Animals are probably the most commonly folded type of origami but there are a lot of cool looking people designs.

All kinds of different people from all walks of life from any point in history can be folded out of paper and these are another bunch of my favourites.

First we have an absolutely incredible model designed by Chen Xiao. This is definitely one of my all-time favourite designs.

Ivan Danny folded this from a single 50cm x 50cm sheet of paper. It took him several days to fold it. He folded it in 5 stages, spraying each one with Methyl Cellulose and waiting for it to dry before continuing to fold the next stage.

In the Rain, Designed by Chen Xiao and Folded by Ivan Danny

Crease pattern available from Chen Xiao’s Facebook page

This model looks really great already but the way this photo is staged with it in front of the mirror is extra awesome.

Lady, Designed and Folded by Boice Wong

Crease pattern available from Boice Wong’s Flickr

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This clown is still one of the most impressive people-themed models I’ve seen.

Clown, Designed by Miyamoto Chuya and Folded by Никита Васильев

Crease pattern available in Tanteidan Magazine #111

These are some great looking human body studies by João Charrua.

Humans, Designed and Folded by João Charrua

Instructions not available

Peter Stein designed this really excellent paper version of Martin Luther back for the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The model is a variation of his violinist design and both Martin Luther and the church door are folded from a single square of paper.

Martin Luther, 1517, Designed and Folded by Peter Stein

Instructions not available

Satoshi Kamiya’s models are always awesome and I love how this wizard is all one sheet of paper but the staff ends up being a different colour.

Wizard, Designed by Satoshi Kamiya and Folded by Maxi Purewal

Diagrams available in Works of Satoshi Kamiya 1995-2003

Next is this really awesome design of a Norse warrior.

Norse Warrior, Designed and Folded by Marcos Origami

Instructions not available

I’m not quite sure what this next person is supposed to represent but the design is fantastic.

Obasute, Designed and Folded by Zenshiro Toshinao

Instructions not available

This beautiful woman holding a crane was folded for a museum.

Love, Designed and Folded by Melina Hermsen

Instructions not available

This Italian violinist is based off a base by Eric Joisel. The hair is pretty incredible.

Italian Violinist, Designed and Folded by 林月劍雲

Instructions not available

This next model is amazing! The whole thing, the person, chair and laptop is all folded from the same sheet of paper.

The design is based on that evolution diagram where you see the human gradually evolving into a present day human with another added step of them devolving thanks to technology.

Devolution, Designed and Folded by Ivan Danny

An easier to read version of the crease pattern is available from Ivan Danny’s Flickr

Here’a a beautiful looking origami ballerina in mid-dance. That’s just one sheet of paper.

Ballet Dancer, Designed and Folded by Hubert Villeneuve

Instructions not available

I really like how the paper is folded here over itself to make it look like the person has pockets.

Pocket Man, Designed and Folded by João Charrua

Instructions not available

This prisoner is incredible! The whole thing is folded from one sheet of paper. Hubert Villeneuve said he could only fold two bars due to how much paper was used up but I think that’s more than enough. Definitely some amazing work.

Behind Bars, Designed and Folded by Hubert Villeneuve

Crease pattern available from Hubert Villeneuve’s Flickr

Hosanna Tan designed this fantastic paper priest.

Priest, Designed and Folded by Hosanna Tan

Instructions not available

This origami version of Spartacus is absolutely amazing!

Spartacus, Designed and Folded by Leo Lai

Instructions not available

Here’s another really awesome warrior model and this one is folded from a single 50cm x 50cm square of paper. This photo looks quite imposing and awesome.

Swordsman, Designed by Hoang Trung Thanh and Folded by DebugMode

Diagrams available in Licence to Fold

Here’s another really great design of a person holding a paper crane. This is folded from a single 40cm x 40cm square of paper and the instructions have 129 steps.

A Bird in Hand, Designed by Watanabe Dai and Folded by Adriano Davanzo

Diagrams available in the 9th Tanteidan Convention book

Neelesh K. designed this awesome little nerd. It’s folded from a single 17cm x 17cm square of tracing paper.

Nerd, Designed and Folded by Neelesh K.

Crease pattern available from Neelesh K.’s Flickr

Here’s a pretty cute little model. The boy and the buffalo are both folded from separate sheets of paper.

Buffalo Designed by Nguyen Hung Cuong, Boy Designed by Phạm Hoàng Tuấn, Both Folded by Phạm Hoàng Tuấn

Instructions not available

The design of this next person is inspired by a Spanish novel called El otoño del patriarca.

El patriarca, Designed and Folded by Zenshiro Toshinao

Instructions not available

This sumo wrestler was photographed at an exhibition in South Korea.

Sumo Wrestler, Designed and Folded by Yoo Tae Yong (Photo by origami-M-H-G 🙂

Diagrams available in Origami Works of Yoo Tae Yong

Joseph Wu is a pretty famous Canadian origami artist with a lot of amazing work and design. He designed a model based off of the face of a Canadian environmentalist name David Suzuki. This design inspired a friend of his, another quite famous and awesome artist name Quentin Trollip to design a model of his own based on Joseph Wu’s face.

Do a quick google image search for “Joseph Wu” and you’ll see the resemblance (he’s the one with the beard, and the origami).

This is folded from a single square of paper and uses some excellent colour changes.

Joseph Wu’s Face, Designed and Folded by Quentin Trollip

Instructions not available

I especially like the hood and cape of this next archer.

Archer, Designed and Folded by Marcos Origami

Instructions not available

This “Self Made Man” is a really neat and unique idea from Eric Joisel.

Self Made Man, Designed by Eric Joisel and Folded by Kevin Hutson

Video instructions available from quietmarverick’s YouTube channel

Neelesh K. designed this awesome version of his own face and the whole thing, including the glasses is folded from a single square of paper!

Guy with Glasses, Designed and Folded by Neelesh K

Instructions not available

Our final model for this post is this mind-blowing samurai on horseback by Kei Watanabe. This entire thing including both the person and the horse is folded from a single square of paper!

I think Kei Watanabe is quickly becoming my favourite origami artist.

Tsuwamono, Designed and Folded by Kei Watanabe

Instructions not available

What did you think about all these cool origami people? Let us know in the comments!