"Just A Bit"

Started by Bonnie, September 14, 2008, 06:34:27 AM

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Bonnie

The other day I was talking with a fellow twister about "standard designs" that I use all the time.  The type of designs that just about everyone makes and are so universally used I don't even know who to credit the designs too.  

During this discussion it was brought to my attention that while I've been making what I considered 'standard designs' for years, I've somehow managed to change these standard designs "just a bit"... I slightly different twist here, or a bubble change there...Nothing drastic, just different.  The only claim I can honestly make about them is that I do them "just a bit" differently than what I have seen others do.

So what I thought I would do was post some of them in this new topic whenever I could squeeze in the time.  I would also love to see how others have adapted, changed, altered, added to their standard designs.

I'll start with the standard blow fish:
01 size: The first thing I do is only partially inflate the round used for the center of the fish.  In the photo titled '01 size' you will see a fully inflated 12" round and then the size I like to inflate it to resting on top.  Although I prefer to use 12" Unique Marbleized rounds, just about any 11" round will work.  Just make sure you don't fully inflate the balloon.

02 test: The real test to see if I have the proper size is if I can grab a handful of the balloon and squeeze it easily.  If there is too much air, you can't do this without popping the balloon.  

03 measure:  I start with the tail fin (260 balloon), then make a pair of pinch twists.  I attach the nozzle of the round to the pinch twists.  Then pulling the 260 toward the tip of the round I measure off a bubble.  If the balloon were a clock face, the bubble would reach to about the 10:30 mark while being pulled.  Once you stop pulling on the 260, it rests just about at the 12 o'clock mark.....

Bonnie

#1
04 finish: Next I make a set of generous pinch twists for the lips.  Then I pull on the 260 while slightly pushing on the round until I can connect the 260 back to the tail fin and have the lips centered at the front of the round.  Some times one long 260 bubble is shorter than the other, sometimes they are the same size.  The only important part is that they really squeeze the round balloon. (The round will almost look like a heart shape when viewed from the top if done properly.)

05 add eyes:  Use an under-inflated 5" round for the eyes and hide the nozzle of the 12" balloon under one of the 260 bubbles.  As you can see in this photo, by doing the fish this way, the fish ends up with really chubby cheeks.  It's almost the same look Don Caldwell achieved when he used an inverted geo blossom to make a fish.

06 top view: I almost redid this photo when I saw the left side of the fish but then thought you guys might find it interesting too.  For the first time since I started using these 12 rounds 3 years ago, the layers of the balloon separated.  You can tell where the inner white layer broke and is peeling away form the outer marbleized layer.  Not long after this photo was taken the fish exploded. lol

Happy twisting,
Bonnie, The Balloon Lady

Thelma Levett

#2
I did this fish when I first started to twist balloons and did not see the blow fish till some time later but it is a little bit along the same lines although I do like the blow fish better.  However mine is extremely quick and easy.  I still do this and variations on it when I am doing line work .

Bonnie

#3
Thelma, I love that fish!!  What character it has!!  Definitely gonna have to add that one to my repertoire!!  

I'm not that great at pinching off bubbles when I'm in a hurry so I think I'm gonna try adapting a link-o-loon to the design so that I can make a pinch twist with the nozzle end and still have the tail to anchor to the rear fin.  

Thanks for sharing it!
Bonnie, The Balloon Lady

Graham Lee

#4
I've been itching to have a go at the fish since I saw the post this morning when I was looking after my grandson, then I've been out doing my shows this afternoon. Come back had something to eat & attempted a fish & zonk, old age catches up with you :)  so I need to go & sit down quietly for a while, I think I'll put last nights Xfactor on as that's normally worth a laugh or two.

So here are my attempts at a fish made from a heart as Bonnie mentioned that the round was very soft & took the shape of a heart.
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Graham Lee

#5
I made this one as well but think it's a bit of a disaster, come to think of it a total disater, although I now know another way not to make a fish :lol:

For there simplicity I think Kool Kat Kiwi has a great sculpture here;
http://www.balloonchat.co.uk/viewtopic. ... fish#p4589

Also in case it will help anyone I put a few one balloon fish designs up;
http://www.balloonchat.co.uk/viewtopic. ... fish#p1877
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

Bonnie

#6
Graham, I really like the addition of that extra balloon for the tail on photo 'fish 5'.  'fish 8' I'm pretty sure isn't a fish.  :lol:  However, the more I've looked at it, the more I think it could be adapted into a pretty cool looking dragon's head.

For my next installment I've chosen what I term as my 'basic horse'.

horse 01: I use a 260 for the main construction, a 160 for the hair, and a scrap for the bridal.

horse 02: If you look at the horse's back you will notice that I don't break off the 160 when I finish the mane, I just squish the air out of the balloon, stretch it across the back bubble, then make the tail.

horse 03: Sometimes I add hooves (thanks Jeanine Von Essen for the idea!) and some sometimes I attach the horse to a smallish 5 petal green flower (green flower becomes grass for the horse to eat if it gets hungry  ;) ).  

Happy twisting,
Bonnie, The Balloon Lady

Bonnie

#7
With a couple minor changes, the horse becomes a donkey.

By the way, almost all of my horses and donkeys wear a bridal.  I just think they look better with their heads pulled back close to the neck.  Besides, there are leash laws for pets within city limits.  ;)

Happy twisting,
Bonnie, The Balloon Lady

LizzyB

#8
Bonnie, those horses are so cute. I've been studying the models but I can't see how the twists go to get the legs joined at the bottom. I'm assuming it goes something like this:

small pinch twist, small fold twist, bubble, two small pinch twists for ears, bubble for neck, two bubbles for front legs lock twisted together, bubble for back, bubble for back leg... okay I think I've worked it out - correct me if I'm wrong - push the rest of the bubble through the front legs to lock them together and then the final bubble for the other back leg.

Am I right?

Liz

Bonnie

#9
Yes you are Liz.  :)  Good job on deconstructing the design! And thanks for the compliment.

Bonnie

Dave

#10
Wow! Thank you I have been looking for a horse for a while that would be quick small but look good, and here it is Bonnie I more than like you. xxxx
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