How real snow crystals are shaped
The six-fold symmetry of a snow crystal comes from the arrangement of water molecules in ice, as Caltech physicist Kenneth Libbrecht explains on snowcrystals.com. A star-shaped crystal begins as a small hexagonal plate, and branches sprout from its six corners as it grows larger. More elaborate, branched crystals grow when the humidity is high, and the largest, most photogenic star-shaped crystals grow in a narrow range around −15 °C (5 °F).
That is why these designs look different from ordinary paper snowflakes. On the folded wedge, each arm runs along the left fold, the gaps between arms run along the right fold, and the cuts are the open space around the side branches, which are cut at 60° to the arm.
The four designs
- Stellar dendrite (opens first): six arms, each with three pairs of side branches. Libbrecht’s field guide calls these the most recognizable snow crystals.
- Fernlike dendrite: a bigger, leafier dendrite with seven pairs of thin side branches, like a fern.
- Stellar plate: thin, flat, broad arms with a wider plate near the tip. The easiest of the four to cut.
- Twelve-branched: twelve straight arms, like a pair of small crystals that collided and grew on as one.
Cutting tips for thin arms
Crease the folds sharply and keep the stack clipped: a slipped layer makes one arm thinner than the rest. Cut the narrow gaps between side branches first, while the paper is still stiff, and the large open space last. Unfold slowly; thin arms tear if they catch on each other.
The designs on this page
| Design | Points | Layers | Outer edge | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stellar dendrite | 6 | 12 | Pointed | Intricate |
| Fernlike dendrite | 6 | 12 | Pointed | Intricate |
| Stellar plate | 6 | 12 | Pointed | Medium |
| Twelve-branched | 6 | 12 | Straight | Medium |
All designs were drawn for this site. Every other design is under All in the design list, and the paper snowflake maker lets you cut your own.