> I have attempted to follow several origami books in the past to utter failure, usually due to a single cursed step that I simply could not parse That's part

> I have attempted to follow several origami books in the past to utter failure, usually due to a single cursed step that I simply could not parse That's part of the challenge of origami books. The step-by-step graphical fold-notation and vocabulary is, still, the best way to communicate this stuff. It's hard but rewarding if you see it like a puzzle. Just put it aside and come back to it or start over with larger paper. The 3d animation stuff is nice. This latest effort in the OP looks great. It's not how one actually folds stuff, however, unless it's a regular tessellation (for making a hull). For things like animals, one almost never starts with creases first and then simultaneous movement of the whole thing into the final shape.