I have been twisting for a little while now and have been twisting for small groups and moving up. I recently started doing a weekly free concert every friday evening in town for tips. This is only 1.5 hrs long and I got booked to do a festival 4 hrs long.

My 2 questions are:

1. what is the best way to organize your balloons. Right now I'm putting them in labeled ziplock bags but I want to be able to get the balloons quicker. (I'm a little color blind and can't tell some of the colors apart).

2. Also I've heard on here that you need to put your balloons on ice. I'm guessing you don't want the balloons to touch the ice so I'm wondering should I put the spare balloons in a cooler with buffer between the ice and balloons? Also How long can I keep the balloons out of the cooler without having problems. It will pobaly be around 85 degrees when I'm performing.

For the festival I plan to be under a canopy to provide shade and I can put my balloons on a table.

To start out with I did only 1 balloon animals. Then I bought bad to the ballon 1 & 2 and it has completely taken my balloons to the next level. Before the kids loved the animals, now the parents love them too.

Thanks!

I've never had the need to put the balloons on ice. Being under a canopy, and in shade should help a lot. To avoid excessive popping, make the balloons soft before you twist them. You can soften the balloons after inflating by burping them, stretching them, and squeezing them before you twist, and along the way while you are twisting them. Avoid jewel tone balloons.

As far as organizing your balloons, separate your colors and create bundles of the individual colors. I usually line up the balloons so all the nozzles are at the same end. You can wrap the bundle in some kind of plastic. I've used shelf liner material in the past. Then, put the bundles in some kind of container, your cooler might work if it isn't too big. You might try a small duffle bag of some kind. Since you are new to balloons, you may not have as many balloons in the attached photo, but I am including it to give you an idea of what I am talking about.

http://www.balloonhq.com/photos/db/compl......tmapid=0

Steve, thanks for the info. I played around with bundling them but I had too much trouble telling the colors apart. I have a lot of trouble telling gray from green and the blues and purples. Your duffle bag idea made me think of a soft side fishing tackle box with the removable plastic boxes. I was able to fit all my balloon colors in them and label each section with the color that's there. The soft side tackle box holds all my stuff and balloons. Thanks for the help, I can't wait to try this system out on Friday!

I use one of those silver cases from Lowe's or Home Depot. I put dividers in it so I can easily locate the different kinds of balloons. Also I would highly recommend have a nice sign printed up of what balloon animals you make. Other wise you will spend and lose too much time figuring out what you can make and what kids ask for. I keep it simple by giving them about 6 to 8 choices. If it is a warm day you would want to keep your extra balloons in a cooler for protection. Make sure you wear a hat, find some shade and have fun.

Have a nice day,

Walking Bob in Iowa

I use a balloon apron. It uses velcro to sperate the balloons. I would look at t.myers website. I am sure they have them.
I work in FL summer heat all the time. No need to use ice. Try to keep them out of direct sun light. Heat will soften the latex, but will go back to normal once in a cool place again.
Since you are working outside, drink plenty of water.
Working for tips only...i know this can open a can of worms... but I for one don't agree with it. You should charge something.
Have fun.
and let us know how it goes.

Coma185,

Sorry for the delay in responding. I have been on vacation and away from the computer. I use only standard colors (not jewel tone) and do not have any trouble telling the different colors. I am also not color blind. If you are having trouble with telling the difference between just a few colors, one thing you can do is organize the balloons colors shades close to one another. In other words if you are having trouble telling the difference between grey and green, keep the grey balloons close to the white and black. You can keep the green close to other greens. If you only have one green (I use lime green and standard green in my bag)you could put green next to blue or some other color that you will remember. Of course, keep the greens and greys on opposite sides of the bag. Do the same thing with the other colors you are having trouble differentiating. I hope that helps.

Steve

If I am at a large event I do not make complicated or overly huge balloon animals. Remember once somebody got one they all want one

Not sure if your above response has anything to do with what he was asking about putting balloons on ice or how to organize your balloons.. Either way just to respond to your above quote I rather make a few less items and have people saying: "Amazing!" and sharing pictures with friends on facebook twitter and emails and getting more business than just rushing to get a balloon to every kids and hearing peopel say: "Hey its a balloon guy.. that's cute.."

I never make ANYTHING taht is less than 3 balloon per creation. (thats my quick stuff)

Usually I am using 6-9 balloons per creation regardless of the event.. I am not everything to everybody and don't try to be..

1. You can either be the cheap guy that does simple one balloon creations.

2. Try and be the best in your area as an artist (never resorting to 1-2 balloon scupltures)

If they want a cheap clown for $75 an hour or less that's not me...

However IF you are new everything I said you should throw out ths window just try and learn as much as you can, work as many places as you can and figure out who you are..

Good Luck!

I use a balloon apron. Specifically the big one from twist 'em up. I just got it about three weeks ago. Now I wonder why I waited so long.

Hey let us know how the event went. What worked and didn't work; what sculptures you went with; anything else you can think of.

Thanks Steve for the great tips. I'll definetly post and let everyone know how it went. The festival I originally posted about is October 3rd but I also just landed another one on Sept 19th, an xmas one also so I'm gonna need to work on some xmas designs soon too.

