July 15 - Purple Pig Super Dude

A Pig and a Chicken are walking down the road.
The Chicken says: "Hey Pig, I was thinking we should open a restaurant!"
Pig replies: "Hm, maybe, what would we call it?"
The Chicken responds: "How about 'ham-n-eggs'?"
The Pig thinks for a moment and says: "No thanks. I'd be committed, but you'd only be involved."

Here we are once again, at the end of another balloon concept (Bauldy's Super Dudes (link)) and trying to use it for a purple pig.

First attempt was burgundy.  My goals with it was to come up with a face style and figure out how to make the ears.  I simplified those in the lilac version but had the idea to make it chubby instead of muscular.

July 14 - Ape Super Dude

I ... Can ... Not ... Wait. This movie released yesterday and I can't wait to see it. I have loved each of these them in turn, even the originals when I was a boy.

This ape uses the Bauldy Super Dudes form, and when I was looking through my bag of random printed heads I noticed a few monkey faces I thought might work well.  Even though they did - I still thought I would try again and make an actual face.

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Other Super Dudes:

All Bauldy's

July 13 - Drax

Ow!  My Nipples!

 ~ Drax Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2017)

That simple little line was so perfectly timed it sent my youngest son and I into a fit of laughter followed by a series of uncontrolled giggling aftershocks.

Drax is one of the heroes in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and another usage of Bauldy's Super Guys balloon concept.  Obviously there are no printed rounds for this guy, but thankfully he's bald so even though I made it a little bit tall, a simple head style works.

Drax was my favorite character in the movie, perfect comic relief in a meathead sort of way.

There is not much back story to Drax in the movie, but Drax the Destroyer began as Arthur Douglas.  Both he and his family were killed by Thanos, but Kronos (Thanos' grandfather) preserved his soul and placed into a poweful body meant to destroy Thanos.  Originally he could fly and shoot powerful blasts, but he lost those powers and now he is just super strong and resilient.

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Other Super Dudes:

All Bauldy's

July 12 - Captain America Super Dude

Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right.

This nation was founded on one principle above all else: The requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world -- "No, YOU move."

~ Captain America

We're off-grid now using Bauldy's Super Dudes balloon concept.

When I was looking for quotes for one of the earlier balloons, I ran across this one for Captain America and decided I wanted to build him again.

I did only build the one, but again I thought I would post an attempt with the printed round head.  It looks ... bleahh ... Spiderman was really the only printed head that has worked so far in this exercise.  I realize the goal is to upgrade these "line work friendly" but I'm not a big fan of the printed rounds.  Surely there is an easier-yet-quick face that can be built...

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Other Super Dudes:

All Bauldy's

July 11 - Batman Super Dude

(**LANGUAGE WARNING**)

Batman is the fourth and final of the tutorials from Bauldy's Super Dudes (link).

This one included an interesting technique to create the head.  My first attempt at it (pictures were blurry, not included) I made the head a little bit small and it looked really weird.  Next I made the gigantic face below on the left and it prompted the observation that it looks okay to err on the side of a large head, but the same is not true about a small head.  I went a little off grid on the final head.

Since this is another available printed round, I thought I would see what it looked like - I don't have a flesh colored sharpie, which would have helped some but it's inverted colors anyways.  White printed on black has a big problem - the paint cracks off if the latex stretches too much.  →

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Other Super Dudes:

All Bauldy's

July 10 - Superman Super Dude

The whole point of Superman, as originally created, was to be the ally of those who had no other allies. It put that magnitude of power, the most powerful guy in the world, in the service of those who had no hope, no chance.

~ J. Michael Straczynski

Superman is the next of Bauldy's Super Dudes (link).

This Superman is one that Bauldy shows us where it doesn't use a printed round.  I don't even think there is one, but it's probably one of the more commonly asked for superheroes, so he shows how he would build it.

These balloons are designed to be quick line work, so I tried to spend a little more time on the face and hair.  I made two and attempted to get that little curly strand of hair built from a balloon, but finally gave up and drew it on with the second attempt.

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Other Super Dudes:

All Bauldy's

July 9 - Lafayette

Lafayette: 'Scuse me. Who ordered the hamburger, [puts plate on table] with aids?
Redneck: I ordered the hamburger deluxe.
Lafayette: In this restaurant a hamburger deluxe come with french fries, lettuce, tomato, mayo, AND AIDS! DO ANYBODY GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?!

Nelsan Ellis (November 30, 1977 – July 8, 2017) passed yesterday - famous for his role as Lafayette, Merlotte's flamboyant chef on show True Blood. Lafayette was one of the best things about the show, I think I could listen to him read a phone book and he would find some way to make it sound fabulous.

I built this balloon experimenting with Bauldy's Super Dudes concept. Though I only built one, I had a few different heads attached as I tried and failed repeatedly to draw his features - he is a blend of masculine and feminine that's hard to capture.

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Other Super Dudes:

All Bauldy's

July 8 - Hulk Super Dude

Dr. David Banner—physician, scientist...searching for a way to tap into the hidden strengths that all humans have. Then an accidental overdose of gamma radiation alters his body chemistry. And now, when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs. The creature is driven by rage and pursued by an investigative reporter.  The creature is wanted for a murder he didn't commit. David Banner is believed to be dead. And he must let the world think that he is dead, until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him.

