How To Open Decorative Japanese Fan

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Fans were used in China many thousands of years of years ago. They were, and still are, fabricated out of many different materials such equally silk, paper, feathers, and palm leaves. Interestingly, the folded paper fan was actually developed in Japan and introduced to China during the 10th or 11th Century via Korea. A uncomplicated paper version of a Chinese fan can exist fabricated at dwelling using basic items.

1
Buy the correct paper. You volition desire to become to your nearest craft shop and purchase a piece of card stock, or thick paper, that is at least 3ft. 10 9in. You can choose either a basic color (red, black, blue, etc.) or a more than intricate pattern (animals, flowers, architecture, etc.). Yous can also create your ain pattern on a piece of cardstock. Traditional Asian designs might be harder to find, so yous may have to search online. You can utilize this website as a good reference point: http://silkfans.com/.^[ane] ^[ii]
- Thick paper, like card stock, volition let your fan to terminal a lot longer than traditional paper will.
- You can besides choose plain white menu stock, and draw your own pattern on it.
- Do non worry if your piece of paper is too large, yous can just cutting it downwards to the proper size afterwards on.
two
Draw your own design. This step is strictly optional if you wish to draw your own design. The best things to employ for this fan projection are crayons, colored pencils, or pen. Magic markers are okay every bit long as you have bought thick enough paper (the colors might bleed through). You may also consider mixed media coloration, such as cartoon an outline in pen, and then filling in the blueprint with watercolors.^[3]http://world wide web.activityvillage.co.uk/chinese-fan-arts and crafts
- If yous make up one's mind to use watercolor paint, make sure to paint the lighter colors outset, then nighttime colors, and finally add your details. Between each layer of paint, give your painting fourth dimension enough to dry. For more data on watercolor painting, visit this link: How to Paint With Watercolors
- Brand certain before y'all begin drawing or painting that you measure, with a ruler, the dimensions of your fan. In general, your fan design should be around 3ft. X 9in. If your design goes over these limits slightly, you can adjust for it later.
- Exercise non add together "extras" yet, such as glitter, buttons, or chaplet. These will be added on at the cease of your project.
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3
Cull the correct fabric. If you make up one's mind to brand a silk fan, it works the same way a newspaper fan does. You will demand to go to your local arts and crafts store to find a slice of silk you desire. If it is non prepackaged, you will take to ask an employee to cut it straight off the bolt for y'all. You accept many options here, whether it be plain colors, or designed silks. For a reference to more traditional Asian designed silks, visit this link: http://silkfans.com/.^[four]
- Call back that you will need a slice of fabric that is at least 3ft. 10 9in. If yous take a piece of silk at home y'all want to use, but is not the correct size, y'all tin can hands cut it down afterwards.
- Ownership apparently colored silks, like white or light blue, let you the option of applying your own pattern. Because silk is delicate, it is best to utilize pen or marker rather than paint. You also adventure dissentious your pattern if you paint it on, every bit you will be folding the piece of silk.
- Try to buy a thicker silk, equally this will brand your fan last longer.
iv
Cut out a rectangle. Take hold of your piece of paper, or fabric, and lay it down face apartment on a smooth tabular array. Use a ruler, and measure out a rectangle that is 3ft. 10 9in. You can use the corner of the ruler to make right angles. Draw the rectangle with a light pencil mark, so that it does not evidence through.^[five] ^[6] ^[7]
- Take a pair of scissors, or a rotary cutter, and cut out your rectangle. If this is your starting time time making a Chinese fan, yous may desire to cutting a bit outside of the rectangle to give yourself a piffling more elbowroom.
- Make sure if you use a rotary cutter that you are cut on a safe surface like a plastic or metal cutting board. Rotary cutters easily slice through surfaces made of woods.

one

Mensurate out fold marks for your rectangle. Place your rectangle vertically, face up down. Take a ruler, and on one of the long sides, depict a minor pencil mark every one-half-inch. Do this until you lot become to the bottom of the rectangle. Do the same thing on the other long side, making a pencil marker every one-half-inch.^[eight] ^[nine]
2
Make indentations in your rectangle. Find a ballpoint pen and take the cap off. Place your ruler on your rectangle, connecting ii marks (i on each long side) that are directly autonomously from one some other. Run the pointy cease of the cap between the two pencil marks, connecting them. Apply enough pressure then that you tin see an indentation in the newspaper or fabric.
- Do this between every two pencil marks that are directly across from one another.
- When you are done, you should have a piece of paper or fabric that has an indentation going across it every half-inch. These indentations are where you volition fold your fan.
3
Squeeze box fold your rectangle. Lay your rectangle vertically, face down. Start at the bottom, by taking the bottom edge in your hands. Fold upwardly along the indentation you made. Flip your rectangle over, so that it is yet vertical, but face up. Accept the bottom edge (the indentation you simply folded) in your easily. Fold it up along the adjacent indentation mark.^[x] ^[11] ^[12]
- Continue to echo this stride until you lot take folded the unabridged rectangle. Flip, fold upwards, flip fold upwards, etc. Always keep your previously folded section near you when you flip your rectangle.
- If you want to, you can run a ruler downward each fold you make so that the creases are sharper. However, if y'all have painted on a pattern, it could be damaged by adding pressure level to the fold. Keep this in mind, and continue with circumspection.
iv
Wrap the bottom of your accordion. Starting time, printing your accordion together, and place a semi-heavy object, similar a paperweight, on top of information technology. Next, you volition want to leave some masking record. Apply a scissors to cut a strip of masking tape that is 1/2 inch wide, and 7-eight inches long. Take your tightly folded piano accordion and position information technology vertically. Wrap this strip of tape around the bottom of your accordion while it is still scrunched together.^[13]
- If you have a design that has to be displayed a certain orientation, make sure that you place the tape on the bottom finish of that design.
- Do non leave any gaps at the lesser. Place the edge of the tape right on the edge of the bottom of the accordion.
- Keep the accordion pressed tightly together as you wrap the tape. When you stop taping, the wrap should feel secure. If yous think it is still loose, wrap another slice of record (same size) on acme of the one you already laid down. By the time you lot are done, the bottom 1/2 inch of your fan should be completely wrapped.
5
Glue on popsicle sticks. Find two popsicle sticks that are at least 9-x inches long, and but one/2 inch wide. Your folded accordion has ii flat sides, and two scrunches sides. Use some normal Elmer'south mucilage, or super glue, and glue down one popsicle stick on each of the flat sides. Spread some glue on one apartment side at a time, in the space that is non covered past tape.^[xiv] ^[xv]
- The popsicle stick should exist placed right confronting the record, non over top information technology. This should leave you lot with at least an inch of overhang, depending on the length of your popsicle stick.
- Subsequently you become done gluing the kickoff popsicle stick, identify the paperweight back on top of it. Let information technology sit for 20 minutes earlier y'all flip it over and glue the second popsicle stick on.
- Practice the same with the 2d popsicle stick. Identify the paperweight overtop of it for 20 minutes before you move on to further steps.

