The Fish Kite - Drachen Foundation

MaterialsEach Kit Includes:• 1 Fish kite sail (traditional Japanese washi paper)• 2 Strips for tail• 2 Bamboo spars, one bowed, one straight• Kite line on winderThe Fish KiteYou Supply:• Scissors• White Glue (Avoid Elmer’s Black Label School Glue)• Markers, colored pencils, crayons, and/or water based paints for decorationKite ConstructionCutting Out & Designing the SailA4Glue parts A and B over thespars to secure bamboo inplace.Attaching the Tail6Glue tails to kite.Attaching the Flying Line7Attach flying line to your kite bythreading winder string, fromfront to back, through the holewhere the two spars intersect.BC1DECut out A, B, C, D, and E along the solid lines.Decorate the kite sail (E) with markers, coloredpencils, crayons or water based paints.5Glue fins C and D over bambooto secure in place.Glue tail piecestogether to make alonger tail (strongerwinds will requiremore tail).Fly Your Kite!Attaching the Spars23Use a thin layerof glue to attachthe straight sparon the dottedline.Glue bowed(curved) spar asshown on right.32Note: The papertails will work betterif they are crumpledand smoothed.When the paper issoft, it makes thetails stablize andflutter better in thewind.NOTE: Ifwind is strong, addmore tail pieces to makethe tail longer.©Drachen Foundation www.drachen.org2/1/2011

Telephone: (206) 282-4349Fax: (206) 284-5471Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 9am-5pmResearch Hours: by appointment onlyinformation@drachen.org 3131 Western Avenue, M321http://www.drachen.org Seattle, WA 98121The Drachen Foundation (DF) was founded in 1995 as a non-profit kite research and studycenter. The Foundation takes its name from the German word drachen, which can mean eitherkite or dragon. The Drachen Foundation houses a small library, slide collection, and kite archive,all available to those interested in increasing their knowledge of kites from historical, cultural,scientific, or artistic viewpoints.The Foundation collaborates with non-profit educational organizations to teach kite making to thepublic, and to showcase kites from around the world. In addition, the Foundation works to placeteachers in contact with area kitemakers to bring the experience of kitemaking to students andchildren of all ages. We offer several publications and kite kits for educators who are interestedin using kites in their classroom.THE DRACHEN FOUNDATION ONLINE STOREThe DF Online Store features kitemaking materials and inexpensive kite kits, designed by masterkitemakers from around the world. Many kits use traditional materials—bamboo and washi(Japanese paper). Kits include:TheFish KiteA TraditionalJapanese FlyerNobuhiko YoshizumiThe Fish Kite Designer:Nobuhiko YoshizumiNobuhiko Yoshizumi of Kyoto, Japan,has been crafting exquisite miniaturekites for years. From complex anddetailed hawk kites to simple and elegantkimono-shaped kites, Yoshizumi workson a small scale that takes years ofpatience and practice to perfect.An active member of the Kyoto KiteAssociation and the InternationalFriends of Small Kites organization,Yoshizumi shares his expertise freely.To communicate with his fellow kitemakers around the globe, Yoshizumiuses detailed drawings that eliminatethe need for language.• Bell Tetra Kite• Cambodian Kleng Bao• Guatemalan Children’s Kite• Kono Beetle Kite• Kono Box Kite• Kono Butterfly• Kono Catfish• Kono Chinese Emperor• Kono Cobra• Kono Dihedral Diamond• Kono Flying Squirrel• Kono Jellyfish• Kono Korean Bird• Kono Octopus• Kono Rokkaku• Kono Salmon• Toki’s Kaku Dako• Toki’s Koma Dako• Trepanier Bug Kite• Trepanier Trapezoid Kite• Yoshimi Paper Sode• Yoshizumi Fighter Kite• Yoshizumi Hu Sui• Yoshizumi Japanese Fish Kite• Yoshizumi Two-in-One Kite (Buka/Surugaor Rokkaku/Sode)The DF Online Store also carries DIY kitemaking materials—bamboo spars and Tyvek TM —as well aspublications and media about kites, kite pins, gift items, and apparel.Order online at www.drachen.org, or call 206-282-4349.