 ~ The Incredible Hulk Intro

The second of Richard "Bauldy" Rivera's Super Dude's (link) is this Hulk.

Hulk was one of the TV shows I love watching as a kid and I still remember the sad closing credits - with poor Dr. Banner never able to stay in an area too long.  We would play Hulk at recess, which was really just 'tag' with a lot of growling. I never really collected the Hulk comic, I suppose I can chalk it up to my limited allowance and a coin op video game obsession.

I ended up building three versions until I was happy.  I tried using the printed heads, but the face always seemed a bit small so I tried to make one myself.  I do like the way it turned out, but it could still use some work.

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Other Super Dudes:

All Bauldy's

July 7 - Bauldy's Spider-Man

We're not here to build a fortune. We're here to build the future. We live in a time where heroes save the world every day. But what are they saving it for? My greatest hero was my Uncle Ben. He saved so many people's worlds, you wouldn't believe it. Helping a neighboor with their mortage. Another with his groceries. He barely had anything, but he did so much with what he had. Running a global company like this is the most power I'll ever have. And in his name, I'm gong to do it responsibily. Create jobs. Equal employment. Green technologies. A chance for all of us to work together... not to save a world, but to make a world worth saving.

~ Spider-Man

We're back from our trip and I'm starting in on the next balloon concept - Bauldy (and his amazing eyebrows) released tutorials on the Twisters Cookbook a few months ago for his Super Dudes  (link).

Bauldy is full of energy, with a personality that fills the room - a super dude in his own right.  He has shared so many things freely on YouTube and in jam rooms, this was an instant purchase for me.

Oftentimes the printed round heads are paired with a very simple body or just placed on a bracelet.  These designs are, in his own words, meant to bring the "WOW factor" to them with some quick line work.  All of them are built fairly quickly, and would fit well on a quick menu.  I'm guessing only a few minutes to make if you were up to speed.

This is his Spider-Man.

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Other posts with Bauldy's designs:

Show all

March 16 - PJ Masks

One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas I'll never know.

~ Groucho Marx

Recently Bauldy had a contest. He posted a picture where he was holding a balloon and the first to guess the correct character was to get the tutorial. Already a number of people had guessed "Catboy", which I assumed to be the correct answer. I guessed "Bauldy", which although technically was a correct answer, was not the correct answer. Anyways, there ended up being some 80 or so answers in the hour that he ran the contest so he decided to generously post the video in the thread for everyone.

I have no idea who PJ Masks were - the proof is that before building these I thought it was PJ Max, as in a guy named Max. My son's are past Disney Junior ages so let's take a look at good old Wikipedia for the answer:

PJ Masks revolves around three 6-year-olds, Connor, Amaya, and Greg, who lead relatively normal lives by day, where they are neighbors, classmates, and friends. However, at night, they become Catboy, Owlette, and Gekko, and fight crime as the superhero team PJ Masks. Together, they go on adventures, defeat villains, solve mysteries, and learn valuable lessons.

This design is pretty quick to make, so I figured I would try and make Owlette and Gekko (who before looking up that Wikipedia article, I was referring to as Birdboy and Lizardboy.)

Thanks Bauldy!

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Other posts with Bauldy's designs:


Show all

May 28 - Parrot

Parrot Normal

“He's not pining, he's passed on. This parrot is no more. He has ceased to be. He's expired and gone to meet his maker. He's a stiff, bereft of life, he rests in peace. If you hadn't have nailed him to the perch he'd be pushing up the daisies. He's rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This is an ex-parrot!”
~ John Cleese Dead Parrot Sketch (link)

Bauldy the Clown is a balloon superhero, the better-known alter ego of Richard Rivera.  He has a personality that barely fits in a room, the kind of guy when you walk in you notice because of a big booming laugh or the crowd of people gathered around him as he tells a story. He adds the "wow factor" to his creations, his words - it's really another name for "balloon wizardry". Just look at this madness!

Bauldy (with his well manicured eyebrows) has generously shared many of his designs on YouTube and at conventions, and takes it to the next level. He has a DVD (Bauldy's Favorites) I have on my list to get as well. I feel shame that I haven't yet - he deserves it.

I was lucky enough to meet Bauldy at Florida Super Jam in 2015. I was already a big fan of his YouTube videos, and introduced myself saying as much while he was in front of someone who knew him much better, poor guy had to suffer through "ooOOOOoooOOoooo Baullldeee got a faaAAAAannnn!" jeers, sorry man. :)

He was gracious enough to show a few things in the jam room and I hovered close to try and learn.  This was one of those designs, I love the texture the striations give on the stretched dipped tip of the 321.  And the colors! You could build this in more traditional colors or make it amazingly colorful - this could be themed to any sports team/school/whatever, this is a GREAT bird design.

Parrot Noid	Dox
Carrot (because he's ORANGE! HAHAHA!)	A pandemonium of parrots!
"Parrot Dox, he's his own grandpa!"