How to Make a Paper Japanese Kimono Man
Japanese paper dolls dressed in traditional garb teach children about the history and changing fashions of Japan. March 3 is a holiday that focuses on dolls; it is called Hina Matsuri. Japanese men wear kimonos that reflect their social status. Younger people wear bright colors, while elders wear darker, more subtle choices. Kimonos are always wrapped with the left side over the top of the right side, except in death. White is also a kimono color reserved for death.
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Things You'll Need
- Poster board paper, medium weight
- Pencil
- Markers
- Scissors
- Colored construction papers
- White glue
- Tape
Instructions
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1
Draw a human outline, gingerbread style, onto the poster board; make this form 7 to 9 inches tall. Details are not necessary on this shape, keep it simple.
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2
Make a face and hair with markers; this project embellishes only the front of the paper doll. During the Edo period, Japanese men had a shaved portion in the center of their heads; a topknot at the back of the head is another male hair style from Japanese history.
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3
Lay the paper figure onto the colored paper of your choice; trace 1/4 of an inch out from your figure, around the legs from the waist down to the ankles. This will become the front face of the loose-fitting pants known as hakama, worn by the upper class.
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4
Cut the hakama piece out. Glue this front view hakama onto the doll with the edges overhanging the figure's form.
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5
Cut a piece of paper 1 inch by 4 inches long, fold in half lengthwise and cut in half to make two 2-inch pieces. Place these diagonally across the chest of your figure, from the shoulders to the waist, with the folded side up. This will suggest the collar of the undergarments. Glue in place and trim at the shoulders to fit next to the body contours.
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6
Cut out a 1/2-inch-by-2-inch piece of contrasting paper. Lay this straight across the waist and glue in place as the male haramaki or waistband. Trim so that the edges are in line with the pants at the waist.
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7
Place the doll on top of another piece of colored paper. Draw a line 1/4 of an inch out from the edge of the figure; trace from shoulders, loosely around arms, across at the wrists and down both sides to the middle of the thigh. Cut this shape out for the kimono.
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8
Make a v-shaped cut at the neckline; slice up the center of this shape to make two sides of the kimono. Lay them on top of the doll with the left side placed over the right side and glue in place.
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9
Decorate using markers, with a repeating pattern. Traditional Japanese patterns often involve flowers, leaves, dragons and repetitive geometric shapes. Natural forms are sometimes placed inside circular shapes and placed at equal intervals across the surface.
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10
Tape the edges down over the back at the shoulders and any other areas where you want a closer fit.
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References
- Photo Credit kimono design iii image by Craig Hanson from Fotolia.com
