Making balloon animals is fairly easy and fun. The ability to turn a little
piece a rubber into a colourful animal is something very special. I have attended The Great Clown Adventure in Las Vegas and Clown Camp in LaCrosse Wisconsin to learn professional techniques. To make balloon sculptures you will need supplies as well as knowledge.
The standard ballons to make animals are called 260s, or 260Q if made by Qualatex. They are named
that because when fully inflated the balloon measures 2 cm x 60 cm. Lately 160 and 180 are popular as well. A bag of balloons
is called a gross. It contains 100-144 balloons. I have used both Qualatex and Prestige brands
I would also suggest that you invest in a balloon pump. Since these balloons
are very skinny, they are extremely difficult to blow up by mouth. Another reason I
prefer balloon bump is safety. If a balloon should pop as they can, it will be
much safer that the balloon is away from your face.
To make a basic balloon dog you will need to inflate the balloon almost to the very end. The tail should be about 5 cm. Tie a knot in the end and remember to twist in only one direction. Twisting in different directions will make your balloon unravel quickly. Make one twist to make the face, then two more for the ears. Twist them together. Make another twist for the neck, two more for the front legs, and twist them together. Repeat this for the body and hind legs. You should be left with a bit for the tail. Experiment with different sizes of ears and legs to make other animals. Once you've mastered this basic dog, you can add your own touch with a marker and make a face or spots. I sometimes like to write the name of the child receiving the balloon, just in case the poor balloon dog ends up with another child.
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