Paper Rokaku Kite
As part of our Kite Unit in Mr. Skinner's Project Future class at Escalante Middle School, we were asked to build and document the last kite we made in order to create a set of instructions on how to build our kite.
Get Supplies
To start off your Rokaku Kite you have to include supplies such as Elmer's Glue All, kite string, three sheets of any colored tissue paper, three rather large bamboo sticks, tape and any other materials needed.
Prepare the Paper
Lay out one of the 20'' by 30'' sheet of tissue paper.
Fold the Paper
Fold that chosen piece of paper in half.
Outline the Sail
Make a 10 inch line that goes away from the fold at a downward angle.
Outline the Sail
Make a 10 inch line going down at the end of the first line made.
Outline the Sail
Make a 10 inch line starting from the second line going towards the crease at a slight angle.
Cut Out the Sail
Cut out the figure made and when fully cut out open the folded tissue paper.
Add the Center Spine
Take glue and put a straight down on the middle of the kite!!
Attach Teh Center Spine
Attach a wooden skewer on the line of the glue going down the kite.
Trim the Spine
On the skewer measure one inch from the tissue paper on each side.
Trim the Spine
After you measured everything needed you grab scissors and cut the line you made.
Trim the Spine
After you measured everything needed grab scissors and cut the line made.
Crossbars
Grab another skewer and attach it with glue vertically on the kite
Trim the Corssbar
Cut the marks made on the skewer on inch away from the paper.once
Crossbar
Once again attach another skewer at the other side vertically gluing it.
Trim the Crossbar
Measure one inch from the paper on both sides of the skewer.
Trim the Crossbar
Cut the line made with a type of scissors that can cut the wood, and cut it.
Reinforce the Sail
Attach two squared pieces of tissue paper over the connections of the skewers.
Add Decoration
Cut out small squares of the same or different colored tissue paper, put glue on the square and attach at the crossing of the wooden dowels.
Add Decoration
Cut out a different colored square the same length as one of the square sections on the kite.
Add Decoration
Cut out the same sized square but a different color.
Attach Decorations
Glue the sections of the square tissue paper to the sections of square tissue paper that you outlined the different colors with.
Repeat
Do the same to the other square section of the tissue paper.
Allow to Dry
Let the glue dry out for a little bit.
Tye-Dye the Paper
Wet a colored piece of tissue paper.
Tie Dye the Paper
Splatter the wet colored paper onto the kite to make it look tie dye.
Allow to Dry
Let the water dry to where there is no more water making the kite wet.
Bow the Cross Bars
Cut a string longer than your vertical skewer.
Reinforce
Add tape/reinforcements to all sides of the kite where the skewers are sticking out.
Add the tape and reinforcements on each side the skewer is sticking out of the paper.
Add String
Cut a string longer than your vertical skewer again.
Flex
Tie each end of the string to the side of the skewers, make sure the kite's string is tied tight enough to where the kite flexes.
Fly!
Now you have a finished kite!