Curved Kite Rainbow

Concept

Curved Kites

The Curved Kites collection shows arrangements of a series of so-called curved kites, whose dimensions correspond to Fibonacci numbers. A curved kite is an interesting geometric figure that resembles a stingray or a curved kite.

The edge of a curved kite consists of three quarter circles. The two small quarter circles of the same size meet in the pointed tail of the kite. The large quarter circle connects the other ends of the small quarter circles and meets them at a 45° angle.

If the small quarter circles have a radius r, then the large quarter circle has a radius R = √2·r.

A curved kite has the amazing property that its area is exactly r², where r is the radius of the small quarter circles. Consequently, this curved kite has the area of the square in which one of its quarter circles is embedded (see figure below). The curved kite thus shows a kind of “squaring of the circles”.

Curved Kite Rainbow is a simple form of curved kites that uses only half-kites, which are created when a kite is cut in half vertically by the pointed tail. These half-kites are stacked horizontally according to their Fibonacci size, with the sharp tips all starting at the same point. The half-kites are stacked so that the larger kites lie on top of the smaller ones. Because the larger kites have thinner tips, you can see all (infinitely many) kites and their colours at the origin of the figure.

The second tip of each half-kite stands vertically upwards. It is these tips that give the resulting figure the resemblance to a dragon’s tail (see also the picture Curved Kite Dragon’s Tail).

The colours of the Curved Kite Rainbow were chosen to resemble the course of a rainbow, and the name was chosen accordingly. The rainbow colours are semi-transparent so that the kites at the back still show through.

More images from the Curved Kite series: