10 best origami books: Beautiful editions and remarkable projects

It’s true; the internet is a convenient place, but we still believe there are some rituals worth keeping alive, so give your digital devices a break and check out a few origami books!

Origami books are fantastic resources for discovering a world of origami projects and concepts, whether more modern or technical, classic or niche —there’s something out there to tickle every crafter’s interest.

Whether you’re an avid craft book collector, cuckoo for origami, or all about taking on new papercraft challenges, check out our picks for the best origami books you can find today!

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Best origami books

If you thought origami instructions books were mostly generic, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Get a taste of the diversity of unique projects you can learn from some of the best origami books, no matter your skill set!

Best for beginners: Easy Origami by John Montroll

Most high-quality origami kits for beginners include comprehensive booklets featuring projects. However, there are many origami books for novice crafters that you can buy individually!

Easy Origami by John Montroll isn’t only a classic but continues to be one of the top references for those learning the craft. This 48-page book comprises illustrated instructions for over 30 projects, from basic to slightly more elaborate pieces.

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Although this is a beginner’s book, it also includes more challenging models, which is a great way to keep you enthusiastic about pursuing the craft further. A swan, a lantern, a pelican, and a piano are only a few of the unique origami themes you’ll find in this book!

This is one of two origami instruction books published by this author; find the second edition, Easy Origami 2, here to complete your collection! Both are available for under $6 apiece (paperback).

Best for craft book collectors: World’s Best Origami by Nick Robinson

OK, so the title of this book sounds a little over the top, right? But it’s exactly what it says: a compilation of the best origami patterns ever created.

Origami artist and papercraft expert Nick Robinson is the author of this beloved origami book, which consists of over 300 pages of impressive, unusual projects, patterns, and concepts. You can expect to find a lot of variety and out-of-the-box themes here!

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Besides creations by other acclaimed origami artists, the author has also included some of his own. The book assembles a range of unique models that require basic to more advanced techniques. The common denominator? Cliché-free origami concepts.

Although it’s available on Kindle for a significantly lower price, this is the kind of book you want to proudly display in your home and flip through on a Sunday morning while sipping a cup of coffee. Craft book collectors, this one is for you!

Best for contemporary origami: Curved Origami by Ekaterina Lukasheva 

Published recently (2021), Ekaterina Lukasheva is the author of this unconventional origami book.

Curved Origami: Unlocking the Secrets of Curved Folding in Easy Steps is not your typical origami book; in fact, its goal is to inspire papercrafters to look at the art of paper folding from a completely different lens.

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This book covers design methods, teaches you techniques and tricks to train your intuition about curve folding, and shows you how to approach the art form more organically.

With 132 pages, the book is an excellent pick for innovative thinkers looking for like-minded creators and artists. If you’re intrigued by different views on classic crafts, this book is for you!

Only a paperback edition of this book is available and costs under $30 on Amazon.

Best for experts: Origami for the Connoisseur by Kunihiko Kasahara and Toshie Takahama

There are tons of origami books for newbies, but what about advanced papercrafters?

Origami for the Connoisseur provides brain-teasing projects for longtime origami devotees. While not the most recent publication, this origami book still stands as one of the most groundbreaking and comprises 65 projects curated by top origami masters.

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Throughout 168 pages, you will come across all kinds of projects, from classics like a paper pelican, giraffe, and spiral snail shell to more unexpected creations like an hourglass and extraterrestrial being.

Note that this book is only available in paperback and costs ~$13 on Amazon. We really like the idea of this origami book as a gift! It’s not only very affordable but a beautiful book any papercraft enthusiast will love to have, especially if they’re passionate about traditional Japanese art forms.

Best for fans of origami flowers books: Easy Origami Flowers by Gaël le Neillon

When speaking of origami projects, we have to talk about origami flower books. Origami flowers are one of those timeless classics in papercrafts since, well, forever!

Contrary to the previous origami books, Easy Origami Flowers not only offers tutorials as well as 400 sheets of colored and patterned paper squares to put what you learn into action! This is a great place to start if you’ve been looking for an all-in-one origami experience.

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One of the aspects I most appreciate about this origami book for beginners is that it isn’t overwhelming. Its layout is straightforward and only includes ten tutorials. And although this may not seem like much at first, you’ll have a lot of crafting hours on your hands. Also, sometimes less is more!

For under $20 on Amazon, this book covers a range of beloved flowers, such as cherry blossoms, roses, carnations (my favorite!), lotus flowers, and more. I also love the idea of making this book a gift to surprise a loved one — in terms of creativity, it certainly beats getting another flower bouquet!

Best for creative storage projects: Amazing Origami Boxes by Tomoko Fuse 

Next up is another origami classic — paper boxes! Amazing Origami Boxes devotes 128 pages to incredible paper box designs and 20 projects curated by the author herself.

All of the featured patterns require a single sheet, contrary to what you’d find with modular origami box projects. And the range of concepts on offer is quite unique! You’ll learn how to make containers in the form of a bird, a cat’s head, a basket — you get the gist.

This origami book is suitable for all skill levels too. It’s pretty universal and easy to follow whether you’re a newbie or an experienced papercrafter. In addition, it’s a great source to learn how to make aesthetic-looking pieces for functional purposes. For example, jewelry-makers will find lots of ideas here!

Before purchasing, confirm if you’re selecting the hardcover or paperback version. While the paperback is way cheaper, the hardcover is definitely the more appealing choice if you’re an origami book collector!

Best for jewelry lovers: Origami Jewelry Motifs by Julian Laboy-Rodriguez

So, origami boxes are excellent for storing jewelry, but have you ever considered using origami techniques to actually make jewelry?

Origami Jewelry Motifs is a stunning paperback book that costs ~$15 and is the perfect beginner guide to creating your own paper earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and more.

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As someone who loves creative jewelry ideas, this 128-page book is a delight (!) and features more than 30 origami models to adapt to everything, from headbands to rings.

And if you’re new to paper folding, don’t worry; there are lots of beginner-friendly projects included. These small-scale creations are fun to make and accessible to learn, especially if you’re into personalized fashion items.

Whether you want to attach an origami butterfly to a headband, gift a pair of whimsical fox-motif earrings, or embellish necklaces with paper roses, you’ll have plenty of inspiration to work with!

Best for home DIYers: Better Living Through Origami by Nellianna Van Den Baard and Kenneth Veenenbos

I’m kind of a home decor aficionado, so this is definitely an origami book I recommend if you love to make unique DIY pieces to embellish your space.

For ~$10 on Amazon (paperback), Better Living Through Origami: 20 Creative Paper Projects for a Beautiful Home is the perfect beginner’s guide to applying papercraft techniques to spruce up your home.

This book gives amateur interior designers a peek into affordable, aesthetic, easy-to-make projects, from lampshades and extensive garlands to plant holders, decorative bowls, and more. It’s impressive what you can do with paper!

This is also the perfect origami book if you love glimpsing through magazines to get stylish, contemporary inspiration to decorate your home. However, I have to admit, this is way more fun! You’ll get 297 pages worth of trendy project ideas, templates, tool listings, and measurements to whip up all kinds of singular items.

Best for fans of origami animal books: Realistic Origami Animals by Fumiaki Kawahata

You will undoubtedly come across many origami animal books during your research, but Realistic Origami Animals by Fumiaki Kawahata is one of our favorite picks for its singular approach to the theme.

This origami book comprises 32 models (available for Kindle and in paperback) and focuses on teaching you the ins and outs of creating realistic-looking animal paper sculptures from scratch.

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That said, unlike many origami animal books, this 128-page edition is likely more appealing for older papercrafters, although artistic teens will get a kick out of these projects too. However, this isn’t a book for small children despite its theme.

You’ll love this origami book if you’re a fan of innovative, sophisticated, and realistic papercraft depictions. Projects we’re especially fond of include the flying squirrel, gorilla, and dachshund dog!

Best fantasy-themed origami book: Dragons and Other Fantastic Creatures in Origami by John Montroll

Fantasy fans will have lots of fun with the last book on our list, Dragons and Other Fantastic Creatures in Origami — another folding paper guide by expert John Montroll.

For under $20 on Amazon, this origami book contains 27 original models created by the author, featuring projects of all complexity levels. While not the most recent book, it’s definitely our top pick for fantasy-inspired origami projects.

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Better yet, it’s especially great if you’re into dragons! The book includes a collection of ten dragon models to learn as well as patterns to craft a unicorn, phoenix, wizard, and more.

Known for his no-cuts, no-glue origami creations, John Montroll has put together this comprehensive 128-page fantasy origami book for readers and crafters ages 12 and up.

Whether you’re a Game of Thrones fan, into sci-fi short stories, or love world-building board games, this is a creative way to apply your craft skills to pay homage to everything you love about these make-believe realms!

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That’s it for this list of the best origami books you can buy. Do you have any other recommendations? Drop them in the comments below!