The popular and fun art of paper folding known as origami has been around for thousands of years. By folding a flat sheet of paper in various ways, adults and children can create a variety of different three-dimensional objects.
There are many factors to consider when choosing a paper to fold. Check out this handy guide detailing the most popular paper shapes and sizes that can be used by beginners and masters wishing to create their own unique origami designs.
Best Paper Shapes and Sizes for Beginners
If you are just starting out in the world of origami, it’s best to stick with the following paper sizes and basic shapes that are easy to fold. Here are some of the most popular origami paper shapes and sizes that are perfect for beginners.
Large square – 12X12 Inches or 30cm X 30 cm
The large square is ideal for creating easy shapes, such as the traditional origami crane. The crane is considered one of the easiest origami paper shapes to construct, with the only tricky part being folding ninety-degree angles.
In fact, any shape that requires straight folds will be plenty easy if you choose a large square origami paper.
Medium square – 9X9 Inches or 24cm X 24 cm
This popular origami paper size is perfect for creating smaller projects that are suitable for children. Although beginners can use this paper size to create easy and popular origami shapes, it is also suitable for advanced origami folders who want to create more complicated paper shapes, such as panda bears.
Small square – 6X6 Inches or 15cm X 15 cm
The small square is perfect for creating shapes such as the money frog. This size is also suitable for origami beginners as well as those who prefer smaller-sized projects.
Origami Paper Shapes and Sizes for Experienced Folders
Advanced folders looking to create more difficult origami projects will need to choose origami paper that can handle the many folds required to complete complex paper artworks.
Large rectangle – 8.5X11 Inches or 21cm X 28 cm
The large rectangle (also known as a sheet of letter paper) is the most common origami paper size. This popular paper size is suitable for larger projects that require a lot of folding and creasing. This origami paper size is ideal for creating popular advanced shapes like the lobster.
Large square – 12X12 Inches or 30cm X 30 cm
The large square isn’t just for beginners looking to make easy origami shapes. It is also essential in creating popular, more advanced shapes such as horses, turtles, and tigers.
Extra large square – 16X16 Inches or 41cm X 41 cm
The extra-large square is the largest origami paper size that should be used by advanced folders wishing to create more complex origami shapes. This very common origami paper size is perfect for making shapes such as dragons and elephants.
Extra small square – 3×3 inches or 7.5 x 7.5 cm
These tiny squares are necessary to create popular modular shapes using many pieces of paper. For example, the extra small squares can be used to make the most popular modular origami shapes, including flower balls and stars.
Choose the Right Paper Size for the Best Origami Paper Shape
It’s best to choose the right paper size and shape depending on your origami project. If you’re just starting out, it’s best to go with medium or small squares as the shapes required with these paper sizes are easy to create. On the other hand, if you are an experienced folder, consider larger pieces of paper that can handle multiple complex folds to create beautiful paper art.