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Amy KurtzmanTechnical Writer

Writing Sample

P.O. Box 1865 • Cupertino, CA 95015 • 408-313-1064email: [email protected] • web: http://www.amykurtzman.com/

P .O . BO X 1 8 65 CU P ERTI NO , C A 9 50 1 5

tel 4 0 8. 3 1 3 . 1 06 4 email am k .w r i t es @g ma i l .co m web h t tp : / /w w w. amy k ur t z ma n. co m/

AMY KURTZMAN P R OF IL E Innovative, detail-oriented technical writer seeking a position where I can leverage my background in technical

writing and software development to contribute to the company’s success.

E X P E R I E NCE QUALI TY R AT E R, GOO GL E , I NC. MO UNTAI N V I E W , CAL IFOR NIA 2 0 0 5– 20 0 6 ( CO NT RA CT)

Analyzed and researched search engine results for specific queries. Evaluated relevance and usefulness of web pages for specific queries

according to a classification scale and detailed criteria provided by Google.

Performed comparative analysis and ranking of sets of search engine

results. Worked with fellow team members to resolve disagreements on categorizations and achieve a consensus. Position required self training by

reading extensive project manuals. Project-based, part-time position.

SOFTWARE ENGINEER, KAISER ELECTRONICS, INC., SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 1993–1999, 2001 (CONTRACT) Using object-oriented methodology, designed, developed, tested, and

documented real-time, embedded graphical cockpit-display software for

F18E/F aircraft and Comanche helicopters. Designed, developed, and tested PC-based test tools and utility programs. Developed automated test

scripts, test procedure documents, and test reports. Participated in all

phases of the software development life cycle. Wrote software in Ada, C++, and the proprietary, hardware-specific assembly language for a custom

graphics engine. Reviewed software component design, code, test plans,

and documentation for technical accuracy and adherence to program standards. Produced all documentation using Adobe FrameMaker and

Microsoft Word according to strict customer-provided style guides.

TECHNICAL WRITER (INFORMATION DEVELOPER), IBM, INC., PERSONAL PRODUCTS DIVISION, BOCA RATON, FLORIDA 1992–1993 Updated a programming guide and reference manual for the OS/2 Graphics

Programming Interface API. Produced single-sourced printed manuals and

online help using BookMaster and Interactive Presentation Facility (IPF) to

create multiple products from the same set of input files. Wrote documents according to the company style guide and The Chicago Manual of Style.

E DUC AT I O N M.S., Library Science—University of Southern California, Los Angeles

B.A., Mathematics and Computer Science—California State University,

Long Beach

B.A., Spanish—San Francisco State University

A.A., Technical Writing—De Anza College, Cupertino, California

Certificate in Object-Oriented Programming—University of California,

Santa Cruz Extension, Silicon Valley

SK I LL S

Adobe Products FrameMaker Photoshop Illustrator InDesign Flash Dreamweaver

Microsoft Office Word Excel PowerPoint Outlook Access Project

Style Guides The Chicago Manual of Style Apple Publications Style Guide Microsoft Manual of Style for

Technical Publications Military Standards

Tools and Languages C C++ Objective-C Cocoa (Apple framework) Java JavaScript XML DTD HTML XHTML CSS SQL Xcode UML

Version Control Systems Subversion CVS

Platforms Windows Unix Mac OS X

About This Writing Sample

Paper Crafts for Children: a Guide for Parents is a manual that I wrote for a Technical Publications class. In this class, each student wrote a manual on a topic they knew nothing about by interviewing another student who was a subject matter expert for the topic. Writers and subject matter experts were paired up by the instructor.

This manual demonstrates my ability to organize, research, format, and write a complete document from scratch.

Paper Crafts for Children

a guide for parents

Amy Kurtzman

ii

Copyright © 2006 by Amy Kurtzman

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,

photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written authorization from the

author. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the

author assumes no responsibilities for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from

the use of the information contained herein.

Published by

The Kurtzman Press

San Jose, California

Printed in the United States of America

This book was produced on a Macintosh computer using Microsoft Word 2004, Adobe

Photoshop CS, Adobe Acrobat 6 Professional, and OmniGraffle 4.

Composed in Gil Sans Ultra Bold, Gil Sans, and Baskerville.

Printed on 32 lb., 98 brightness inkjet paper with a coated matte finish.

Printer: HP PSC 2510 Photosmart all-in-one inkjet printer

iii

Contents INTRODUCTION 1

CRAFTS AND YOUR FAMILY 1

Benefits for Your Children 1

Benefits for You 2

TEACHING CRAFTS 2

BEFORE YOU START 3

OVERVIEW 4

ORIGAMI 5

MATERIALS 5

ABOUT ORIGAMI DIAGRAMS 7

BASIC FOLDS 8

Making a Valley Fold 8

Making a Mountain Fold 9

ORIGAMI PROJECTS 10

Making Great Models 10

Making a Cat 11

Making a Samurai Helmet 14

Making a Water Bomb 18

TROUBLESHOOTING 24

iv

PAPIER MÂCHÉ 25

MATERIALS 26

MAKING A BOWL 26

Getting Started 27

Building the Bowl 28

Adding the Base 29

Adding Handles 30

Decorating the Bowl 32

TROUBLESHOOTING 33

MALAYSIAN WAU 35

MATERIALS 37

MAKING A WAU BULAN 38

Making the Bamboo Sticks 39 Cutting the Bamboo 40 Curing the Sticks 42

Building the Frame 43 Making the Wing 44 Making the Tail 44 Assembling the Frame 45

Covering the Frame 46 Cutting Out the Paper Wing and Tail 47 Creating a Design on the Wing and Tail 48 Decorating the Wing and Tail 50 Attaching the Wing and Tail to the Frame 51

TROUBLESHOOTING 52

GLOSSARY 53

INDEX 55

1

Introduction When you think back on your childhood, what are your fondest

memories? If you are anything like me, your best memories probably

involve spending time with your parents and siblings, playing together

and having fun as a family.

Would you like to spend more time having family fun? Do you wonder

how to make memories for your children without breaking the bank?

Memorable activities don’t have to be expensive. Exotic vacations may

be fun, but they aren’t the only way to have a good time and make

memories. You can have fun right at home doing inexpensive paper

crafts together. Crafting as a family is rewarding and provides lasting

memories for both you and your children.

Crafts and Your Family When you are doing crafts together, your kids aren’t sitting passively in

front of the television or playing endless video games. While the kids

are engrossed in a craft project, their minds are actively engaged. They

are thinking, doing, creating, and learning.

Encouraging creativity in your children is essential, and you are the

ideal person to do that. Creative people invent, imagine, communicate,

problem solve, and view the world in unique ways. A creative spirit will

guide your children as they progress through life and keep them from

imposing limits on themselves.

Benefits for Your Children In addition to providing a great way to spend quality time together,

crafting affords many other benefits. Doing crafts benefits your

children in diverse ways:

Develops fine motor skills

Increases hand-eye coordination

Develops concentration


2

Develops the ability to follow instructions

Develops creativity

Encourages artistic expression

Gives them a sense of accomplishment

Keeps them occupied and away from the television

Benefits for You Crafting with your children has benefits for you, too:

Increases your own patience as you help them learn

Helps you understand their skill levels and abilities

Helps you discover their special talents

Lets you see the world through their eyes

Provides the enjoyment of watching them learn something new

Teaching Crafts When you teach crafts to your children, remember that they are

unfettered by preconceived notions of how things should be—children

view the world in unique ways that are entirely different from the way

adults view it. Don’t be disappointed if their project turns out looking

entirely different than you expected it would; instead, be proud and

take delight in how they express themselves through art. Your children

will put their personal stamp on the project using their own special

brand of imagination and creativity.

Here are some tips for teaching crafts to your children:

Have the children help set up and clean up.

Teach the children about the origins of the craft and the

culture it comes from.

Do the craft right along with the kids so you can demonstrate

each step to them.

Origami

Introduction 3

If your child is having difficulty, provide additional guidance

and assistance as necessary, but don’t take over.

Don’t criticize.

Be patient!

Be lavish with your praise.

Tailor the length of the craft session to your child’s age and

attention span. With very young children, try starting with

short, 15 to 30 minute sessions; older children may enjoy

longer sessions of up to an hour or more.

Before You Start A little advance planning will make your craft sessions go smoothly.

Here are some tips for getting ready for craft sessions with your kids:

Create a craft area or craft closet to store basic craft supplies. If

the supplies are stored together, you won’t waste any time

searching for tools and materials.

Read the crafting instructions in advance, and make sure you

have all of the necessary supplies on hand.

Take the kids along when you shop for supplies and let them

pick out some of the supplies in colors they like.

Select age-appropriate craft projects.

Pick a time for the craft session when you can work without

interruption and continually supervise the session.

Set up the craft area beforehand, but save a few tasks for your

children, such as getting the scissors, markers, or glue.

If practical, make a sample of the craft to show your children

so they know what it looks like.

If making a sample in advance is impractical, have a photo

ready to show your children.


4

Overview This guide presents detailed instructions for three fun and inexpensive

paper crafts you can do with your children:

Origami—the Japanese art of paper folding

Papier mâché—art from ordinary paper, glue, and paint

Wau bulan—traditional Malaysian kite making

5

Origami Origami is the centuries old Japanese art of paper folding. In Japanese,

ori means to fold and kami means paper. When doing origami, you

make a sequence of folds in a particular order to produce paper models

that resemble real-world animals and objects.

Origami models were first created in ancient Japan for use during

religious ceremonies. Originally only practiced by the rich, origami

grew popular throughout Japanese society once affordable paper

became widely available in the 1600s.

In this section, we’ll learn how to fold some simple models that are fun

and easy for kids: a cat, a samurai helmet, and a water bomb.

Materials Paper squares are all you need to do origami. Traditional origami

paper has patterns or solid colors on the front and is plain white on the

back:

Standard-size sheets of origami paper are 57⁄8 inches square, but you

can use any size paper you want as long as it is perfectly square. The

size of your finished model will depend on the paper size you choose. If

you want to make larger models, try big pieces of patterned scrapbook

paper, which are commonly available in 12-inch squares.


6

You can get origami paper by:

Purchasing it at a local craft or art store.

Nationwide craft store chains, such as Jo-Ann or Michaels, sell

origami paper, but their selection is limited.

Ordering it online.

Specialized online stores have the widest selection of sizes and

colors. Some reputable online sources to try are: Kim’s Crane,

at http://www.kimscrane.com/ and OrigamiUSA Source, at

http://www.origami-usa.org/thesource/agora.cgi.

Making it yourself.

Making your own origami paper is a great option because you

can make any size paper you want, and you can have even

more fun decorating it. Before folding the homemade squares,

have the kids decorate one side of each sheet with crayons,

markers, or watercolors. Another easy way to decorate your

homemade origami paper is by printing patterned sheets from

your computer. You can find a selection of printable origami

paper at http://www.thekhans.me.uk/origami/paper.php.

You can make your own origami paper from 8 x 11-inch

sheets of paper. To make an 8 -inch square sheet, cut a 2 -

inch wide strip off the top of an 8 x 11-inch sheet of paper.