one
Stain or pigment your popsicle sticks. This is a strictly optional footstep, but which volition add another dimension to your fan. Buy some standard forest stain or acrylic paint in whatever color or shade you like. Chinese fans unremarkably use a reddish stain on the forest handles, but you should cull something which compliments your design.^[16]
- Take a minor paintbrush, and apply pocket-size brushstrokes to i of the popsicle sticks. Brand sure to go both the top, sides, and the dorsum of the exposed stop.
- Let one popsicle stick dry earlier you turn it over. It is best to await a solar day in between each, but you should at least requite it an 60 minutes or so.
- If you go the acrylic paint route, y'all can add together painted designs after you utilise an initial base coat. Y'all might want to keep the pattern from your fan onto the popsicle sticks, or add together in something gratis. Brand sure to buy a smaller paintbrush for the finer details.
2
Add extra detail to your fan. This could mean any number of things. You might want to glue on buttons or beads to the popsicle sticks. You can use glitter glue to highlight the edges of your popsicle sticks, or utilise it to highlight the edges of the actual fan.^[17]
- The important thing is to be artistic without adding as well much. Remember, this is a fan which will by necessity take on a lot of wear and tear. Likewise many beads, or add-ons may make the fan too heavy, or make information technology damage relatively quicker than it normally would.
3

Open and close your fan. Your fan needs "practice" and then that the creases continuously open and close the same way. Every day, try to open and close your fan 3-four times. Practise this for a calendar week straight and so you become used to how it opens and closes. The creases of your fan will become more permanent.^[xviii]
4
Exercise waving your fan. If y'all are just using your fan at church to go along you cool, you can wave and concord your fan any manner y'all wish. However, if yous are going out to the opera, there is a more sophisticated mode to concur your fan. Open your fan half-way (half a circle) and identify it in front of your face, and so that other people would just exist able to run into your optics and olfactory organ.^[nineteen]
- Your manus will hold the fan at the bottom center of the half circle. Identify your thumb on the exterior of the fan (ornament side). Your other four fingers volition be placed on the inside (non-decoration side).
- Gently wave the fan towards your face. If the fan comes into contact, move the fan away slightly. The goal is to absurd yourself off, show off your fan, and too demonstrate your level of composure.
5

Leave your fan open up. Certainly the goal of this project is to create a contractible fan. Nevertheless, if your fan stays closed for too long, the pattern y'all take on information technology can become worn and damaged. Afterward you are washed using it for the night, and y'all are abode, open the fan up. Lay it down on a flat surface, or hang it upwardly on the wall as a home ornament.

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Question

Where can I find Popsicle sticks that long?

Online or at any local craft shop, like Hobby Lobby.
Question

How would you open the fan if the popsicle sticks are glued together?

TheThinkingPanda Zhao

Community Answer

The sticks aren't glued together, simply the ends are attached past a pivot. The sticks are glued to the membrane of the fan.

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Video

Find stencils online to print, cut, and trace around if you are not that practiced at drawing.
Necktie a ribbon effectually your fan to keep it folded together.^[20]

Thank you for submitting a tip for review!

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If you leave your fan closed for as well long, the blueprint can become damaged and worn so you need to open and shut it frequently.
Be conscientious when you use scissors and/or a rotary cutter. These are very precipitous objects that demand to exist handled with extreme care. If yous are under the age of 14 seek adult supervision.

About This Article

Article Summary 10

To make a Chinese fan, start by cutting out a 3-foot by ix-inch rectangle from a piece of thick paper. And so, rotate the rectangle so it's vertical, and mark every one/2 inch from the meridian to the lesser. Next, accordion fold the paper along the marks you fabricated, and wrap masking tape effectually one of the ends to give the folded paper a fan shape. Finally, glue 2 popsicle sticks on each flat side of your fan to make the handles. To learn how to decorate your Chinese fan when y'all're finished, curlicue downwards!

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