Key to Symbols in Fold Diagrams

Here is a key to the symbols and line types that I use in the patterns on this site. I use symbols and line types that you will often find in origami books to indicate mountain folds and valley folds.

Notes

• A dashed line indicates where to make a "valley fold." A valley fold is where the fold is like the path of a river running through a valley-it is at the lowest point and the paper slopes up from it.
  
• A dot-dashed line indicates where to make a mountain fold. A mountain fold is like a ridge of a mountain range. It is the highest point and the paper slopes down from it.
  
• Thicker solid lines show the outline of a piece that you should cut out or the edge of a piece of paper that you are folding.
  
• Thinner solid lines usually show where creases in the paper are from previous steps in the folding process.
  
• An arrow shows how to make a fold in the paper.
  
• An arc one direction and back with an arrow at the end indicates that you should fold the paper and then open it up again.
  
• A thin dotted line is used to make guides to cut patterns using a paper-cutter.
  

Links

• Peter Budai gives a clear explanation of origami symbols on his website.