About
Ponto de Arte is a free resource for learning origami from the very beginning. Every guide on the site is written for people who have never folded paper before, or who tried once, got stuck on step six, and gave up.
What you will find here
- Beginner guides that explain the fundamentals: which paper to use, how to cut a true square, the basic folds and bases, and how to read a diagram.
- Step-by-step tutorials for classic models such as the crane, the paper boat, the jumping frog, the tulip and the lucky star.
- Project ideas for folding with kids, decorating a room, wrapping a small gift or marking a holiday.
If you are new, the best place to begin is How to Start Origami, followed by the guide to basic origami folds. The full list of guides is on the Tutorials page.
How the guides are written
Each tutorial describes one fold per step, says where the paper should be before and after, and points out the step where beginners most often go wrong. Paper sizes are given in inches and centimeters. When a model needs scissors or glue, the guide says so at the top.
The illustrations on this site are simplified drawings made to show the position of the paper and the direction of each fold. They are diagrams, not photographs of finished models.
We do not publish invented reviews, ratings or testimonials. Many of the models taught here are traditional designs that have been folded for generations and have no known author; where a guide draws on historical information, it links to the museum or origami organization the information comes from.
Corrections and suggestions
If a step is unclear, a measurement looks wrong or a link is broken, please tell us through the Contact page. Clear instructions matter more to us than anything else on the site, and corrections are always welcome.