Origami Square Base

Almost every origami sequence you will ever follow begins the same way: a flat square of paper folds into one of a handful of familiar starting shapes. Designers give these openings names so a tutorial can simply say "start from a square base" instead of repeating the same first folds every single time. The square base is one of those named foundations, and it sits at the root of an enormous number of classic models.

The great news is that the whole thing takes only four simple moves. You pre-crease the diagonals, add a pair of edge-to-edge creases on the reverse side, and then gather the corners together so the paper falls naturally into its layered, compact form. This tutorial walks you through each step with clear photos, and in under a minute you will have a square base ready for whatever you want to fold next.

Learn how to make an origami square base. Most origami work starts from the same opening moves, so instructions rarely repeat them every time. Instead, origami artists give these standard openings names, and then a tutorial simply tells you where to start. The origami square base is one of those named foundations.

Step 1

Start with the colored side of the paper facing up. Fold in half and open, then fold in half once more in the other direction. Then turn the paper over.