Making Balloon Animals

There are two essential items required for making balloon animals:

First, you need an assortment of balloons, usually in various colors. Balloon sizes are usually identified by a number: the most common size of twisting balloons is called a "260", as it is approximately two inches in diameter and 60 inches in length. Thus, a "260" is 2x60 inches and a "160" is 1x60 inches when fully blown up. Although these are the most common sizes used, there are dozens of other shapes available as well. The most popular balloon brand among professional twisters is Qualatex, manufactured by the Pioneer Balloon Company, but there are many other brands available. Betallic has made strong inroads into the industry by greatly expanding their line of available shapes and colors. Today there is a wide variety of individual sizes and colors to choose from.

Second, you'll need something to inflate the balloons with. The most common methods are air pumps similar to bicycle pumps, electric air compressors, and via the mouth. Inflating a balloon via the mouth is difficult and can be dangerous. Particularly well-trained and talented twisters, however, can blow-up several balloons at once, and some can even blow up 160s, which are much more difficult to mouth-inflate than the more common 260s, as their narrowness requires a great deal more strength and breath pressure to inflate.
Air pumps and air compressors have only recently been accepted in the twisting community. Fifteen years ago, most balloon twisters blew up balloons with their mouths, and the use of a pump was associated by many as unprofessional. Today, most twisters use some sort of mechanical means to inflate their balloons. There are various reasons for this:

Most twisters are physically incapable of mouth-inflating hundreds of balloons over an extended period.
There are possible health risks to the twister associated with blowing up balloons by mouth. The pressure involved in the activity can cause the twister to become lightheaded or even pass out. A balloon that is popped while blowing up can snap back and damage the eyes. In rare cases, the pressure can damage the ears, eye or the muscles around the throat.
There are also hygienic issues involved: many twisters and parents are uncomfortable handing a child something that has been in the twister's (or anyone's) mouth. Some believe that when a blown-up balloon pops, the germs of the twister are spread further and faster than they normally would be.
Finally, many twisters prefer to avoid being a bad role model by putting a balloon in their mouths around children. Balloons do pose a choking hazard for small children, and are usually marked with hazard warning labels for children under the age of eight. (Note, older balloon twisters often use their mouths for other purposes such as creating small balls or deliberately popping sections of the balloon. Children frequently mimicked this posing a choking hazard.)

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.

Inflate and tie a 260 in the color of your choice, leaving about 4-5 inches of the balloon uninflated.
Twist 1: Starting at the nozzle (tied-off) end of the balloon, create the snout by moving the hand up about 4 inches from the knot, pinching the balloon to create a closed-off "bubble", then twist at that point 2-3 times. (Do not let go of the balloon, or it will come untwisted.)
Twist 2: While holding onto the snout, move up the balloon another two inches, then pinch and twist as before to create another bubble. Don't let go.
Twist 3: Create a third bubble the same size as the second, forming the two ears. Don't let go.
Folding the balloon between the two ear bubbles so that the ears are lying side by side, twist 1 and 3 together 2-3 times: this forms a "lock twist". (Now you can let go: the ears are locked in place.)
Repeat the process for the front and back legs: neck bubble, front leg 1, front leg 2, lock the legs together; body bubble, back leg 1, back leg 2, lock the legs together. Trim the tail if needed. Proportion will come more easily with practice.
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.

Inflation
The familiar long, narrow balloons used by modellers require some practice to inflate properly, both because of the high pressure required and the experience needed to judge how much air to add. A length of full but not inflated (FBNI) balloon is generally left at the end, since air is forced out of the inflated portion as work progresses. The amount of twisting to be done determines the quantity of air that can safely be added before the balloon is tied shut (each twist uses up some spare FBNI).

Pinch-and-twist
The balloon is pinched off and then twisted through several rotations to form isolated bubbles. This should begin at the nozzle end of the balloon, so that FBNI material is always available to one of the bubbles being pinched, preventing a buildup of pressure.

Locking twist
Three pinch-and-twists result in four bubbles (with the last typically being the remainder of the balloon). If the first and third twist are brought together and twisted, the result will lock together, with two bubbles joined at their ends, and two free bubbles. This is also the standard "dog's head" twist. Additional security for the twist is added if one of the two free bubbles is passed between the two bubbles joined at their ends. Some call this a "security lock."

Fold twist, ear twist, pinch twist, or bean twist
Similar to the locking twist, but using only three bubbles: the center section is folded gradually, rather than hinging sharply at a twist. These can be made much smaller than locking twists, so that the center section resembles an ear or bean, but they are able to lock in a similar way.

Bird body or three bubble roll-through
This begins with a locking twist, using relatively long bubbles. Another pinch-and-twist produces another bubble, which is "rolled through" the opening between the two joined bubbles, to produce another locking twist at the opposite end.

Apple twist, tulip twist, or hook twist
The nozzle end of the balloon is inserted into the inflated balloon, by turning a short section of the balloon inside-out. The knot is then trapped in a pinch-and-twist, leaving a vaguely torus-shaped bubble. The inverted section of the balloon applies tension, and can hold relatively long bubbles. The hook twist also uses the knot to lock the twist instead of a bubble. The hook twist is created by pulling the knot down along the side of the balloon, where it is locked by a pinch twist to the remaining balloon length. A common use of the hook twist is to create a parrot's head. Variations include the yo-yo twist and marriage twist.