This rotary paper trimmer made by Fiskars is safer to use than

an old-fashioned guillotine-style cutter:

Origami

7

About Origami Diagrams Originally, no one wrote down instructions for making different

origami models; instead, the skills were passed down from generation

to generation. Today, origami models are folded from diagrams that

use a standard international notation system and have few or no

accompanying instructions. Here is a list of the basic symbols used in

origami diagrams and what they mean:

Table 1: Origami Symbols

Symbol Description Meaning

valley fold line Make a valley fold along the

line

mountain fold

line

Make a mountain fold along

the line

crease An existing crease line, used

as a reference point

guide line An imaginary line, used as a

reference point

fold

Fold the paper in the

direction indicated by the

arrow

unfold Unfold the indicated fold

fold and

unfold

Fold the paper in the

direction indicated by the

open arrow and then unfold

the paper

turn Turn the paper over


8

Basic Folds Every origami model starts out with either of the two most basic

origami folds. The only difference in these two folds is the direction in

which you fold the paper. The two basic origami folds are:

Valley fold

Mountain fold

Making a Valley Fold A valley fold creates a concave fold in the paper. When you make a

valley fold, you fold the paper towards yourself. A diagram for a valley

fold and the corresponding valley fold on the paper looks like this:

To make the valley fold illustrated above:

1. Position the paper with the colored side down.

2. Fold the paper along the valley fold line.

Be sure to carefully line up the edges and corners as you fold

the paper towards yourself.

3. Run your finger firmly along the fold line to make a sharp crease.

Origami

9

Making a Mountain Fold A mountain fold creates a convex fold in the paper. When you make a

mountain fold, you fold the paper away from yourself. A diagram for a

mountain fold and the corresponding mountain fold on the paper looks

like this:

To make the mountain fold illustrated above:

1. Position the paper with the colored side face down.

2. Fold the paper along the mountain fold line.

Be sure to carefully line up the edge and corners as you fold

the paper away from yourself.

3. Run your finger firmly along the fold line to make a sharp crease.


10

Origami Projects The origami projects are presented in order of increasing difficulty.

The first project, a cat, is very simple to fold—only four valley folds.

The next project, the samurai helmet is also fairly simple, but adds

more folds. The final project, the water bomb, is more complex and

involves repeating folds on all corners and sides of the paper.

The following sections show you how to make simple origami models:

Making Great Models

Making a Cat

Making a Samurai Helmet

Making a Water Bomb

Making Great Models To make great origami models you need to fold precisely and follow

the diagrams and instructions carefully. Before you start, make sure

you are familiar with the basic symbols described in Table 1. Here are

some tips for making great models:

Study the diagrams and instructions before you start folding.

Position the paper the way it is shown in the diagram.

Always look ahead to the next diagram to help you visualize

the way the paper should look.

Fold on a hard, flat surface. Don’t fold the paper while holding

it up in the air, and don’t leave a tablecloth on the table.

Be precise. Carefully line up the corners and edges of the

paper, especially at the beginning. If you start off with uneven

folds, things will only get worse and it will be more difficult to

line up the later folds properly.

Make sharp creases. If you have trouble making good creases

with your fingers, try using a smooth-sided, fat pen to make the

crease. A capped Sharpie marker works well for this purpose.

Origami

11

Making a Cat A cat is a great model to start out with because it is very simple to fold

and fun to decorate with crayons or markers. Use a solid color paper if

you are going to decorate your cats.

Here’s an origami cat that has a whimsical face drawn with a black

Sharpie marker:

To fold a cat:



12

2. Fold the paper in half diagonally.

3. Fold the tip of the triangle down to the guide line.

The guide line is the dotted line in the center of the triangle.

4. Fold the bottom right corner up towards the right side of the top fold.

This fold can be tricky to line up. You can line it up perfectly

by making a tiny crease at the bottom center and holding the

edge next to the top right corner as you make the crease.

Origami

13

5. Fold the bottom left corner up towards the left side of the top fold.

This fold can be tricky to line up. You can line it up perfectly

by making a tiny crease at the bottom center and holding the

edge next to the top left corner as you make the crease.

6. Turn the paper over.

7. Draw a cat face.


14

Making a Samurai Helmet If you use large squares of unprinted newsprint paper for the samurai

helmets, your kids can decorate and wear their finished helmets. The

helmets are great props for creative playacting.

Here are some origami samurai helmets:

To fold a samurai helmet:


Origami

15

2. Fold the paper in half diagonally.

3. Fold the left and right corners of the base of the triangle up so they meet at the top of the triangle.

The paper forms a square.

4. Fold the left and right sides of the top layer down, so they meet at the bottom tip of the square.


16

5. Rotate the square 180°.

6. Fold the loose corners outward at an angle.

7. Fold the top layer of the bottom of the square up along a line just below the center.

Origami

17

8. Fold the top layer up along the center line.

9. Fold the remaining layer of paper up and tuck it inside the hat.


18

Making a Water Bomb The water bomb is slightly more complex to fold. If you use sturdy

paper, the bombs will actually hold water long enough for the kids to

play with them outside for a little while.

Here are some origami water bombs:

To fold a water bomb:


Origami

19

2. Valley fold and unfold the paper diagonally from the bottom left corner to the top right corner.

3. Valley fold and unfold the paper diagonally from the bottom right corner to the top left corner.

4. Mountain fold and unfold the paper horizontally.


20

5. Push the elevated sides of the mountain fold together.

The paper begins to form a triangle.

6. Collapse the paper down into a triangle.

7. Fold the left and right corners of the top layer up to meet at the tip of the triangle.

Origami

21


9. Fold the left and right corners up to meet at the tip of the triangle.

10. Fold the top layer of each side to the center.


22

11. Fold the tip of each side down.

12. Fold each tip diagonally and tuck it inside the opening.


Origami

23

14. Repeat steps 10 through 12 on the other side.

15. Put your finger between the layers to open them.

16. Blow into the hole at the end to open the water bomb.


24

Troubleshooting You shouldn’t run into any trouble while folding paper, but sometimes

things do go wrong. Follow the folding instructions for each model

carefully, and refer to the table below to help solve any problems you

might encounter while practicing origami.

Problem Cause Solution

Edges and corners were not properly aligned

before creasing the paper.

Start over with a fresh sheet of paper and try

again.

Line up the corners

and edges carefully

before creasing along

the fold line.

The edges of the paper don’t line up

properly.

Homemade paper was

not cut straight.

Make a new sheet of

origami paper, making

sure each edge is cut

perfectly straight.

The model doesn’t look like the picture.

A folding step was skipped or done

improperly.

Start over with a fresh sheet of paper and try

again.

Pay careful attention to

the folding instructions.

Review the meanings

of the symbols used in

the diagrams (refer to

Table 1).

Review the procedures

for the basic folds

beginning on page 8.

25

Papier Mâché Papier Mâché is an art form in which paper and glue are used to create

decorative and useful objects. In spite of its French name, which means

“chewed paper,” papier mâché originated in China. The term papier

mâché is used to refer to both the mixture of paper and glue as well as

objects created with it.

The bowl you learn to make in this section is constructed using the

layering method of papier mâché. Figure 1 and Figure 2 show

examples of bowls made with this method.

Papier Mâché is the messiest craft in this guide. Dress your kids in old

clothes and protect your work area with extra newspapers.

Figure 1: A papier mâché bowl with handles

Figure 2: A papier mâché bowl without handles


26

Materials Most of the supplies you need are common household items that you

probably already have on hand. To do papier mâché you need:

2 quart saucepan

flour and water

white craft glue

marker pen

old newspapers

balloons

paintbrushes

empty cereal boxes

scissors

masking tape

emulsion paint

varnish

Making a Bowl Plan to spend several days on your papier mâché project. After you

apply each group of 2 or 3 layers of papier mâché, the bowl must dry

overnight. The lengthy drying time works out well, because it divides

the papier mâché process into short daily craft sessions.

The following sections teach you how to make a papier mâché bowl

similar to the one shown in Figure 1:

Getting Started

Building the Bowl

Adding the Base

Adding Handles

Decorating the Bowl

Malaysian Wau

27

Homemade Papier Mâché Glue Use the list of ingredients on the left if you want a thin glue or the list on the right if you prefer a thicker glue.

Thin Glue Thick Glue 5 cups water 5 cups water

cup sifted flour 1 cup sifted flour

1 cup cold water 3 cups cold water

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a 2 -quart saucepan. Mix

the flour and cold water together in a bowl until completely

smooth. Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the boiling water.

Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 2

to 3 minutes, until the glue thickens. Let the glue cool to room

temperature.

Getting Started To get started, you need to make papier mâché glue and a pile of

newspaper strips. Older kids can help by stirring the glue, and kids of

all ages have fun tearing up newspaper.

To get started:

1. Make homemade papier mâché glue using the recipe at the bottom of this page.

You must supervise your children closely and make sure they

use potholders while they are working at the stove.

2. Set the glue aside to cool.

You can hasten the cooling process by stirring it occasionally.

3. Tear sheets of newspaper into strips.

The strips should be about 1-inch wide and 4- to 6-inches long.

The strip size does not need to be precise, and the strips do not

need to be identical. You want to keep the strips relatively

short so they are easy to keep smooth and don’t tangle when

you apply glue to them. Make about 25 strips per bowl for

your initial supply; the kids can tear up more strips later.


28

Building the Bowl A papier mâché bowl is very easy to make. After you learn the basic

construction techniques, you can make bowls in different styles. You

can vary the size and appearance of your bowls by using larger or

smaller molds, by changing the height of the bowl, or by changing the

style of the base or handles. In this section, you learn the basic method

of layering papier mâché on a mold.

To build the bowl:

1. Blow up a balloon and tie a knot in the end.

The size of the balloon dictates the size of your bowl. If you

want a smaller bowl, you can inflate the balloon less.

2. Place the balloon into a narrow container.

The container holds the balloon upright while you work.

3. Apply glue to a strip of newspaper using a paintbrush.

4. Lay the strip of newspaper over the balloon.

5. Smooth out the paper.

Carefully remove all wrinkles and air

bubbles to ensure the surface of your

finished bowl is perfectly smooth.

6. Continue placing strips of glue-laden newspaper over the balloon until you have covered the top and sides of the balloon with one layer of paper.

You should arrange the newspaper

strips in a slightly overlapping pattern. The strips should

overlap by about of the width of each strip.

Malaysian Wau

29

7. Continue layering the balloon (steps 3 through 6) until you have completely covered the top and sides of the balloon with 2 or 3 layers of paper.

You don’t have to go all the way up the sides of the balloon,

just a little higher than the height you want the bowl to be.

8. Allow the bowl to dry thoroughly.

9. Repeat the layering and drying process (steps 3 through 8) as necessary.

The number of layers you need depends on the thickness of

your paper strips, your layering technique, and the look you

want to achieve. Keep layering until the wall of the bowl is

built up sufficiently. You will probably need at least 7 or 8

layers of paper.


11. Pop the balloon.

12. Discard the remnants of the balloon.

Adding the Base To be useful, the bowl must have a flat bottom to prevent it from

tipping over. You can make the base from an empty cardboard cereal

box. Make the base smaller than the top opening of the bowl.

To add a base to the bowl:

1. Cut out a cardboard circle.


30

2. Glue the circle to the bottom of the bowl.

Use white craft glue to secure the base. Position the circle

carefully so it is perfectly centered.

3. Allow the glue to dry overnight.

Let the glue dry thoroughly so the base doesn’t move out of the

proper position when you apply the papier mâché strips.

4. Layer the base with papier mâché.

Use the same basic techniques you learned in “Building the

Bowl” on page 28.


Adding Handles The handles are similar to the base in that you make them from an

empty cardboard cereal box. Handles are an optional feature. You can

vary the look of your bowl by changing the shape of the handles or by

leaving them off entirely. Figure 2 shows a stylish bowl made using the

same basic techniques, but without handles.

