November 9 - Tuftex Plum Purple

I love the purple dancer
Dancing in the space of time

~ Purple Dancer - Fleetwood Mac (2003)

I never know what to make when starting these color day posts, but almost invariably I start with making an egg.

Today I'm thankful for Chun-Lin, Sung (@fusen_zero)

Mr. Sung put together a video tutorial series on the Hahow network that pretty much covers every aspect of balloon twisting, starting at square zero.  The egg was one of the lessons.

There were no dual-language options, no subtitles - but there was an accompanying script that I'd cut and paste into Google Translate to read.  I've seen no equal to it in terms of the breadth and depth of what he covers.  It was worth every bit of effort .

As for the balloons: purple is another one of those colors where the name itself covers a wide range.  Looking at the comparison chart, I'd say Tuftex Plum Purple is a very dark indigo-like purple, the second darkest next to Sempertex.  

These have a good sponge to them and took a good abusive smooshing, if you're into that sort of thing.

Overall impression of Tuftex Plum Purple, I like 'em lots, they have a great feel.  They're pretty dark for purples though, Gemar currently holds the crown for the purpliest purple.

   

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Other "color day" balloons:

November 8 - EVE

"EeeeeeeVE-ah."

~ WALL-E (2008)

Balloon artists from other countries bring with them such interesting perspectives and styles shaped by their cultures.  

Today I'm thankful for Nao Osaka.

Nao was the international guest instructor at several of my early balloon conventions, a bubbling fountain of joy whose designs were a masterclass in weaving.

Before writing this post, I looked back through the blog to revisit the creations he inspired (there is a link on the blog itself).  The man was amazing.

This design is based on a Blooper model he once shared as a PDF that you can still find on floating around some Pintrest boards.  

EVE - Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator

NAO - Novelty Air Organizer

(view other Disney)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Nao Osaka:

November 7 - Old Man

"Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life."

~ Mr. Miyagi

There is science to balloon art - pressure, friction, ... ... other stuff.  When you are first starting out, lessons feel very mathematical - a dog is 4 finger bubble, 3 finger flower petal, etc.  

Then someone comes along and makes it all magic.

Today I'm thankful for Dennis Bauyon.

I could do the basic moves - like Daniel-san I had been painting the fence and washing the car.   Dennis hosted a balloon twisting webinar that showed me what else I was actually rehearsing for.

I was dutifully following along, loop twist here, okay - feed this through, got it - and all the sudden there was this amazing, stylized hippopotamus, and counts as the first "run downstairs to show off what I just made" balloon.

Dennis is the one who first showed how magical this could all be.

This face is based on a witch he taught in a different webinar and has become my "go to" face doodle, usually ends up pretty grumpy but you can get some decent expressions.

(view other old men)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Dennis Bauyon:

November 6 - Penguin

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

~ Robert Brault

This is the OP. Original penguin.

Today I'm thankful for Holly the Twister Sister.

When I was first learning balloons, I stumbled across Holly's YouTube channel and learned this penguin.

It was the first balloon I ever made in front of a group of kids.  I was just there setting up some balloon art for the book fair, with my kit as paranoia insurance when I handed out the penguin - #1, I suppose, because I turned to find twenty pairs of eyes staring at me like I had all the candy. 

It's also a good reminder that you don't have to overdo things and why I went old school with the image.  Those kids didn't care about the menagerie I'd been practicing - they just wanted penguins.  Only penguins.


(view other penguin)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Holly the Twister Sister:

November 5 - The Kiss

"My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together."

~ Desmond Tutu

You need someone you can share your full crazy with.

For two days I've walked through the house singing 'Do you want to carve a pumpkin?' and debating whether a worm's phrasing is properly deferential to a Joni Mitchell song. 

Today I'm thankful for my wife.

She is the best person I know - intelligent, kind, thoughtful and (thankfully) endlessly tolerant of me.  She helps me become a better version of myself.

She is the first laugh I want to hear.

She is my ubuntu.

November 4 - Dawg

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person."

~ Albert Schweitzer

I've found that the people I admire most don't flex.

They just do what makes them distinctly awesome and get on with their day.

Today I'm thankful for Scott Tripp.

Scott isn't just responsible for helping launch this Purple Pig obsession - he's the one who kept fanning this dying ember as it was fading through the pandemic.

He sees art though an artists eye.  He's not trying to be someone else.  He's absurdly generous - and if you've ever ordered any packages from him, you know.  He cares.  

Scott is my dawg.

Noodle-arms!!

(view other dawgs)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Scott Tripp:

November 3 - The Garden

"There's no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are."

~ Fred Rogers

Meeting the right person at the right time can change your world in the most beautiful way.

Today I'm thankful for Helen Budinger - my first balloon friend and someone I'm always thinking of when I consider why I do what I do.

She told me that what I made didn't have to be perfect to be loved.  

... and neither do you.   ❤️

(view other rainbows)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Helen Budinger: