- Age:12+
- Time:20 min
- Difficulty:Medium
- Mess level:None
- Supervision:No
What is the Star Wars Saga?
There is probably no need to explain much about Star Wars since it’s so ingrained in our culture that it’s considered general knowledge. Let’s just say it’s a multimedia franchise that started with a movie trilogy made by George Lucas in the late '70s and early '80s, that spread into all types of merchandise, games, books, toys, and much more.
Star Wars saga is one of the most popular franchises to this day.
It achieved cult status and fans all around the world follow closely everything related to Star Wars.
Fun fact: Darth Vader has repeatedly been voted as the best movie villain of all time. If you still haven’t, go watch Star Wars!
What is X-Wing?
X-Wing is a type of starfighter used by the Rebel Alliance and is famous for its role in the destruction of the Death Star. The name comes from their distinctive “wings” that would spread in attack formation, making an X shape.
X-Wing is an iconic spaceship that played a big role in the original film trilogy.
X-Wing is a one-man starfighter that also has a slot for a droid. It has four laser cannons and two proton torpedo launchers. It also has energy shields for defense. Its four wings (s-foils) can fold open or closed. It has four engines and can use hyperspace travel.
Materials Needed for Origami X-Wing
- Paper. One plain A4 piece of paper will be enough to make our origami X-wing. But we recommend getting some colored paper for a more lively X-wing. A specialized origami paper would be the best, but as mentioned, it is not required.
- Bonus: Colored Pencils. We can use Colored Pencils to decorate our origami X-wing however we want and make it truly unique.
Instructions On How To Make Origami X-Wing
The best way to learn how to make origami is by watching somebody making it. That’s why we recommend that you watch the video at the beginning of the article for step-by-step instructions. If you can’t watch the video, follow the instructions in the diagram attached below.
A finished X-wing is symmetrical. If you fold it straight down the middle, what do the two halves do?
Make your prediction, then tap an answer to check!
Sharp creases make sharp ships
The X-wing has more folds than a boat or a pig, so precision matters. Press each fold flat with your fingernail (or the edge of a ruler) to get a crisp crease, and take the folds slowly - a neat, symmetrical model depends on the early folds lining up exactly.
Instructions taken from Pinterest.
What Will You Develop And Learn By Making Origami X-Wing Fighter?
- Motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Creating origami requires a precise folding paper technique. That is why we will develop the fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination that are required for precise movements. So making any origami shape is an excellent way to develop and improve our precise hand and finger movements.
- Attention and concentration. Origami, the art of paper folding, requires going through multiple steps, analyzing how to fold next, and sometimes going back to correct the step that may be wrong. All that requires focus, attention, and concentration. And origami will develop these skills while we are focusing on completing our model.
- Creativity. Although it may seem that origami follows predetermined, specific steps, there is also room for creativity and finding folding methods that work better for us. Also, freeform folding will use our creative muscles, and maybe we even create new origami shapes? Someone had to come up with all the amazing origami shapes that we create, right?
- Confidence, patience, and resistance to frustration. Finishing origami models, especially complex ones like X-wing creates an amazing sense of accomplishment. It takes a lot of patience and sometimes starting from scratch to finish some shapes. All that improves our patience and teaches us how to cope with frustration when we get stuck.
- Procedural memory. We all start with diagrams, videos, or other instructions when making new origami models. But after making a couple of them, we will learn them and won’t need any help to make them. This is how our procedural memory gets developed - we learn all steps by doing origami.
Key takeaways
- The origami X-wing is a more advanced model folded from a single sheet - a fun step up once you've mastered simpler shapes.
- The starfighter is named for its wings (s-foils) that spread into an X shape in attack formation.
- The finished model has bilateral symmetry, which is why many steps say "repeat on the other side."
- Because it has many folds, sharp, accurate creases early on make all the difference.
- Folding a tricky model builds fine motor skills, focus, patience, procedural memory, and spatial reasoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make an origami X-wing?
Fold it from a single square or A4 sheet, following the diagram or video above. The model builds up the body and the four wings through a series of folds, so work slowly and keep each crease sharp. It's trickier than a boat or pig, so it suits older or more experienced folders.
Why is it called an X-wing?
The name comes from the ship's four wings, called s-foils, which spread apart into an X shape when the fighter goes into attack formation. Closed, they sit together; opened, they form the distinctive X the ship is famous for.
Is the origami X-wing hard to make?
It's moderate - harder than a boat, house, or pig because it has more folds and relies on symmetry. If you're new to origami, start with a simpler model first, then come back to the X-wing once your folds are neat and accurate.
What paper do you need for an origami X-wing?
One sheet of plain A4 is enough, but coloured or proper origami paper gives a livelier result and often holds creases better. Grey paper makes it look most like the real starfighter, and coloured pencils let you add markings.
What does making origami teach you?
Origami develops fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, focus and patience, spatial and geometric reasoning, and procedural memory - once you've made a model a few times, you can fold it without instructions. It also leaves room for creativity and problem solving.
What is an X-wing in Star Wars?
The X-wing is a one-pilot Rebel Alliance starfighter, famous for destroying the Death Star. It carries four laser cannons and two proton torpedo launchers, has energy shields and four engines, and can travel through hyperspace, with a slot for an astromech droid.
If you enjoyed making X-wing and want more Origami projects, check out our other posts in the Origami category. And we especially recommend you try:
- Make a simple origami boat that you can even use to play in the water.
- Make an origami house that you can decorate in many ways and go full creative.
- And for the simplest but cutest origami shape, we recommend you try and make a cute little origami pig.
- If you are ready for a bigger challenge, fold an origami T-rex and give your squadron a prehistoric rival.