Kevin, I try to always make multiple balloon hats unless a kid really wants just a dog. I try to talk them out of it first but if that's what they want, that's what I'll make them.

last friday I went over to a friends house and made balloons for his twin daughter sand their friends for their birthday party. The trays I did worked great, I was able to see all the colors and access them quickly. I primarily made the monkey in a palm tree, the duck, mermaid, elephant, fish on a fishing pole, and penguine hats (all from bad to the balloon 1 & 2) and I also made a jester hat and some single balloon animals that were requested.

I prefer the apron. However, if you don't want to go that route, get a soft sided, over the shoulder bag and a bunch of empty 1 litre soda bottles. Cut the bottles down and line them up in the bag. If you put 2 contrasting colors in each bottle, you shouldn't have any problem telling them apart.

If they want a cheap clown for $75 an hour or less that's not me
Kevinr who are you?

I just told you with the above statement..

1. Its ok to be the $75-$100 guys.. I mean that with all my heart. To tell you the truth I don't know why some balloon artists get upset at clowns, magicians or balloon guys making small little 1-2 balloon creations. It really helps the guys who charge more and have perfected there craft taking it to the insane level. So if you want to be the 1-2 balloon cheap guy I wish you the best. Maybe we can work a job together someday.


2. When people see my work like the family today that gave me a $400 tip at a birthday party they they stated: "All our friends have amazing birthday parties (rich folks) and never have we seen anyone balloon artist make as amazing items as you... Where have you been!" The items were much more time consuming more to the point Don Caldwell and balllonhq designs... I think most folk have only seen the cheap 1-2 balloon guy so my stuff just leaves them speechless! I wish I was theonly guy doing option 2 but I know I am not and infact there are artists ALOT better than me!


Be who you want have fun doing it! I just pray you can afford health insurance, mortgage, car and everything else either way you choose..

God Bless!

Kevin I'm with you. I did a few small gigs doing 1 balloon animals and the kids were the only ones impressed. I bought Bad to the Balloon 1 & 2 and learned about 12 of the hats so far and now the parents are the ones blown away because like your post said, they had never seen anything like that. I was helping a charity out twisting balloons at their weekly event and donating half the money back to the charity. From that event I got 2 festivals booked because of those hats, not the single balloon animals.

With the Caldwell dvd's how many balloons do they usually take? The 2 dvd's I bought typically take 3-4 and can be done in under 2 minutes. I hear so much great stuff about Caldwell but didn't want to buy a dvd if all the designs were going to take 10 minutes each and take 8 balloons.

Thanks

I got mad hats and wild wearables this week after having done bad to the balloon 1 and 2. I do find that the Caldwell balloons are more involved compared to bad to the balloon and on average will take more time. But they are awesome and not so complicated that they can not be learned. When I do my restaurant work and birthday parties I plan to do mostly the bad to the balloon style "gorilla twisting" but break out one of Caldwell's creations for the "birthday child" or "special restaurant guest." I think it will help bookings because the kid will want the "super awesome balloon."

Thanks for the info Monty, I'll definetly have to pick up a copy.

I use Don's Mad Hatz and Wild Wearables at birthday parties all the time. Granted, if I have a bunch of kids waiting for balloons, I may simplify the designs or not do the ones that take a really long time to do. At a party yesterday, I did the alien on a planet, water faucet hat, elephant hat (with simplified trunk), Bunny hat (I use a cat face balloon that I add some extra marker work to make it a bunny face). I also made Don's alligator mask and bowling hat. The bowling hat takes a bit of time to make, but gets a great reaction. I think I booked another gig because of the bowling hat I did at a wedding a few weeks ago. I use the Octopus and Little Fishy hat all the time as well but didn't make them yesterday. By the way, Don just posted a new concept on his website and Youtube. It is a Superhero hat using the new Qualatex 5" Superhero heads. Check it out, and make some young boys happy!

Posted: Aug 31, 2009 12:40am
Hey folks, I just remembered that I learned Don's Water Faucet hat from a class he gave at a convention and it is not, to my knowledge on any of his DVD's. I didn't want anyone trying to figure out which DVD contained it.

Steve, the Water Faucet hat is on MHWW Vol. 5.

My partner had a photo up on the web while doing balloons, the caption... 'worlds sloowist balloon twister' ya think this makes for good bookings?

Kid asks for a sword, and you make him a sit in race car, and the kid starts to cry because he did not get a sword, dose this help bookings? oh and the kids who did not get a balloon because you felt like making that kid cry did you book them?

You will need to give a balloon to everyone, or as close to it as possible, If you can do this with 6 to 9 balloons,go for it. If all you hear is " we'll come back later to get a balloon" or "well be back when the line dies down" You are to slow.

I don't do doggies.

not to continue that flame war any farther and back on topic.

Yes if you are going to be out in the sun and/or heat pack your extra balloons in a soft side cooler with some blue ice blocks, not real ice as it will make a mess. this also gives you a place to put your lunch, drinks. better to bring than have to buy from the vendors.

Get a good balloon apron, it will be worth it. you can label the tabs so that you always load the balloons in the same order so the color blind thing wont be an issue. Color blind ore not, Cristal blue, Cristal green, and black look the same in all but the brightest light.

When I bundle my balloons I use small rubber bands used for braiding hair.(rubber bands, not scrungies.) they are just the right size for about 25 balloons with out being to tight, I can load my apron so mutch faster and can keep track of how many balloons I go throe.