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Spine Dragon

Complex 

Daniel Brown

© 2013 - USA

This model requires a large square, at least 16" / 40cm across. Tissue foil, double tissue, mulberry, or any other

thin, strong paper treated with methyl cellulose can make a successful dragon. Colored black on both sides is

ideal, however, the diagrams will show standard white/colored sides.

1. Begin white side up.

Crease diagonally.

2. Fold the corners to the

center and unfold.

3. Fold the corners to the

landmarks and unfold.

4. Turn over.

5. Make creases. 6. Pleat to the center.

7. Result.

8. Turn over.

9. The next steps will

focus on this part.10. Add creases.

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11. Crease through the

top 2 layers.

12. Add a horizontal

crease.

13. Pinch the corner and

  squash it to the side.

14. Fold down.

15. Squash open. 16. Fold the edges

to the crease.

17. Fold the new edges

to the center line.

18. Unfold to step 14.

19. Fold along the

edge behind.

20. Fold the edge to

the center line.

21. Unfold to step 19.

22. Make four reverse folds. 23. Reverse fold. 24. Make six reverse folds

(three on each flap.)

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25. Result. 26. Repeat steps 10-24

  on the lower corner.

27. Form a preliminary fold.

28. Petal fold.

Repeat behind.

29. Make a crease

and unfold.

30. Bisect the long flaps

to the crease.

Repeat behind.

31. Divide into 4ths.

Repeat behind.

32. Fold down.

Repeat behind.

33. The next steps

focus on the top.

34. Make a crease through

all layers where the

thickness changes.

35. Divide the lower

part in half.

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36. Divide in fourths. 37. Fold the pointto the crease.

38. Divide the spacebetween into thirds.

39. Divide the spaceabove into thirds.

40. Result. 41. Turn over. 42. Valley through all

creases to make the

next steps easier.

43. Open sink in and out.

Note that it does not

begin on the petal fold

crease. The pleats from

step 6 do not need to

be opened.

44. Continue open sinks

along the precreases.

45. Pull out two points

as far as they go.

Leave the center

layer sunken.

46. Result. You should

see four horizontal

crease lines.

47. Squash open.

48. Make creases. 49. Make creases to

divide in fourths.

50. Reverse fold in

and out.

51. Fold the right

point to the left.

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52. Close and reverse

fold upwards.53. Result.

54. Fold upwards.55. Make angle

bisecting creases.

56. Crease through all

layers.

57. Pull out the hidden

flaps.58. Bring downward while

folding in the sides.

59. Make creases from

corners to corners.

Take care not to rip

the thin center.

60. Rabbit ear. 61. Reverse fold. 62. Lift to look

underneath.

63. Squash fold single

layers to the sides.

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64. Fold back down. 65. Repeat steps 54-64

behind.

66. Crimp.

67. Reverse fold along the existing creases.

Repeat behind.

68. More reverse folds. Repeat behind.

69. More reverse folds. Repeat behind. 70. The following steps focus on the middle area.

71. Make a combination of two

swivel folds. Start at the

existing creases on the left.

72. Fold to the left.73. Repeat the double swivel

on this side.

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74. Fold back to the right. 75. The following steps will

focus on the wing.

76. Spread squash

fold.

77. Mountain fold

inside the colored

area.

78. Bring the colored

area to the front.79. Spread squash

the next flap.

80. Valley fold over. 81. Fold into its

nearest pocket.

  Repeat behind.

82. Repeat steps 79-81

on both flaps of

the next level.

83. This time, sink the

final two flaps.84. Result, showing

the nested spread

squashes.

85. Repeat steps 71-83

on the other side.

86. Mountain fold.

Repeat behind.

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87. Outside reverse fold the two

hidden points created at step

63. Repeat behind.

88. Thin with sinks.

Repeat behind.89. Outside reverse fold the

legs. Repeat behind.

90. Reverse fold the back legs

and crimp the front legs.

Repeat behind.

91. The next steps will focus

on the head area.

92. Squash fold about

1/3 of the point up.

93. Open and squash downward.

Stretch out two layers on

each side, not all three.

94. Open and squash

upward.

95. Fold and unfold. 96. Fold the bottom

corners upward.

97. Fold to the crease. 98. Fold up. There

is no landmark.

99. Fold down. There

is no landmark.

100. Fold down along

the crease.

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102. Result.101. Work in these creases

starting at the horns.

103. Curl the wings, spines, tail, and neck.

104. Completed Spine Dragon.

© Daniel Brown 2011-2013

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55872529@N00/sets

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Spine Dragon is made from a bird base modified with a strip graft to split the wings. I must give credit to

Robert Neale's classic bird base dragon which I used as a starting point in this design.

This crease pattern is white-side up, with red lines for mountain folds and blue lines for valley folds.

© Daniel Brown 2011-2013

Full gallery of my original designs, folds of works by others, free bonus diagrams and photo guides at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55872529@N00/sets