Poodle tail
Air is forced through the remaining length of FBNI balloon and allowed to inflate a small section at the end of the balloon. The is accomplished by applying gentle pressure to the FBNI above the bubble, preventing it from inflating, then firmly squeezing the bubble forcing the air up.

In the past, this was covered by simultaneously sucking the end of the tail, apparently causing the bubble to appear. However, because of the risk of children attempting to repeat the feat or otherwise placing balloons in their mouth, this is generally discouraged today. An alternative gimmick is to have the performer or child blow on the end of the balloon, apparently inflating it from outside.

Pop twist
The pop twist is typically used to create extra "ends" of the balloon, for instance for creating arms for a teddy bear or other character. In this case, after the neck bubble, twist one longer bubble (one arm), three 1/2 inch bubbles (two hands and a spare which will be popped), and a second longer bubble (the other arm) which is twisted to the first, creating a ring of 5 bubbles. Now ear twist the first and third of the smaller bubbles, approximately 5 full rotations each - they should be taut against the longer bubbles. Using one hand to hold all bubbles firmly, use a pair of scissors (or pin, pocket knife, etc) to pop the centre small bubble. Carefully release the two arms, ensuring that the hands stick by friction and don't unravel, revealing two separate arms and hands.

The pop twist is less durable than most other twists, and so may not be suitable for children's balloons, but can be used to create many impressive character pieces.

How to Make Balloon Animals
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Entertain children with some dazzling balloon creations. Creating balloon animals can be a lucrative skill at fairs, shows and entertainment events. Follow these simple instructions to become a latex veterinarian.
Steps

1. Inflate most of a #260 balloon, leaving a few inches uninflated, and tie off.
   
2. Starting at the knot, grab about 3 inches of balloon and twist 2 or 3 times to create the nose bubble. Hold this bubble to keep from untwisting.
   
3. Create 2 more two-inch sections of balloon to make ear bubbles. Continue to hold all of the bubbles to prevent untwisting. The balloon should look like three bubbles and a long section, now.
   
4. Fold between ears and twist 3 times at nose joint. This twist should hold itself. The balloon should look like a nose, two ears and a long body.
   
5. Grab enough balloon to make a neck. Twist and hold this.
   
6. Create 2 more three-inch bubbles of balloon to make front legs. Continue to hold it all.
   
7. Fold between legs and twist 3 times at neck joint. The balloon should look like a head, neck, front legs and a long body.
   
8. Grab enough balloon to make a body; twist and hold.
   
9. Create 2 more legs using the same idea as before..
   
10. Fold and twist 3 times at hip joint. You are done! The balloon should look like a dog, giraffe, horse, or dinosaur.
    

Video

Tips

• Use an inexpensive balloon pump from a toy store. Some people can inflate a #260 by mouth, but not many. Hand pumps are more sanitary.
  
• If balloon pops, laugh, make a joke about "blowing up" some balloons for fun and start over. Children will back up a step but they won't leave.
  
• Carry a permanent marker and make a smiley face on your animal.
  
• Learn to make snakes, swords, hearts, turtles, funny hats and other balloon shapes.
  
• Experiment with other sizes and shapes of balloons to make apples and bumblebees.
  
• Store balloons in an air-tight container as latex deteriorates when exposed to air.
  
• A little corn starch in storage container will prevent latex from adhering to itself.
  
• Use new balloons rather than stored ones. Older balloons are more likely to pop when you are inflating or twisting.
  
• Carry balloons in your pocket to school, wedding receptions, any place where children may roam.
  
• Talk as you twist. Be funny and entertaining.
  
• It helps to inflate the entire balloon until air is spread throughout, then to deflate it slightly, leaving about 3 inches at the end as mentioned in step 3.
  

Warnings

• Balloons are not for little children due to danger of choking. Make older children promise to throw away the balloon when it expires.
  
• Every child in the room will want one. Seriously. Do not send children home crying if it can be avoided.
  
• Do not buy cheap twisty balloons from a toy store. Look for a year round costume shop with clown supplies. Check the expiration dates on the balloons. Expect to pay quite a lot more than ordinary balloons per bag, but the price difference is well worth it.
  
• Balloons can be blown up by mouth. It takes practice, and patience, but can reward you by removing a need to carry a pump. If you try, start slowly and be careful to stop if you feel dizzy or light-headed. A #260 balloon is much much harder to inflate than a round one.
  

Things You'll Need

• Uninflated #260 balloons
  
• A balloon pump
  
• A permanent marker
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Stick a Needle Through a Balloon Without Popping It
  
• How to Blow up a Balloon
  
• How to Tie a Balloon
  
• How to Throw a Water Balloon
  
• How to Make a Balloon Car
  
• How to Make a Balloon Stress Ball
  

Sources and Citations

• Balloon Headquarters- A site with a plethora of info for all skill levels of twisters
  
• Balloon Articles - Instructions written by balloon entertainers
  
• Free Balloon Animal Instructions- A site with a free video instructions on how to make over 30 balloon creations
  
• Free Balloon Animal Instructions- Basic to intermediate instructions.
  
• - Blog about balloon entertainmentLearn about the word of balloon entertainment
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Balloon Animals. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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