This model has been on my “must fold” for ages, but I had only ever seen a CP and could never make head nor tail of the design. I saw a rendition on Origami Dan Discord and, after an enquiry it turns out there exists an unofficial diagram, drawn by Hua Ge that guides folders through this terrific insect:
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wonko.info/365origami/wp-content/uploads/1103ChanLocust.jpg?resize=764%2C574)
I split a sheet from a new 60cm roll of medium weight Kraft and began folding. There is a load of pre-creasing, primarily setting up the high-density collapses to make the long thin legs, so accuracy early on pays dividends later.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wonko.info/365origami/wp-content/uploads/1103ChanLocustView.jpg?resize=764%2C632)
Uncharacteristically, this model uses loos pleat structures to bulk out the body, define the wing covers and head/thorax/abdomen, with a deliciously complex un-sink to make the head-thorax join. Interestingly this model also has a super-detailed head/face – it reminds me so much of the hoppers in “A bugs life”, and it has real “cute” personality, as much as a locust can be cute.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wonko.info/365origami/wp-content/uploads/1103ChanLocustDev-scaled.jpg?resize=508%2C2560)
This model is my daughter’s nightmare, she was always creeped out by grasshoppers, and this model is creepy lifelike.
There is LOTS to like about this design, the legs/proportions are fabulous, so nice and thin (some like the front legs are easy-win thin, but the formation of the back legs is so complex that getting them nice and thin is an interesting challenge.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.wonko.info/365origami/wp-content/uploads/1103ChanLocustScale.jpg?resize=764%2C497)
I used some white glue spots to keep the seams together – this helped pose the legs while the layers were drying. For some reason this mdoel took me an age – I folded a whole lot of it and then put it away and worked on other things – it and my Kamiya mantis have been partially complete for what seems like an age.