Even if you leave off the handles, you still need to trim the top of the

bowl evenly. You can make the bowl any height you like; however, you

do need to trim off at least enough to make the bowl the same height

all around.

Unleash your creativity and personalize your bowl. The top edge

doesn’t have to be perfectly flat and straight—you might want to try

making a fancy scalloped edge along the rim of the bowl or creating a

rounded edge.

Malaysian Wau

31

To add handles to the bowl:

1. Trim the top edge of the bowl.

Hold a ruler up next to the bowl and draw a line around the

outside to mark the desired height. Then, cut along the line

with a craft knife.

2. Cut out 2 cardboard circles.

These circles will become the handles for the bowl. You can

make the handles any size you like, but they should be smaller

than the base.

3. Cut an opening in each handle from the edge to the center.

4. Slide the opening in each handle over the top edge of the bowl.

Position the handles on opposite sides of the bowl. If the sides

of your bowl are very thick, you may need to enlarge the

opening just a bit to put them in place. However, keep the fit

as snug as possible so the handles do not wiggle later.

5. Tape the handles in place.

6. Layer the handles with papier mâché.



32

Decorating the Bowl You can make the same basic style of

bowl look very different by varying the

colors and designs you paint on the

inside and outside. Figure 3 shows

several ideas for painting your bowls.

Varnish provides a finishing touch that

both preserves the bowl and makes it

shiny. Be sure to allow the paint to dry

for a day or two before varnishing.

To decorate the bowl:

1. Apply a base coat of emulsion paint.

You will need to apply 2 or 3

coats of paint to create a solid

base color with no newsprint

showing through.

2. Allow the base coat to dry.

3. Draw an outline of your design on the bowl.

Drawing the design onto the

bowl is optional. Skip this step if

you prefer to paint the design

freehand.

4. Paint the design.

5. Allow the paint to dry.

6. Varnish the bowl.

Figure 3: Colorful papier mâché bowls

Malaysian Wau

33

Troubleshooting You shouldn’t run into any trouble while making a papier mâché

object, but sometimes things do go wrong. Follow the papier mâché

instructions carefully, and refer to the table below to help solve any

problems you might encounter while practicing papier mâché.


Papier Mâché mixture is not

sticky enough

The glue was not prepared properly.

Make a new batch of glue. Be sure to measure the flour and water carefully

and follow the recipe instructions

precisely.

Finished piece is

lumpy

The paper strips must be

layered evenly to produce

a piece with a smooth

finish.

Remember to meticulously smooth

and remove wrinkles from each strip

of paper as you apply them.

The balloon was not tied

properly.

Make sure you knot the balloon

securely.

Balloon shrinks

The air inside the balloon

cooled, causing the

balloon to contract.

Always keep your project in an area

where the temperature does not

fluctuate.

Balloon bursts The air inside the balloon

became heated, causing the balloon to expand.

Always keep your project in an area

where the temperature does not fluctuate.

35

Figure 4: A wau bulan

Malaysian Wau A Malaysian wau (pronounced “wow”) is an artistically designed and

brightly decorated kite made in a traditional style. The colorful designs

on the kite are reminiscent of a stained-glass window. The kites are

constructed from materials readily available in Malaysia centuries ago:

bamboo, string, and paper.

Three traditional types of wau are made in the provinces of Malaysia:

wau bulan, the moon kite (see Figure 4); wau kuching, the cat kite; and,

wau merak, the peacock kite.

A traditional wau design incorporates a vine coming out of a vase on

the tail of the kite; a large flower in the center of the wing; and,

numerous leaves, flowers, and buds throughout both the wing and tail.

Each element of the design carries a specific symbolic meaning. The

long, meandering vine that weaves throughout the design symbolizes


36

the twists and turns of the kite maker’s life—the longer and more

twisted the vine, the longer and more interesting the kite maker’s life.

The large central flower is called the ibu, or mother of all life. The full

flowers represent mature women, while the small buds represent

younger women.

Figure 5: A close-up of the ibu on the wing

Malaysian families make and fly kites at festivals and competitions

throughout the harvest season. If an especially beautiful kite survives

the harvest season, it might be used later as a wall decoration.

Traditionally, the art of kite making was passed down from father to

son, but today members of the younger generation may learn how to

make a wau from someone outside the family.

The basic wau consists of a bamboo frame that is covered with

decorated paper. Bamboo is used for the frame because it is

lightweight, strong, and when properly cured, flexible. The paper

selected for the kite should also be lightweight. If the kite is too heavy,

it will not fly.

A wau may also include some optional features. These added features

may be purely decorative, or they may also provide specific functions.

A bow and string added at the top of the wau creates a unique sound

while the kite is flying. A small triangular piece added to the top of the

wau enhances flight performance. Decorative paper tassels in

complementary colors may be attached to the top of the kite and tied

between the tips of the wing and tail.

Malaysian Wau

37

Materials The paper colors specified below are the ones you need to make a wau

similar to the one in Figure 4. Of course, you can make your wau in

any color combination that catches your fancy; however, be sure you

include some shiny papers that will sparkle in the sunlight.

To construct a wau you need:

1 bamboo cane, about 2-inches in diameter

or 6 ready-made bamboo sticks

utility knife, for cutting bamboo

safety glasses, for cutting bamboo

heavy leather gloves, for cutting bamboo

medium grit sandpaper, for sanding bamboo

X-Acto knife for cutting paper

cutting mat

scissors

white pencil

string

glue

2 sheets of black paper, each several inches larger than the

planned wingspan and tail span

2 sheets of shiny gold paper, each several inches larger than the

planned wingspan and tail span

shiny silver paper

bright turquoise paper

bright pink paper


38

Making a Wau Bulan Making a wau is a lengthy process. The bamboo needs time to cure

before the frame can be assembled, and the layers of decorated paper

need time to dry before they can be pasted onto the frame. Plan to

spend several weeks making the wau. You can shorten the amount of

time it takes to make a wau by using ready-made bamboo sticks.

