Flying Sculpture
2008-08-18

Flying Sculpture

                                             ---A General Introduction about Balloon Sculpture

A multiple balloon sculpture, created by Waukesha, Wisconsin artist for use as a display

Balloon sculpture, also called Balloon modeling or balloon twisting, is the shaping of special modeling balloons into almost any given shape, often a balloon animal. People who create balloon animals and other twisted balloon sculptures are called Twisters. Twisters often work as busker, clowns, or restaurant entertainers.

Two of the primary design styles are single balloon modeling, which restricts itself to the use of one balloon per model, and multiple balloon modeling, which uses more than one balloon. Each style has its own set of challenges and skills, but few twisters who have reached an intermediate or advanced skill level limit themselves to one style or another. Depending on the needs of the moment, they might easily move between the one-balloon or multiple approaches, or they might even incorporate additional techniques such as "weaving" and "stuffing". Modeling techniques have evolved to include a range of very complex moves, and a highly specialized vocabulary has emerged to describe the techniques involved and their resulting creations.

Balloon sculpturing has transformed simple one-balloon balloon animals to complex detailed balloon twisting. No longer are balloon entertainers making the simple dog, but are developing elaborate balloon sculptures. What was thought as just kids' entertainment has now developed into multiple business categories of balloon sculpturing

Origins of Balloon Sculpturing
The origins of balloon modelling are unknown. The 1975 book by "Jolly the Clown" Petri credits "Herman Bonnert from Pennsylvania at a magician's convention in 1939" as being the first balloontwister. Val Andrews, in Manual of Balloon Modeling, Vol. 1, An Encyclopedic Series, credits H.J. Bonnert of Scranton, Pennsylvania as being the "daddy of them all." Jim Church III credits, "Frank Zacone from Youngstown, Ohio was doing a balloon act during the 1940s and had been doing the act for some time. “Recently ESPN's three time Emmy Award director Joseph Maar has been providing information and materials to balloon history sites that supports his father Henry Maar as the first balloon twister. It is possible that one, none, or all of the above independently crafted the art of balloon twisting.


Types of Balloon Sculpturing
Balloon sculpturing has developed into balloon decorating, balloon twisting, balloon promotions, and balloon centerpieces. As balloon sculpturing evolves entertainers are now incorporating balloon sculpturing into magic, clowning, and promotional entertainment.

Skills of Balloon Sculpturing
As the twister inflates each balloon, he or she may leave some of the balloon uninflated at the end, leaving a "tail". The tail is necessary for most creations because it gives the pressurized air someplace to go while manipulating the balloon, reducing the chance of the balloon popping due to necessary pressure during the twisting process. The length of the tail is different for each creation, and knowing how much to leave becomes part of learning or creating the design.

The first animal most people learn how to create is the basic weiner dog. To finish the creation the twister might use a felt-tip marker to draw a face on the dog. The most common marker used on latex is a Sharpie, a common brand of permanent marker. Other markers can be used as well. If you wish to try another kind of marker on your balloons, it is wise to test them beforehand to make sure they react well with the latex. Some markers do not dry on the latex, and smear long after being applied, which is the case with some brands of dry erase markers. Other markers contain an acidic ink that reacts with the latex, causing the balloon to pop. Cheaper markers may also have badly-shaped felt tips which can pop balloons. But this is not enough if we want a great one. And the high skills which are needed in creating a complex sculpture are listed in the below.
¡ôInflation
¡ôPinch-and-twist
¡ôLocking twist
¡ôFold twist, ear twist, pinch twist, or bean twist
¡ôBird body or three bubble roll-through
¡ôApple twist, tulip twist, or hook twist
¡ôPoodle tail
¡ôPop twist