Practical design.
Thoughtful restraint.




KITE GRAPHICS



HANK MANSEAU MEMORIAL KITE



A personal tribute expressed through motion, contrast, and structure.



PROJECT OVERVIEW



Hank Manseau was my mentor in the kite-flying world. We spent many hours talking, experimenting, and flying together—especially at Bug Light Park in South Portland. After Hank passed, I wanted to remember him through the activity that brought us together.



The Problem



Memorial kites are often white, using simplicity and restraint to express remembrance. That approach did not feel like Hank. A tribute to him needed to reflect his personality while still functioning as a real kite—not simply as a decorative graphic.



The Idea



I selected a 3DO, a playful variation on the name of the traditional Edo kite. Its tall, narrow silhouette provided a strong vertical structure and a distinctive upper area for color. Instead of white, I used Hank’s favorite combination: red, orange, gold, and black. Broad diagonal bands move across the sail, creating energy and direction even when the kite is standing still.



The Development



I developed the pattern as a flat graphic, balancing bold blocks of color with the structural requirements of a sewn sail. Paul and Helene Morgan of Sky Bums Kites in England translated my design into the finished kite. Their fabrication preserved its proportions, contrast, and clean directional movement.



Outcome



The finished kite is personal rather than ceremonial. It connects color, place, mentorship, and flight in a single functional object. Bug Light remains an important part of the story because it is where Hank and I spent so many days flying together. When the kite moves through the air, the tribute feels active—much like the friendship it represents.



Jim Desrosiers



jim@jimdes.com