Fig. 1
The Kite-Head Section, Having Horns, Ears, and Revolving Eyes, Is Very Hideous
Fig. 2
The Framework for the Head Section is Made Entirely of Bamboo Strips Lashed at the Joints
Chinese rice paper is the best material for covering, and it should be stretched tightly so that there will be no buckling or bagging places. The only part covered is that inside of the inner ring A, the horns, and the ears, leaving the eye rings open. The shades are put on with a brush and water colors, leaving the face white, or it can be tinted in brilliant colors. Leave the horns white and color the tongue red.
The Eyes
The frame for each eye is made of bamboo, pared down to ¹⁄₃₂ in. in thickness and formed into a perfect ring, 3¹⁄₄ in. in diameter. Each ring revolves on an axle made of wire passed through the bamboo exactly on the diameter, as shown at P, [Fig. 3]. The wire should be long enough to pass through the socket ring D or E, [Fig. 2], also, and after the eye ring is in place in the socket ring and the axle adjusted, the latter is fastened to the eye ring with a strip of paper wrapped tightly around the wire and pasted to the bamboo of the ring. A glass bead, placed on the wire axle between the socket rings D or E and the eye ring Q on each side, keeps them apart and the revolving one from striking the other.
Each side of the eye ring is covered halfway with rice paper, as shown in [Fig. 4]. The part R is on the upper front half, and that shown by S is on the back lower half. Placing the two halves in this manner causes an unequal pressure of the wind on the whole eyepiece, and thus causes it to revolve on the axle. The front upper half of the eyepiece is made black, and the smaller dark portion extending below the darkened half is a round piece of paper placed just between the two halves so that half of it will show on both front and back of the eyepiece. When the eyepiece is given a half turn in its socket the back side will come to the front and will appear just the same as the other side. Some kite builders add pieces of mirror glass to the eyes, to reflect the light and cause flashes as the eyes revolve in their sockets.
A Section Kite
The ring for the section kite is made the same size as the inner ring of the head kite, or in this case 12 in. in diameter. The bamboo for making this ring should be ¹⁄₈ in. wide and ¹⁄₁₆ in. thick. The balancer stick, 36 in. long, is located about the same place as the cross-stick F, as shown in [Fig. 2], and must be made small, light and well balanced. Small tufts of tissue paper, or feathers, are attached to the tip ends of the balancer sticks, as shown in [Fig. 5]. The cover for the section kite is put on tightly, the same as for the head, the colors indicated in the sketch being only suggestions, as the builder can color them as desired. The balancer on the last section should have streamers, as shown in [Fig. 6], for a finish. The streamers are made of light cloth.