges of the paper. It will work fine if they just go halfway. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

• If you want to make a paper water balloon, first cover the paper in baby oil, then fold it, and fill it with water.
• Make DIY lanterns by using thinner paper for the balloons and putting them over string lights.
• If the balloon doesn’t inflate, gently pull on the sides while blowing into the hole.

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

• When throwing water bombs, be careful not to hit anyone in the face as this can cause serious injuries. Thanks Helpful 212 Not Helpful 101

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Things You'll Need

• A square piece of origami paper
• Access to water (optional)

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about origami, check out our in-depth interview with Robert Homayoon.

References

1. ↑ https://origami.guide/origami-toys/origami-water-bomb-balloon/
2. ↑ Robert Homayoon. Origami Expert. Expert Interview
3. ↑ Robert Homayoon. Origami Expert. Expert Interview
4. ↑ https://origami.guide/origami-toys/origami-water-bomb-balloon/
5. ↑ https://origami.guide/origami-toys/origami-water-bomb-balloon/2
6. ↑ Robert Homayoon. Origami Expert. Expert Interview
7. ↑ Robert Homayoon. Origami Expert. Expert Interview
8. ↑ https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/origami/exploring02g.html
9. ↑ Robert Homayoon. Origami Expert. Expert Interview

More References (8)

10. ↑ https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/origami/exploring02g.html
11. ↑ https://www.origamiway.com/how-to-make-a-paper-balloon-3.shtml
12. ↑ Robert Homayoon. Origami Expert. Expert Interview
13. ↑ https://www.origamiway.com/how-to-make-a-paper-balloon-3.shtml
14. ↑ Robert Homayoon. Origami Expert. Expert Interview
15. ↑ Robert Homayoon. Origami Expert. Expert Interview
16. ↑ Robert Homayoon. Origami Expert. Expert Interview
17. ↑ Robert Homayoon. Origami Expert. Expert Interview

About This Article

Co-authored by: Robert Homayoon Origami Expert This article was co-authored by Robert Homayoon and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Robert Homayoon is an Origami Expert known for his engaging YouTube videos and accessible instructions. He has been teaching origami on YouTube since 2009. His channel has a following of over 676,000 subscribers, and his videos have garnered over 211 million views. Robert uses his channel to highlight his passion for teaching people origami, crafts, and how to solve puzzles. He graduated from SUNY Albany in 2007 and earned his D.M.D degree from Temple University Dental School in 2013. This article has been viewed 1,748,502 times. 63 votes - 74% Co-authors: 112 Updated: October 11, 2024 Views: 1,748,502 Categories: Featured Articles | Balloon Crafts | Origami In other languages Italian Spanish Portuguese French Russian Chinese Indonesian Thai Czech Hindi Korean Arabic Vietnamese Japanese

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  Mar 13, 2020

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Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Robert Homayoon Origami Expert 63 votes - 74% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 112 Updated: October 11, 2024 Views: 1,748,502

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