Balloon Review 065 - Exotic Birds & Sea Creatures by Simply Shonna

Available from TBA

The second DVD review of Shonna's DVDs incorporating the big bear heads. The first DVD review focused on fairly quick and easy designs. This one contains some more complex designs.

For these reviews I have not included my usual kit list as I have swapped colours around from the original designs but I am sure it is easy enough to see what balloons you need.

PLEASE NOTE, WHILST THIS DVD WAS SUPPLIED FREE OF CHARGE MY REVIEW AS EVER IS UNBIASED AND IMPARTIAL!

Let's see what we have here....

COCKATOO

My main Cockatoo has been Patrick Van de Ven's version which is superb but when time is limited this design of Shonna's is a quick and easy way to get a reasonable model. Using the bear head all that remains is to add some of the finer details. The only problem to some may be with the use of a raisin to hold on the beak but other than that it is straightforward. Not fast enough for line work but you could get away with a restaurant environment or as a pre-made model.

[attachment=0:1x92qe01][/attachment]cockatoo.jpg[/attachment:1x92qe01]

WHALE

This is a fantastic design. With this one, the bear head is folded in half and tied to resemble a kidney shape. The natural un-inflated bear ear provides a useful attachment point and raisins are used to attach the water spout. The bear balloon gives a really wonderful shape to the design. I feel the mismatch of colours between Betallatex and Qualatex needs some thought but this one was very well received at my party at the weekend. I love it!

[attachment=0:14yk8f80][/attachment]whale.jpg[/attachment:14yk8f80]

PARROT

A variation on the Cockatoo but this time the parrot has a mixture of long tail feathers. Fairly quick to make and easily adaptable by adding different colours.

[attachment=0:2oz5ljhg][/attachment]parrot.jpg[/attachment:2oz5ljhg]

The whale has been one of my most popular designs but it is a little tricky for fast line work.   The hardest part is learning where to place the arisen for the water spout and white piece to form the mouth.
It is very helpful to under inflate the big bear head.

SEAGULL

Another bird variation and this one is the incredibly easy Seagull. For me it is the choice of colours (grey/white/orange) which really makes it look like a seagull. I do like this one and would be perfect to add to a decor piece.

[attachment=0:3ibq6m8a][/attachment]seagull.jpg[/attachment:3ibq6m8a]

PELICAN

This one is just like the Seagull except there is a slight variation on the feet and a rather clever pelican beak plus an added tail. The beak uses a fully inflated heart to give the beak the right sort of shape. I used a Qualatex heart with a very short neck (I think I remember the new Qualatex hearts having a longer neck and I know Sempertex do which work so much better).

An interesting variation on the standard design.

[attachment=0:2ikb6l3e][/attachment]pelican.jpg[/attachment:2ikb6l3e]

I just wanted to point out that since the DVD was made, I have had black Bear Heads made which work great for an Orca.

Also, I have found that if I make the raisen twist (beak connection) first, it makes it much easier to make the birds.   I can go much faster with all the designs that way as the balloon is not as senitive.

SEAL

I first saw a design very similar to this on the Too Much Time on My Hands DVD. I really love this seal design but I'm not so sure it works that well all in white. I will have to combine the colours to make it look better. This model uses two raisins to secure the eyes and the front legs but it isn't particularly hard to make if you use large raisins and keep the bear head very soft. A nice design and one I will be using again. I decided to put my onto a ball which I think looks quite nice.

[attachment=0:3h568n5g][/attachment]seal.jpg[/attachment:3h568n5g]

LOBSTER

Another design using the 'kidney' shaped bear head balloons. I really like this one. Very quick and easy to make with the final model being impressive and large in size. The only addition I made was to add another pinch twist and a 1.5" bubble underneath the legs to hold them all in position.

[attachment=0:21ww8bjq][/attachment]lobster.jpg[/attachment:21ww8bjq]

SEAHORSE

Another 'kidney' shaped variation. This seahorse should look better than I have done as I didn't use a sempertex heart or a qualatex heart with a longer neck but you get the idea. A good design but I could have done a much better job!

[attachment=0:1vfgx4gn][/attachment]seahorse.jpg[/attachment:1vfgx4gn]

This is more what mine normally look like.   Both Qualatex and Betallic/Sempertex make a heart that has a longer neck now.
I find this design to be a little tricky, but it has gotten much easier with practice.

I am not sure I am suppose to post here in your review, but I thought adding a picture showing the underside of the lobster might help people vision it better.   I personally love this and so do people in my area.   I only made a few of them on our cruise, but the ones I made were a huge hit.

Oh, an I also make it slightly different than the directions on the DVD now.   The more you make something, the more little tweeks you can put in it or improve it to work better for you.  

Shonna,

If your posts enhance my review then please go ahead.

FLAMINGO

Another use of the kidney shaped big bear head this time for a flamingo. My favourite flamingo right now has to Pieter Van Engen's (see here 033-balloon-art-dvd-pieter-van-engen-progress-t5197.html) but this one is so much faster, much simpler and very effective so if time is against me I will use this one.

A nice design.

[attachment=0:55is5ppd][/attachment]flamingo.jpg[/attachment:55is5ppd]