Kite Project Inspiration

I am having trouble placing a name to my aesthetic but sometimes it feel like I have two, one that is full of bright colors and vibrant patterns, and another that is full of pastel colors and earthy tones. Pop Art is a likely influence for my love of loud colors and patterns, while my love for nature and colors like sage green influence the other aesthetic. It’s a running joke among my friends that I am exponentially more likely to buy something if green is a color option!

I have not figured out an aesthetic for my project however I have become very excited about trying to make a stunt kite as my main project. For those that don’t know stunt kites are more professional/intermediate kites meant for maneuvering in the sky by pulling on the strings. Since stunt kites are generally meant to be showy and easy to see in the sky, I would like a kite that has very vibrant colors. I think my color options will also likely be limited to lightweight ripstop nylon fabric which is frequently in fun and bright colors. I want to make a kite that is unique and looks more showy than some of the typical rainbow or single color kites. A big sewing project is something I am excited for and is also outside my comfort zone so even though a boldly colored kite won’t be outside of my comfort zone, undertaking this project does feel like a challenge.

An environment of my past that has definitely influenced my love for being playful and colorful is the summer camps I attended for many years while growing up. The two camps I attended for multiple years were joyous places filled with a common passion for being goofy and being open-minded about fun. A kite probably best fits at the circus camp, since juggling and flow arts are one of the focuses. The circus tents and props were also always fun colors and were definitely an influence on my love of patterned textiles.

A recent experience that was an inspiration for making a kite was flying my friend’s kite this weekend. It was my first time flying a kite that had two strings and after a bit of a learning curve I had a lot of fun. I had only ever flown single string kites, but with two you can control which way the kite flies and spins. Flying the kite this weekend also reminded me of a really wonderful afternoon flying kites with Pop (my grandfather), sister and cousins.

[1] https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2199157923471476&set=pb.100027725484642.-2207520000&type=3

[2] https://www.redbubble.com/i/ipad-case/Sage-Green-Aesthetic-Flowers-by-Ruva22K/93933100.MNKGF

[3] https://prokitesusa.com/products/50-airfoil-stunt-kite?_pos=6&_sid=9cf635290&_ss=r