Origami 12 Sided Dice/Dodecahedron

This is a super quick and easy origami D12. Perfect for a cool D&D dice collection, or just a shelf knick-knack!

• 8 pieces of standard printer paper
• Scissors or paper cutter
• Tape, glue, or other adhesive.

You can do this with a full piece of paper, the dice will just be really big. However, we are going to make these dice smaller so we're going to cut the paper.

1. Fold the paper in half both ways.
2. Unfold the paper.
3. Cut it along the lines to create 4 smaller pieces of paper.

This creates four smaller pieces of paper with the same proportions as the larger piece.

This and the following steps up to step 6 involve folding the individual pieces to create the dice. You will need about 30 of these pieces.

Step one is to fold it in half and then unfold it. Then fold both sides into the paper so the sides touch the middle crease.

Flip the paper over to the other side.

Notice the "X"s marked in the top right corner and bottom left corner. Fold the two corners together and unfold.

After unfolding, rotate it 90 degrees to the right. Fold the bottom corner so the side aligns with the crease we just made. Do this with both sides to create a "twist" effect.

Unfold just the bottom corner of both sides.

Fold the opposite corner in to create a zig-zag and flip over. Repeat steps 2-6 29 more times for a total of 30 pieces.

To start assembling the pieces, I want you to notice that there is a line down the center of each piece. We are going to use this opening to hold the pieces together. I also recommend using glue to help them stick together, but it can be done without glue. I also recommend avoiding the use of tape, it is possible, but it is difficult.

Stick one piece in between the two layers of paper. The edge should line up with the crease, and the creases should create a pretty smooth edge.

We are going to be assembling the rest of the pieces using the same method we did for the last step. Keep sticking the pieces in between the two layers until you create a pentagon shape, tucking the end into the first sheet of paper.

Next, we are going to start making this a 3D object and building out the other sides. This piece is going to be running perpendicular to the pentagon we just made.

Stick the end into the piece sticking out the side.Take the piece sticking out to the right and insert it into the new piece.

Repeat step 9 to the rest of the sides. You should end up with a shape like the above.

Stick the next piece into the two layers of the piece you added in the last step. Repeat this step on every side. It should be like the image above from the inside.

Stick a piece into the piece you added in the previous step. This completes the pentagon on the side, so insert the last side into the new piece.

Finally, bend the new piece around on the crease and insert it into the piece you added in the last step, but in the pentagon to the left.

Repeat this on all sides.

It should look like above when done.

Insert the new piece into the previous piece.

Bend this at the crease and inset the piece to the left into the crease of the new piece.

Repeat this step on all sides.

It should look like above when done.

Insert the new piece into the previous piece.

Bend over the last piece to complete the pentagon.

Repeat this in the pentagon to the right.

Tuck in the first piece we added into the second piece.

Repeat on all sides.

And then it should be finished!!

Now you have a fully completed origami 12-sided dice!

At this point you can do a number of things to decorate your shape:

• Paint it or draw on it
• Label the sides with numbers so it becomes a functional dice
• Create an extra-small dice by cutting the paper into 8ths rather than 4ths.
• Create a smaller dice and put it INSIDE a larger dice
• Create an extra-large dice out of full sheets of paper
• Attach a fishing line/clear string and hang it from the ceiling to make a floating shape!
• Make it out of an old magazine to create a cool pattern

There is no end to the creative ideas you can use these dice in so feel free to get wild!

Thanks for reading!