SMALL ELMO

This is a smaller version of the previous elmo using a small bear head for the body and legs. I have used a red round for the face and a raisin which doesn't give the correct shapre. Shonna's version is better using a link-a-loon. This will be popular with the children.

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HIPPO

This hippo face is really good. Effectively the lower part of the bear head is made into a massive pinch twist for the mouth. Another bear head is used for the body. I am not sure my artwork does this design much justice but I really do like this one.

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FEMALE HIPPO

This hippo uses a balloon weave for the dress. Quite rightly Shonna refers viewers to the DVDs of David Grist and mentions that proceeds from sales goes to his family. This is a nice touch and I like to see credit given when it is due. Therefore if you do not know this technique then you may be a little stuffed here.

This hippo is well constructed. Clearly more time consuming than the other designs and therefore not suitable for line work. The whole model assembles together nicely and I can see the dress and legs sections being adapted for other designs.

Great stuff...

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SIMPLY SHONNA

This little girl has a lovely hair design that is secured with two raisins inside a heart. The hair is very effective as are the bunches uses a series of pinch twists. The body is the usual simple small bear head. You are unlikely to make this for line work but easily adaptable for restaurants or when you have a little more time.

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MOOSE

Unfortunately I did make this balloon earlier today and didn't take a photo at the time. Some three hours later the head is deflated so I have cheated and taken a copy of Shonna's efforts!

A nice variation of the hippo balloon. The antlers are simple but making two pinch twists on top of the bear head may be a little challenging for some but it comes with practice. The balloon weave used for the dress and arms is not explained so if you do not know how to do this you will need to seek another information source.

I can see this one being useful for a team mascot of some kind and this can be easily adapted. This is the most complicated design on the DVD.

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SUMMARY

As previously mentioned, the quality of this DVD is excellent. I had no problem navigating the menus or understanding the audio. Shonna's (and family - her daughter I think) are excellent tutors and whilst exact measurements are not given, it is easy enough to size the balloons correctly. Shonna has a good sense of humour and I particularly admire the way she credits and recommends other balloon artists.

The use of big bear heads for me are for those people who are looking for a quick way to put together fairly large sculptures with minimal effort and skill. Without doubt, a bear head will cut down queue times, will cause less physical stress to fingers and will probably allow you to charge a higher price for your models. So IF this is what you are looking for, then bear heads are a fantastic investment and this DVD comes highly recommended.

For me, (and I don't mean to sound big 'bear' headed), my current designs are much more impressive, even for line work, and I do feel that substituting my intricate designs for a 'lazy' bear head body is somehow devaluing the art form for what my audience has paid for. This comment is not to criticise Shonna's DVD or designs, i'm not, I am just explaining how the use of bear heads may not add anything to the more advanced twister. I would be very keen to see how bear heads can be incorporated into more advance designs and in fact Shonna's Son, Dustin, gives a sneak peak of a cartoon dinosaur which looks fantastic. Now if designs like that were possible I would be buying loads of bear heads!

Hopefully my comments are taken as they are intended and that is for each of you to make an informed decision about what bear heads can offer to you and how they may suit your current working style and image.

I still love the rabbit and that is the one design that I will make regularly!

Shonna has supplied me with some more bear head DVDs so maybe my opinion will change as I work through them.

I've just had a quick scan through Shonna's next DVD entitled Exotic Birds and Sea Creatures. The designs on here look perfect for me! - stay tuned....

Thanks so much for this review!  I have been interested in Shonna's columns with "balloons to go" and it is nice to see some of her balloons up close.  I think I will purchase this DVD because I want to give the columns a try.  The balloon guys are cute, big, fast and I think would be perfect for "close the line" items.  Thank you for all the time you invest in your reviews.  They are so helpful!!

I recently got Shonna's "Quick and Impressive" DVD (which is mostly an updated version of her first Bearhead DVD and I also got her Parody DVD.  Although I wouldn't use all of the ones on her DVDs, it seems like there are some characters (anything cartoony or stuffed-animal-like) that are just perfect for using Bearhead balloons and they turn out adorable.  For me, that includes things like the bunny, cow, Doughboy, Elmo (her Quick & Impressive DVD has a slightly different Elmo), Cookie Monster, Smurfs, Mario, Snoopy, and Snowman.

Vol. 1 was made in 2009 I believe.  I was going to stop having it produced, but people kept asking for it.   It is a better quality than the newer ones, something I am hoping to fix with the next 3 we are planning for 2013.

Even though the quality of production on my Quick and Impressive DVD is not as good, (makes me furious as I paid the videographer 3x's as much!), that is the one I would most recommend myself to others if you are looking for quick and impressive balloons.
I honestly make approximately 30 design's per hour with the sculptures on it and those designs are my companies bread and butter.

If you ever see us with other twisters at an event, our line is the longest, but moves the fastest.   I just got back from a cruise and the program director told me that they had more positive compliments from my work than they have ever had--was commented that the captian's family was throughly enjoying the Gingerbread Man, Snowman and Rudolph.

Unfortunately there was another twister there that used only 260's and although he did make some decent designs, compared to the Big Bear Heads, his looked a little sad.   Kids and adults were leaving the cruise ship hugging 3 to 10 of my designs all looking like they had just been made.    

I did not see any of the 260 designs leaving the ship, but then I may not have been looking hard enough.

I would be the first to admit that my designs are very basic and simple, however, that is what makes them so versitile and popular with non-balloon people.   While we look for the art of a design and the complexity, your client most likely wants speed and durability.  
The most popular design on the ship was the 360 Penguin though, which does not use any Big Bear Heads.

Hi Shonna

That is excellent feedback - thank you. I would have to agree with your comments about durability and I omitted that from my review. The bear heads last a long time, considerably more than a 260Q.

As I said before, if you frequently deal with long lines and need something quick and impressive, bear heads will allow you to achieve this.

I just found this old promo clip from 2009.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcn3bnuu0vE