August 28 - Hammerhead Shark

"The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names."

— Confucius (attributed)

This weeks practice is from the Isopresso balloon channel.

A hammerhead shark has a head shaped like a hammer.

A sawfish has a nose shaped like a saw.

A narwahl has a wahl shaped nar.

(view other sharks)

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Other balloons by or inspired by Isopresso Balloon:

April 8 - Baby Shark

"I'm Sharkboy. Protector of the ocean. Defender of all things deep."

~ The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl

There was a day when you would mention a shark and people used to say "Duh nuh..." in a low, ominous tone.   Then gradually increase in tempo, "Duh nuh ... Duh nuh.. Duh nuh. Duhnuhduhnuhduhnuh.  *SCREAMS*"

Now you mention a shark you get a sing-song.  "Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo!"

Cancel that order, our boat is big enough.

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This baby shark is based on a tutorial by the Balloon Brothers where they show "three" sizes - quotes intentional because baby shark is really just an un-toothy medium and feels like it was added for the zeitgeist.   

I ended up building it downsized to get more of a baby scale, though honestly, with that extra balloon length, I probably could have stretched the body a bit more to offset how wide the face is.

(view other sharks)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Balloon Brothers:

August 1 - Shark and Dolphin Hats

Shark! Bait! HOO HA HA!

~ Finding Nemo (2003)

As a different approach for part of August, I think it would be nice for me to review some of the things I learned at Bling Bling Jam.

I was probably the least cool person in Las Vegas that week.  As an East Coast'er, everything is 3 hours later for me - classes ending at 12pm, would be 3am for me -- and I'm stumbling to bed.  Then awake again the following day before 6am.  I didn't go out.  I didn't do much between taking classes, taking pictures in my hotel room and building in the jam room.

I arrived later than I thought I would, so Brian Potvin's "Swimming with the Sharks" class was the first I was able to attend on Monday.   It's a simple-yet-large hat design, themed for the gigantic shark tank that's in the event casino.  Teaching at a jam like this can be rough I imagine - you have potentially very beginner to the very capable people in your class and you have to be able to keep them in sync.

This class is by design a perfect first-day class, not too complicated but something big and exciting with a flamboyant instructor.

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Other balloon designs from Bling Bling Jam 2017:

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Other balloon designs from Brian Potvin:

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June 27 - Great White Shark

Contrary to what most people would say, the most dangerous animal in the world is not the lion or the tiger or even the elephant. Its a shark riding on an elephants back, just trampling and eating everything they see.
~ Jack Handey

HAPPY SHARK WEEK!  
(... unless you've been attacked by a shark, I suppose this week would be a pretty rotten reminder.)

I have wanted to build this shark for so long!  The first time I saw this was at a balloon convention in the jam room.  It was a "jaw hits floor" moment for me but I had no idea who/what/where until I saw it again in the big and amazing images that Mr. Lyle shares from his restaurants.  I was able to follow the chain back to the master -- Buster Balloon, from his Big and Bad DVD.

This is not a complicated, but it's a difficult balloon to twist - you need to manhandle some big balloons and do terrible things to them before you are done.  My wife came to check on me after one special string of expletives and found me curled into a ball and weeping softly, at least that's how she will tell it....

The teeth.  Using 321's is almost too perfect for a big massive mouth of gnashing teeth, I'll look forward to using this for a monster or a dinosaur or something in the future.

CHOMP!

No no no.  Shark STRONG.	Whoa here we come, watch out boy - we'll chew you up!
Quick!  Click it! CLICK IT! Whew, you really saved my bacon!

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Other posts with Busters's designs: Show all

May 7 - Shark

"Show me the way to go home,
 I'm tired and I want to go to bed.
 Oh, I had a little drink about an hour ago,
 and it's gone right to my head.
 Wherever I may roam, on land or sea or foam.
 You will always hear me singing this song,
 Show me the way to go home."

Martin Lemire released this shark video for purchase on the Twisters Cookbook (link), and I bought it almost instantly.  Not just because he is a great twister (1st place in the small sculpture category at this years Twist & Shout), but he's also a great person in my book - with an ever ready smile and a personality that lights up a room.

When I had been twisting only about 6 months I attended the Florida Super Jam in 2015.  I had come late so I missed any sort of introductions, and was wandering around the jam room feeling awkward and out of place, I'm sure Martin must have noticed because he called me over to sit with him and talk.  He was working on nose ideas for his entry to the dog contest the next day, but was so gregarious and helpful with all my newbie-in-a-jam-room questions, he ended up being the perfect ambassador for this first timer.

This shark is fun, and quick to make - plus it has that great big Bruce smile.  It looks like a mini-version of the Buster shark - which is saying it is miniturized-awesome.   An earlier version of this was released on YouTube, but Martin has since fine-tuned that creation and created a new video.  He says he can create it in three minutes, I didn't try to speed build but that sounds quite doable .... not bad for something that looks this good!

For variety I tried making a blue one, but decided to use dark blue metallic (betallatex), I love the color, but I really don't like the feel of those balloons ... they don't expand very easily and end up popping violently when they do.

Sharks kill 12 people a year ...	People kill 11,417 sharks a year!
Remember, pigs are friends NOT food.