Money Origami Dollar Dragon Tutorial - How to Make a Dragon From 3 Dollar Bills : 25 Steps

Hello,

It has been a long time since my last tutorial. I just want to make a special gift for my son in his birday. He is 5 year-old and a fan of drangon. It came up the idea of folding a dragon from dollar bill notes. Here is the results.

This model is easy. Basically, I learn from tradition crane model with a bit modification. Hope you enjoy folding and this dragon.

Material:

- 03 Dollar bills (if you do not use dollar bill, you can use a rectangle instead with dimension of 2.61 inches wide and 6.14 inches long

Level: Intermediate
Time: 16 mins
Credit:

Traditional Origami Crane

Dollar Bird Base by Michael Lafosse

Tutorial Video: I also made a tutorial video, if you are interested you can check it on my channel:

Keyword: Money origami, origami dragon, origami dragon tutorial, how to fold dragon, paper dragon.....

Step 1: Birdbase

For bill with portrait of george washington, begin with the reverse side facing right-side up. Valley fold the left and right short edgrs to the top edge

Step 2:

Valley fold the same two short edges down to meet the 45 degree folded edges formed in step one

Step 3:

Move the folded flaps down and turn the model over, left to right

Step 4:

Your moder should look like this. Fold in half, right to left

Step 5:

Valley foled the top, long edge to meed the 45 degree angled crease.

Unfold, you can make the next step easier if you flex this fold back and forth a few times

Step 6:

Put the right conner in, using the creases formed in the previous step as a guide

Rotate the model so that the bottom right corner is at the top

Step 7:

This completes the first unit, but you will need two tof these, so fold a second unit from bill number 2

Step 8:

For the third bill, begin with the side obverse side of the bill facing right-side up.

Valley fold in halft, edge to edge both ways, unfolding after each fold.

Turn over, left to right

Step 9:

Valley-folde diagonal 45-degree creases, crossing at the center, unfolding after each.

Step 10:

Study the lettermarked creased and look ahead at the next step for the shape.

Using the existing creases to mountain and valley -fold the bill and collapse it into shape.

Step 11:

Valley-fold the indicated ends of the bill to meet at the middle

Step 12:

Unfold.

You can make the next step easier if you flex these folds back and forth

Step 13:

Use the existing creases to push the ends into the bill

Step 14:

Begin assembly by inserting one of the two first bills into the third bill as shown. Complete assembly by adding the second copy of your first two bills on the other side and in the same manner.

Step 15:

Fold th front flap all the way up. Repeat with the other flap, behind. Take care as you do-fold the bills. The more you fold them, the more they lock together

Step 16:

Now, you finish the bird base.

For the next step, be sure split end is at the bottom. Balley-fold the bottom left and right edges of the from layers to meet at the split. Turn over and repeat behind

Step 17:

Your model should look like this. Move the right-side top layer to the left. Repeat behing to make the layering even again

Step 18:

Your model should look like this. Valley fold the pointed, narrow bottom flap up to the top.

Swivel the tips ontward

Repeat behind

Step 19: Make the Dragon Head

Inside -reverse fold the top portion of one of the middle points, forming the bill.

Re-inside reverse fold the tip.

Bend the redundant tip to make the horn of dragon

Step 20: Make the Dragon Tail

Now, inside-reverse fold three-time and in Zigzag shape

Tadaaaa, here is your dragon tail

Step 21:

Valley-fold the front flap down as far as it will go, flat.

Repeat behind

Step 22: Make Dragon Wings

Now, fold up then down 3-times for each flap wing. It should be in the Z shape. Pull out the flap and here you go. Do it for the other side. Your dragon wings are finished