You can make the wau any size you like, as long it is built with the

correct proportions. If the kite is not proportioned correctly, it will not

fly. In a correctly proportioned kite, the wingspan is equal to the length

of the spine. Be sure to measure the wingspan from tip to tip.

The following sections show you how to make a wau bulan similar to

the one shown in Figure 4:

Making the Bamboo Sticks

Building the Frame

Covering the Frame

Malaysian Wau

39

Making the Bamboo Sticks To make bamboo sticks you cut a large piece of bamboo into thin

sticks and then cure them. Curing the bamboo sticks makes them

flexible enough to bend easily and retain their new curves when you

form the traditional shapes of the wau.

You should make the bamboo sticks well in advance because they need

two weeks to cure outdoors in the sun. If the weather suddenly turns

damp or rainy while you are curing the sticks, you will need to start the

curing period over.

Only five or six bamboo sticks are needed for the wau. However, you

should cut plenty of extra sticks in case you break some while

constructing the frame.

Cutting bamboo is difficult and should only be done by an adult. If you are not an experienced woodworker and the idea of

making the bamboo sticks yourself is too daunting, you should

purchase ready-made sticks. Ready-made bamboo sticks can be

difficult to find in the United States, so you may need to substitute a

different type of wood. A good substitute for bamboo is balsa wood.

Balsa wood sticks are quite flexible and readily available in local craft

stores or hobby shops. Look for sticks that are about -inch wide and 3/32-inch thick.

If you are an intrepid woodworker and plan to make the bamboo sticks

yourself, the following sections explain how to do it:

Cutting the Bamboo

Curing the Sticks


40

Cutting the Bamboo Although your children will not be doing the actual bamboo cutting,

they can still participate by watching from a safe distance while you cut

the bamboo. While cutting the bamboo, teach the children about

bamboo. They will be surprised to learn that bamboo is a grass.

When cutting the bamboo sticks, you should take appropriate safety

precautions. In particular, hand protection and eye protection are

required. Heavy leather gloves must be worn to protect your hands

while cutting the bamboo. The gloves will protect your hands from

both accidental knife cuts and injury from the sharp sides of the cut

bamboo. Both you and your children must wear safety goggles to

protect your eyes in case any pieces of bamboo go flying.

A bamboo cane that is about 2-inches in diameter has a circumference

of about 6 inches. From a cane of this size, you can make 24 sticks that

are about -inch wide. That will give you plenty of spare sticks in case

you break some while constructing the wau. If you are fortunate, you

won’t break many sticks and will have enough left over to make

another wau.

When you cut the bamboo, you first

make pieces that are half the size of the

full piece of cane. Next, these pieces are

cut into pieces that are one-sixth the size

of the full cane. Finally, each of those

pieces are cut into quarters. The photo

on the right shows the relative size of the

bamboo pieces at each stage of the

cutting procedure. The top piece is the

half-size piece; the next piece down is the

one-sixth-size piece; and, the bottom four

pieces, which are cut from the one-sixth-

size pieces, show the final size of each

stick.

Malaysian Wau

41

To cut the bamboo cane into sticks:

1. Split the bamboo cane in half lengthwise.

When you are done, you will have 2 large pieces of bamboo.

2. Split each half into 3 equal-size pieces.

To split each half, first cut a one-inch wide piece and then cut

the remaining piece in half.

The photo below illustrates the first cut on this piece. Notice

that the first cut splits off 1/3 of the piece and leaves 2/3 of the

piece remaining.

Now you have 6 one-inch-wide sticks.

3. Split each one-inch stick into 4 pieces.

To split each one-inch stick, first cut it in half and then cut

each resulting piece in half.

This photo illustrates the first cut of a one-inch piece:

Now you have twenty-four -inch-wide sticks.

4. Sand the cut sides of each stick using medium grit sandpaper.

The cut sides of the bamboo are very sharp and must be

sanded so you don’t injure your hands while assembling the

frame later.


42

Curing the Sticks The curing process entails soaking the sticks in water and then letting

them dry in the sun for two weeks. Select a sunny location in your yard

to dry the sticks. The sticks should be placed on an elevated rack to dry

so air can circulate freely around them. If you don’t have a drying rack

for the sticks, you can improvise one with bricks or large stones.

To cure the bamboo sticks:

1. Soak the bamboo sticks in water for 48 hours.

2. Remove the bamboo sticks from the water.

3. Arrange the bamboo sticks on an elevated rack in a sunny outdoor location.

4. Rotate the sticks a quarter turn clockwise each day.

Turning allows all portions of the stick to get exposure to the

sun so it will cure evenly.

5. Allow the sticks to dry in the sun for 2 weeks.

Malaysian Wau

43

Building the Frame The wau frame consists of three parts: the spine, the wing, and the tail.

To build the frame, you must first bend and tie the bamboo sticks to

form the wing and the tail. These pieces are then attached to the spine

with string. Figure 6 shows how the frame will look after it is

assembled.

The following sections describe how to build the frame:

Making the Wing

Making the Tail

Assembling the Frame

Figure 6: A completed wau frame


44

Making the Wing You make the wing by bending and shaping two bamboo sticks and

then tying them together. Use Figure 6 as a guide for shaping the wing.

When shaping the wing, take care to distribute the curve of the wing

equally to the left and right sides. The tip-to-tip wing measurement

should be equal to the length of the spine.

To make the wing:

1. Bend 2 bamboo sticks into an elongated U-shape.

2. Arrange the two sticks so that the top U is upside-down and the ends of the stick cross.

3. Tie the two sticks together on the left side.

4. Tie the two sticks together on the right side.

Making the Tail The method of tail construction is similar to that of the wing—two

sticks are bent and shaped, and then tied together. Use Figure 6 as a

guide for shaping the tail.

