Making the Major Folds
Get a square piece of lightweight paper in your desired colour. Lightweight paper works best for origami, as it is easy to fold. This helps to create sharp folds which make the end product look professional and tidy. Choose a colour that will compliment your photo. Black and white photos look great in brightly coloured frames and coloured photos tend to look good in paler coloured frames. A 6 in (15 cm) square of paper makes a frame that is about 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide and high. Similarly, an 8 in (20 cm) square of paper makes a frame that is about 4 inches (10 cm) high and wide. Origami paper works best for this activity, as it has 1 coloured side and 1 blank (or different coloured) side. This helps to create a frame with different colours in it. However, regular paper will also work.
Fold your piece of paper in half twice. Fold the paper in half horizontally and then fold it in half vertically. Press down on the folds to make them nice and crisp. These folds will leave you with a square that is ¼ of the size of your original piece of paper. If you find it easier, use a popsicle stick to make the edges look sharp.
Unfold the paper and lay it back on the table. This will reveal 2 perpendicular lines. The point where the 2 lines cross over is the middle point of your square. If the paper is bending up, simply smooth down the creases so that it sits flat on the table.
Fold the top and bottom edges 0.75 in (1.9 cm) toward the middle. This creates a rectangle shape. Try to make each fold even, as this helps the finished frame to have a perfect square shape. If you are using a square of paper that is wider than 8 in (20 cm), make 1.25 in (3.2 cm) folds.
Finishing the Frame
Fold the 2 side edges 0.75 in (1.9 cm) toward the vertical middle line. This will make a square shape. If it doesn’t look like a square, adjust the folds until each side looks a similar length. Try to make the folds as crisp as possible in order to get a tidy and professional finished result. Once again, If you are using a square of paper that is wider than 8 in (20 cm), make each fold a length of 1.25 in (3.2 cm).
Turn the paper over and pull each corner to the middle point. Take the tip of a corner to the intersecting lines in the middle of the paper and then press the paper down to create a fold. Repeat this technique for each of the corners. This will leave you with a smaller square shape. Try to place the tip of each corner on the very middle point of the paper, as this helps to make the photo frame look even.
Turn your paper back over to reveal your finished photo frame. When you turn over your origami square, you will see small triangle pockets over each corner. Tuck a square photo under the pockets to keep it in place. These triangle pockets also give the inside of your frame a pretty diagonal shape. These frames make great gifts, wall decorations, and fridge decorations.
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