Paste paper or silk on bamboo strips and other skeleton, pull lines above the long-term and take advantage of the winds to put it into the sky. Kite was invented by working people in ancient times and has a history of more than 2000 years. Kite is an important part of Chinese folk culture.
The method to make a common kite is to use bamboo as its skeleton and paper as its body. Other composite materials include silk, nylon, plastic or bamboo, abrasive paper and Marla paper. Paper and silk is traditional materials for making general kite which has bright color and better reflect the charm of Chinese kites. But paper is breakable and silk is expensive. And the product of modern science - nylon cloth and plastic film, became a manufacturing new material for making kites.
Bamboo is the main material of kites’ skeleton. You can select a 3-5 cm thickness of bamboo and use its toughness as a kite’s skeleton. Kite skeleton can be prepared in accordance with personal preferences, such as the dragonfly-shaped, butterfly-shaped and so on.
Paper is the main material for making kites. You’d better choose a piece of tough paper so that it can resist wet and shock. A piece of white paper is preferred because you can draw pictures on it easily. Paste the paper on the skeleton and then the kite is finished.
At this time, you can paint the kites with your favorite color and attach other ornaments on it, such as lace, ribbon and rings. However, you can’t put too much ornament on the kite or it will lose its balance in the sky. Most of the modern kites use nylon as the body and carbon rod which improve the effect of flights to a large extent.
Schools of Kites
Traditional Folk School
Weifang folk kites, from a historical point of view, is relatively speaking to court kites and craftsman kites: In modern times, it is relatively in terms of the modern new kites.
Its characteristics are:
First of all, most of folk kite makers are farmers and craftsmen. In general, they did not receive specialized training in the arts. They follow their own intuitive feelings about life and aesthetic practices, freely expressing the ideals and aspirations. Their kites, either shape, material, color, configuration and production style, all with strong local flavor.
Secondly, folk kite combines with folk festivals, such as Tomb-sweeping Day and Double Ninth Festival. As a result, the theme of kites are selective and striving for exquisite decoration.
Thirdly, folk kites are generally using local materials so that the kites pay less attention to its appearance. Folk kites has rough style and non-artificial features.
Finally, folk kites are influenced by regional folk culture, economy and customs, but they are also the production of often observe mutual consultations, combined with the ancestral, hereditary factors. Therefore, the ancient tradition of folk kite is actually a collective creation.
Traditional craftsman school
Due to the emergence of the business of selling kites, dedicated kite craftsman also emerged. In the history of Weifang, even many well-known artists are also involved in kite design and drawing thus making Weifang Kite appeared very elegant boutique. Of course, most people cannot afford to buy these fine kites, while rich people buy these kites often requested to provide a customized-made kite. This is the phrase handed down in the case of the proverbial “30 percent depends on craftsmen, 70 percent depends on master." In addition, during the replacement of old and new dynasties, some court kite artists began to live in folk society which also promoted the craftsman kite school’s development and improvement, so that the craftsmen kite has characteristics of stately palace and luxury. Development of traditional craftsman school played a good role in promoting Weifang kites, it makes Weifang Kite develop from toys to the general rise of valuable products which have become an important part of local culture in Weifang.
Modern Innovation School
In modern times, due to the vast number of professional art workers, scientists, workers, urban residents to take part in kite activities, they give full play to the modern technology, modern science and technology advantages in the tradition of kite on the basis of the creation of a new modern kite. The main features of the modern emphasis on the kite is new material, the use of new technology, modeling simple, crisp, fresh, clever, with a distinct era character of the adjustment.
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