Hi all.

Ed Chee came to stay with us last year, and he really opened my eyes about how fast a really good twister can be. While I don't advocate that a fast twister is better than a slower twister, I feel all of us would like to be faster than we are, and that we become better by getting faster.

Since his visit, my time per sculpture has easily halved if not more so, to the point where I have closed a line off with what i thought was 30 minutes to go, and would have finished in about 10 minutes if i didn't make things more complex.

Duplexing (tying two balloons together with one knot) and redesigning older designs so they can be made with a duplex is one of the key tips I am now actively using.

What else have people noticed has increased their speed, or even slowed them down?

This could be an interesting topic Charles, why would one want to twist faster in a line work or entertaining situation. Mind you I suppose it depends how slow you are in the first place.
I have just finished doing 20 dates at a theme park in Southend twisting and worked out that roughly I make around 12 sculptures an hour but while making them I like to think I'm interacting and entertaining those who are waiting for a balloon.

I can see the point of twisting faster when making decor or competition pieces as I have been told by many that time is money which is not something that I worry about to often,
the fun and enjoyment are more important to myself.

Hi Graham. Hopefully this won't get into the pro's and cons of speed VS not so speedy, which is not the intention of this at all, and likely a topic for a whole different thread.

But what has really blown me away, is after 10 years of twisting, my whole approach to sculptures now is to see ways to do them faster, easier, and with less stress on myself.

This does not by any means me I simply want to get faster, but I do want the ability to be able to CHOOSE to be faster when I want the choice, and to know the ways to do it.

As mentioned above, duplexing is a great speed tip that also allows even more time to entertain. I am now inflating and tying both the 260 head of my mermaid and her 160 hair at the same time and tying one knot. The great thing is, speed tips also are easier on your body, in this example there are 3 benefits at least.

1. One knot vs two = easier on the hands and less stress on each balloon so lower chance of air loss.
2. Both balloons are knotted together, no chance of one flying away, being grabbed by someone else or coming off if untwisted by the recipient (ie easier for repair if needed, often prevents the need for repair).
3. Faster, and easier, means it allows more relaxed entertainment from me, for longer periods of time before I get tired. As i occasionally do 5+ hour gigs, this is important...

A second great tip was to reduce the usual bubble sixes you use, so less measurement is needed. Myself, i used to measure bubbles against themselves, especially making arms and legs etc, holding them next to each other before twisting the second one.

Now, I typically only use 3 sizes of small bubbles (with exceptions). 1 finger, 2 fingers and four fingers. So now there is no measurement needed, the bubbles sizes are always even unless there's a specific need for a different length.

Again, let me stress, this is NOT about pumping out 60 balloons an hour. This is about freeing up our time and bodies so we can entertain as well as create, and make much better designs in the same situation...

What other tips have others come across?

Oh well, I guess it's not as interesting as we thought Graham. So I'll, share another couple...

Often when making marriage twists for human figures (eg white shirt but blush arm) I find the tulip/marriage twist can take a lot time to get right.

In most situations, two pinchtwists on the white shirt are more than suitable instead, and take seconds to attach the arms...

Also, often I attach looped balloons such as dog ears or butterfly wings to pinch twists on sculptures, now I don't pinch twist the bubble until holding the looped balloon next to it, so the attachment is done during the creation of the pinch twist...

I like your suggestions and agree with most of them.

I don't limit my bubble sizes - at least consciously.

I constantly rework my balloons in my head. I do this as I'm making them so I think to myself, AH! Next time do this or that - and it'll cut out time.

Anytime three loops are required I leave the length of balloon soft enough to make one big loop then split it into three (like making a 3 petal flower). Fabrizio's pink panther design is the perfect example. The muzzle is a pink 350 with two even loops and one slightly larger loop.

On Caldwell's ride inside car. each tire is made from half a black 350. Instead of splitting it, I use half the air for one tire, stretch the uninflated balloon to the next set of pinch twists (8"), and then use the second half of the same 350 to make the front tire.

I think working fast allows for more interaction time between balloons.

Anyone who's seen me work will tell you that my hands are a blur but I rarely look at them. I mainly work by feel. Everyone can make a 3 twist dog behind their back, try making more complex stuff just by using your peripheral vision. Like juggling.

Any more speed twisting tips, I'd love to here them.

thought of another.

When I make a dog, after I've made the base (the head and body) and am ready to add the ears/nose. I inflate the 260 or 350 all the way and tie off. I snap off enough of the far end of the balloon for the nose and hold that in my mouth. I deflate some of the ear portion and tie off what I need. I inflate a 5" round to ~ 2" and tie it off to the nose. I make the muzzle of my dog as a loop so at this point I just tuck the nose through the loop and you have instant nose/tongue - a condition treated with penicillin.

While your doing all of that - noone can figure out what the heck your doing. It's a lot of fun. I usually hold the black/red bubble set up to my eyes like they're going to be the dogs eyes. but that doesn't really make sense because they're two different colors. It can be fun. and it's fast.

So to clarify, Sean.

When you make a different coloured nose, you also tie a pink/red round to it, and use the knot between both of the to attach the nose and tongue at the same time?

That's great, as the nose attachment can often take longer than needed for a locktwisted dog snout... Thanks for your tips so far.

That's correct Charles. But instead of a lock twisted snout, mine is a loop. The "nose-tongue" duplet is shoved through the loop and then pulled forward. I pull the nose more forward than the tongue, but you do what you want.

Ps. For the tongue, the end scrap of 260 or 350 works well.

another tip:

In order to make my artwork go faster, I'll use my white paint marker first so that it gives it time to dry. But on certain sculptures, I'll do the white paint marker before I add the last balloon. That way, when I'm ready for artwork, the paint is dry.

Check out the current competition. have I managed it with the latest addition Sean?

Almost. The tongue is inflated when I do it.

The nose and tongue are tied together tightly and the excess is discarded.


The nose is rolled through the snout loop and positioned.


For this model you can get the Ears, Tail, and Nose out of one black 260.
The body is 1 goldenrod 260.
The eyes I'll just use marker on the goldenrod if I'm busy, I'll add the white if I'm not.
The tongue can either be a 260 scrap like in the pictures or a 5" round under-inflated.

I should mention that the ears/tail design is taken from Thelma's Pluto parody. I hadn't thought of having the ears stand up or the simple, puffed tail (with a small bubble at the base of course).