To make the tail:

1. Bend 2 bamboo sticks into an elongated U-shape.

2. Arrange the two sticks so they are both oriented in the same direction, with the U right-side up, and the top stick crosses over the bottom stick.

3. Tie the two sticks together on the left side.

4. Tie the two sticks together on the right side.

Malaysian Wau

45

Assembling the Frame The frame is assembled by tying the wing and tail to the frame with

string. Refer to Figure 6 for the positioning of the wing and tail along

the spine. For a sturdy frame, make sure you tie each knot securely.

To assemble the frame:

1. Mark the spine at the points where the wing and tail will be attached.

2. Mark the top and bottom center points on the wing and tail.

3. Tie the top center of the wing onto the spine.

4. Tie the bottom center of the wing onto the spine.

5. Tie the top of the tail to the spine.

6. Tie the bottom of the tail to the spine.


46

Covering the Frame The bright paper covering on the wing and tail is a distinguishing

feature of the wau. To cover the frame with paper, you first cut black

paper and gold paper into the shapes of the wing and the tail. Next,

you draw or trace a traditional design onto the black paper and cut

along the outlines of the design to form a lacy, open pattern. Then you

paste pieces of brightly colored paper behind the openings, and finish

off by pasting on a layer of shiny gold paper that covers the entire back

of the wing. Finally, paste the decorated paper to the wau Bulan frame.

The following sections describe how to cover the frame:

Cutting Out the Paper Wing and Tail

Creating a Design on the Wing and Tail

Decorating the Wing and Tail

Attaching the Wing and Tail to the Frame

Malaysian Wau

47

Cutting Out the Paper Wing and Tail Working with folded paper, you cut out four shaped pieces—a shiny

gold piece and a black piece for both the wing and the tail. Folding the

paper ensures the wing and tail are symmetrical. If you use a white

pencil when drawing on the black paper, the outline shows up better

and is easier to follow as you cut it out.

To cut out the paper wing and tail:

1. Fold a piece of black paper in half.

2. Place the wing on top of the paper.

Position the frame so the spine is lying along the folded edge of

the paper.

3. Trace the outline of one side of the wing onto the paper.

4. Fold a piece of gold paper in half.

5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 using the gold paper.

6. Fold another piece of black paper in half.

7. Place the tail on top of the paper.

Position the frame so the spine is lying along the folded edge of

the paper.

8. Trace the outline of one side of the tail onto the paper.

9. Fold another piece of gold paper in half.

10. Repeat steps 7 and 8 using the gold paper.

11. Cut out the black wing and tail shapes, leaving a 1-inch margin outside the lines you traced.

12. Cut out the gold wing and tail along the traced line.


48

Creating a Design on the Wing and Tail Traditionally, the wing and tail are inscribed with a design consisting of

leaves, vines, and flowers. You create the design by drawing an outline

on folded paper and then carefully cutting it out using an X-Acto knife.

The cut-outs form a lacy, open pattern.

You can draw the design either freehand or by tracing around

templates. You can easily make your own templates out of cardboard.

To make your own templates, simply draw shapes on cardboard and

cut them out with scissors. The advantage of using templates is that

each instance of a particular shape will be identical. Having identical

shapes is important to the symmetry of the design.

When you are finished creating the lacy cut-out design on the wing and

tail, they should look similar to the illustration below:

X-Acto knives are very sharp. Older children may be allowed to do the

cutting, but they must be closely supervised while using a knife. Take

this opportunity to teach your children how to handle knives safely.

Also, make sure you protect your work surface by using a cutting mat.

Malaysian Wau

49

To create the wing and tail designs:

1. Fold the black wing in half.

Use the same fold line you created when you cut out the wing.

Working with a folded wing ensures the finished design is

symmetrical.

2. Draw or trace a design on the folded wing.

3. Fold the black tail in half.

Use the same fold line you created when you cut out the tail.

4. Draw or trace a design on the folded tail.

5. Cut out the wing design using an X-Acto knife.

This photo gives you a closer look at the wing design:

6. Cut out the tail design using an X-Acto knife.

This photo gives you a closer look at the tail design:


50

Decorating the Wing and Tail The wau in Figure 4 is made with silver, turquoise, pink, and gold

paper pasted to the black wing and tail pieces. Although you may have

chosen a different color scheme, when you are done adding the colored

paper, the wing will look similar to the illustration below.

To decorate the paper:

1. Lay the black wing face down on your work surface.

2. Paste pieces of colored paper over some of the holes in the black wing.

Leave some of the holes open so the final layer of gold paper

will show through.

3. Lay the black tail face down on your work surface.

4. Paste pieces of colored paper over some of the holes in the tail.

Leave some of the holes open so the final layer of gold paper

will show through.

5. Paste the gold wing over the layer of colored paper pieces on the wing.

6. Paste the gold tail over the layer of colored paper pieces on the tail.

7. Allow the wing and tail pieces to dry.

Malaysian Wau

51

Attaching the Wing and Tail to the Frame Once the paper wing and tail have been decorated and have had time

to dry thoroughly, you can attach them to the frame.

To attach the decorated paper wing and tail to the frame:

1. Make a 1-inch, vertical cut at the top and bottom centers of the paper wing and tail.

These slits will help you fold the paper pieces around the spine

neatly. Be careful to limit the cut to the 1-inch margin area you

left when you cut out the paper pieces. You do not want to cut

into the main part of each piece.

2. Lay the wing face down on a flat surface.

3. Lay the frame face down on top of the paper wing.

To keep the design centered properly, you should orient the

frame so the bamboo wing is sitting directly over the paper

wing and the spine is aligned with the fold line.

4. Fold the edge of the paper wing over the bamboo wing.

Start folding at the top center, next to the slit you made in the

margin, and work your way clockwise all around the wing.

5. Paste the folded edge to the back of the paper wing.

The paper wing now encases the bamboo wing.

6. Lay the tail face down on a flat surface.

7. Lay the frame face down on top of the paper tail.

To keep the design centered properly, you should orient the

frame so the bamboo tail is sitting directly over the paper tail

and the spine is aligned with the fold line.

8. Fold the edge of the paper tail over the bamboo tail.

Start folding at the top center, next to the slit you made in the

margin, and work your way clockwise all around the tail.

9. Paste the folded edge to the back of the paper tail.

The paper tail now encases the bamboo tail.


52

Troubleshooting You shouldn’t run into any trouble while building your wau, but

sometimes things do go wrong. Follow the kite making instructions

carefully, and refer to the table below to help solve any problems you

might encounter while building your wau.


The sticks were not cured properly.

Make sure you cure the sticks for a full 2 weeks.

Bamboo sticks keep breaking

Too much force

was exerted on the

sticks.

Use less force when bending the sticks into

the traditional shapes.

The wau is too

heavy.

Use a maximum of 3 layers of paper when

making the wings and tail.

The frame is the

wrong size.

The frame must be built with the correct

proportions. Measure carefully to ensure the

spine and wingspan are equal.

The wau won’t

fly

The frame is not

balanced.

Add a small triangular wing to the top of the

wau.

53

Glossary curing The process of soaking and sun-drying bamboo sticks

prior to use.

ibu The central flower in a traditional wau design. It

symbolizes the mother of all life.

model A finished origami object.

mold A form used to shape papier mâché objects.

mountain fold

A basic origami fold in which the paper is folded in a

backward motion.

origami The Japanese art of paper folding.

papier mâché

A mixture of paper, flour, and water used to make

decorative and useful objects. Also, objects created

from the mixture.

spine The backbone of the wau.

valley fold A basic origami fold in which the paper is folded in a

forward motion.

wau A traditional Malaysian kite.

wingspan The length of the wau’s wing, measured across from

tip to tip.

55

Index

A

attention span 3

B

balloon 28, 29, 33

balsa wood 39

bamboo 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44,

51, 52, 53

curing 38, 39, 42, 52, 53

cutting 39, 40

sticks 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 53

benefits of crafting 1, 2

black paper 37, 46, 47

bomb, water 5, 10, 18, 23

bowl 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

base 15, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

handles 28, 30, 31

C

cat 5, 10, 11, 13, 35, 58

crafts 1, 2, 3, 4

benefits 1, 2

planning 3

session 3, 26

session length 3

teaching 2

creativity 1, 2, 14, 30

curing bamboo 38, 39, 42, 52, 53

E

emulsion paint 26, 32

F

Fiskars 6

folds

basic 24

mountain 7, 9, 20, 53

valley 7, 8, 10, 53

G

glossary 53

glue

for papier mâché 3, 4, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 33,

37

gold paper 37, 46, 47, 50

H

helmet, samurai 5, 10, 14

K

knife

utility 37

X-Acto 37, 48, 49

L

layering method 25

M

Malaysian Wau 4, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 43,

46, 50, 52, 53, 58


56

frame 36, 38, 39, 41, 43, 45, 46, 47, 51, 52

origin 35, 53

spine 38, 43, 44, 45, 47, 51, 52, 53

tail 35, 36, 37, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50,

51, 52

troubleshooting 52

wing 35, 36, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50,

51, 52, 53

mountain fold 7, 9, 20, 53

N

newspaper 27, 28

O

origami 4, 5, 7, 10, 58

basic folds 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 24, 53

cat 5, 10, 11, 13, 35, 58

origin 5

paper 5, 6

samurai helmet 5, 10, 14, 17

symbols 7, 10, 24

tips 10

troubleshooting 24

water bomb 5, 10, 18, 23

origami paper 5, 6, 24

homemade 6

printable 6

origins

of Malaysian Wau 35, 53

of origami 5

of papier mâché 25

P

paint, emulsion 26, 32

paper

black 37, 46, 47

gold 37, 46, 47, 50

origami 5, 6, 24

papier mâché 27, 28

pink 37, 50

silver 37

turquoise 37, 50

wau 37, 46, 47, 50

paper trimmer 6

papier mâché 4, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 33, 53,

58

bowl 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

emulsion paint 26, 32

glue 3, 4, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 33, 37

layering method 25

origin 25

strip size 27

troubleshooting 33

varnish 26

pink paper 37, 50

printable origami paper 6

R

recipe

for papier mâché glue 27

S

samurai helmet 5, 10, 14, 17

silver paper 37

sticks, bamboo 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 53

strip size 27

symbols, origami 7, 10, 24

T

teaching crafts 2

tips, origami 10

troubleshooting

Malaysian Wau 52

origami 24

papier mâché 33

turquoise paper 37, 50

U

utility knife 37

Index

57

V

valley fold 7, 8, 10, 53

varnish 26

W

water bomb 5, 10, 18, 23

wau bulan 35, 38

wood

balsa 39

bamboo 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43,

44, 51, 53

X

X-Acto knife 37, 48, 49


58

Photo Credits Origami cat cover photo courtesy of Atheen Hills, Atheen’s Creative

Crafts, http://www.atheenscreativecrafts.com/.

Origami paper samples on page 5, courtesy of Miya Cline, The Paper

Crane, http://www.thepapercraneorigami.com/.

All other origami photos by Amy Kurtzman.

Papier mâché photos courtesy of Jackie Hall, The Papier Mâché Resource, http://www.papiermache.co.uk/.

Malaysian wau bulan photos courtesy of Alwiyah Fez, Al-Fez’s Photo Gallery, http://al-fez.fotopages.com/.

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