December 5 - Duck

"I have my opinions, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."

~ George Bernard Shaw

A duck is the only creature that is also a completely different word.

Bear with that in mind that I didn't fish around for exceptions.  People love to crane their necks to hawk their contradictions, but I refuse to be bugged.  

Duck is the only one.

---

This duck is one of the designs deviations of the Holy Snail technique from Patrick Van De Ven.  This might also benefit from that 'wrapping' of the basic form to give a bit of a lower body ... 

(view other ducks)

---

Other balloons by and inspired by Patrick Van De Ven:

December 4 - Rabbit

"The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes."

~ Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles

There is a reason the usual suspects show up in each tutorial - the easy wins are the quickest way to get comfortable playing around with something.

Rabbits tend to be one of the more often built creatures on this blog, I really should have just saved these for next Easter ... this is already #34.

They're breeding like ... like ... 

--

This uses the "Holy Snail" technique by Patrick Van De Ven, I really like (and can't believe I haven't done this before!) using white whiskers on the white balloon.

(view other rabbits)

---

Other balloons by and inspired by Patrick Van De Ven:

December 3 - Mouse

"The early bird may get the worm, but it's the second mouse who gets the cheese."

~ Steven Wright

If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk.

... and that's where we'll hide the poison.  Where he'll never suspect it.

--

This design uses the Patrick "Holy Snail" technique, this time for a mouse - I made a blursed Mickey, but I am still resisting overdoing anything, this is a long distance run.

(view other mice)

---

Other balloons by and inspired by Patrick Van De Ven:

December 2 - Ladybug

"The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you."

~ Neil deGrasse Tyson

A ladybug is on most lists.

I feel like everyone maintains a list of "insects they will tolerate landing on them".

Not written down anywhere, and really only one (fairly dangerous) way to know if you're on it.

---

This ladybug is the second design using Patrick's "Holy Snail" technique - kind of the next most obvious use of the form, but we're taking baby steps before cranking up the particle accelerator.

(view other ladybug)

---

Other balloons by and inspired by Patrick Van De Ven:

December 1 - Snail

"Listen - strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony."

~  Dennis (Michael Palin) Monty Python and The Holy Grail (1975)

When you adopt a pet, those first days matter - you spend real time helping it feel safe and part of a new loving family.

With that spirit in mind, let me introduce the latest balloon concept to the blog - "The Holy Snail" by Patrick Van De Ven.  (He turned me into a newt!)

The snail is an appropriate first design as I'm arriving embarrassingly late to the party, I think the original designs were released over a year ago.  (I got better...)

Time to get to work making this lil' guy feel at home!

(view other snails)

---

Other balloons by and inspired by Patrick Van De Ven:

November 30 - Tuftex Turquoise

I was thinkin' about turquoise, I was thinkin' about gold
I was thinkin' about diamonds and the world's biggest necklace
As we rode through the canyons, through the devilish cold
I was thinkin' about Isis, how she thought I was so reckless

~ Isis - Bob Dylan

I've been enjoying this weekly "color day" exercise, but I'm getting the sense that some of these companies are choosing color names a bit haphazardly after the blend instead of trying to target a specific color.  Turquoise should be lighter blue and have maybe a hint of green?    From the colors grid, Gemar Aquamarine looks a bit closer to what I think turquoise should be.

The balloons have a good sponginess, I had been hesitant with Tuftex after my pink experience, like eating a sour grape - but it was your first grape.  Each of the others have been a real nice sponge feel to them, like Qualatex Blush used to be (pause for nostalgia). 

Overall assessment, Tuftex Turquoise feel great and work great and is a nice mid-blue color.

 

---

Other "color day" balloons:

November 29 - Donkey

"I am not what you call me; I am what I answer to."

~ African proverb

Kids can be surprisingly cruel with their teasing.   They find one tiny detail - a rhyme, a quirk, and suddenly you're labelled for life.  We actually had a kid in my elementary school nicknamed "Boner".  In sixth grade I genuinely thought it was because he was so tall.  

Anyways, when you're a Donkey with the last name Kwong - the first day of school can be pretty terrible.

---

This donkey is one of the designs shown recently on the Isopresson channel - I first tried giving him a smile, but I couldn't unsee the emoji face.

(view other donkey)

---

Other balloons by and inspired by Isopresso: