This article was co-authored by Amy Guerrero. Amy Guerrero is an Arts and Crafts Specialist and the Owner of Sunshine Craft Co., a crafting studio based in Phoenix, Arizona. Amy specializes in macrame, DIY crafting, and teaching fiber arts. She offers monthly in-person and online workshops along with having developed a range of DIY craft kits for at-home projects. Amy holds a BS in Industrial Design from Philadelphia University. She worked as a graphic designer before starting her own business. Sunshine Craft Co. is a creative hub that offers a wide range of workshops, tools, and resources for any craft project to inspire creativity and community engagement.
wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 94% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 132,708 times.
Have you ever wanted to know how to make a paper tank? The process is simple. With a few easy steps, you can make an origami tank with a single sheet of paper.
Steps
Preparing the Paper
-
1Fold a sheet of paper in half. You will end up with a rectangle piece of paper.
-
2Cut or rip the paper in half along the fold. You can discard the other half or save it to make another tank.Advertisement
-
3Fold the paper in half again. With this fold you are making a long rectangle.
Making the Tank
-
1Fold the ends of the paper into an X. Take one corner and fold diagonally to create a point. Unfold and repeat, folding the other side diagonally. When you unfold you will see the creases form an X. Repeat on the other end of the paper. [4]
-
2Create pointed ends. Push in the sides of the paper where you made the folds (the X at each end). The paper will fold in on itself and create a point. Do this on both ends of the paper. Both ends now have an arrow shape.
-
3Make the wheels. Fold both of the long sides of the paper once inwards towards the center. Take the inside edge and fold once again outwards, creating a flap.
Making the Turret
-
1Make the first part of the turret. Choose one end of the paper. Fold the ends of the arrow up and towards the middle. Leave a small gap in the center.[5]
-
2Turn the paper over. The smooth side (without the folds visible) should be facing up.
- Fold each end up.
- The end with the larger point (which looks like an arrow) should rest on top of the smaller end.
-
3Tuck the flap below the larger point into the smaller point. The larger (arrow) end will rest in the gap created when you folded the first part of the turret.
-
4Tuck the points of the first part of the turret underneath the sides of the arrow. Fold the points of the arrow under the turret points, locking them together to form the full turret.
Finishing the Tank
-
1Pull out the wheels. With your finger, gently unfold the flaps that are the wheels. Do this on both sides.
-
2Add the gun. Insert a straw into the narrowest end of the top.[6]
- You can also use a small piece of rolled up paper.
-
3Secure the gun. If the gun falls out, you can use tape or glue to secure it.
Community Q&A
-
QuestionHow long does this activity take?Community AnswerNot very long, usually no more than an hour.
-
QuestionIs there an origami tank that actually shoots like a rubber band gun?Community AnswerYou can make one that is super big. Then put a rubber band gun mechanism inside the turret with a string attached to the trigger, and pull the string to shoot.
-
QuestionCan I do this with sandpaper?Community AnswerUnless you are up for a real challenge, probably not. Sandpaper is very thick and not at all like origami paper, so it would be very difficult.
Things You'll Need
- Paper
- Scissors (Optional)
- A Straw (Optional)
- Glue or tape (Optional)
References
- ↑ http://www.all-about-origami.com/origami-folding-tips.html
- ↑ http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/tips-for-folding-paper-into-origami-objects.html
- ↑ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/origami
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T6C6JIqfZA
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10p9-xa_PZQ
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10p9-xa_PZQ
- Videos provided by Andy Ino
About This Article
To make a paper tank, start by folding a piece of paper in half horizontally. After you’ve made a rectangle, fold each end of it diagonally twice, so the creases form an X when you unfold the paper. Once you have an X on each end, push in the sides of the paper where you made the folds to create a point on both ends. Next, make the wheels by folding the long sides in, then folding the inside edge back over to make a flap. Finally, fold the pointed ends up and toward the middle to create the turret and unfold the side flaps for the wheels. For tips on how to add a gun to the turret of your tank, read on!