July 31 - Sonic the Hedgehog

"In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn."

~ Phil Collins - Son of Man

Cue the Rocky theme song and slap that "Believe!" poster.  

I had to remind myself recently that the intention of this blog has been to learn and grow as an artist, not just to make fun stuff.  

Fridays are now going to be a check-in day.  It's dinner time and Mom just asked, "What did you learn this week?" 

THIS weeks learn comes from Dave Brenn's Patreon, where he demonstrated a Sonic head, building on his Loopy Headz technique.  So much ... hair?  many spikes? to fit back there but a cool way to handle it!

I make the claim that Dave's Patreon continues to be one of the best valued balloon resources out there.  So much content, you'll get contentated!  Honestly if you know of a better resource - please let me know!

(view other Sonic)

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Other balloons by or inspired by Dave Brenn:

July 30 - Goofy

"We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect."

~ Anaïs Nin

The first post on this blog went up in 2016.  I've taken a few detours since then, but the odometer just recently rolled past 1400 posts.

That's enough balloons that I probably shouldn't feel guilty about the occasional "oh wow, I forgot about this one!"  Some of this blog predates posting on Instagram, while others were simply overshadowed by shinier/sillier things.

So I'm going to use Thursdays to take a walk through the archives.  I have a feeling there's a name for this kind of thing...

Thinkback Thursdays?

Close enough.

Really I just wanted to crack open this box here labelled "Good Stuff I Almost Forgot About".

This was the second post on the blog, the first one that felt intentional.  And my Disney avatar.

       

Gowrsh!

(view other Goofy)

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July 29 - Baltimore Oriole

"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best."

~ Henry Van Dyke

I am a magpie when it comes to learning balloon techniques.  I like little shiny things, clever twists and an occasional length of string.  That's how nests get built.

... and yet.  

An impressive nest isn't simply a collection of neat little things.  It's the arrangement of those things that separates beauty from a pile of colorful junk.

This Baltimore Oriole uses one of Isopresso's bird designs, and the design is one of those things I want to make often enough that I can make it well. 

(view other birds)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Isopresso Balloons:

July 28 - Rose Dawg

"What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is what you do now."

~ Buddha (attributed)

I have amassed a collection of quotes of these years that have piqued my interest, yet for whatever reason never been used on this blog.  

... and so I'm introducing the Meditation Dawg.  He will occasionally drag one of these onto the porch to drop at our feet.  

Good boy.

...

This first one is really just a good truth and fun/poignant point to ponder.   Every habit, every decision has made us the "we" we are now - but this moment is also where tomorrow begins.  

We can't rewrite yesterday, but we are quietly writing tomorrow.  

This is a color day BONUS balloon!
Sempertex Deluxe Rose

July 27 - The Flower King

If you're fortunate enough to be there, in that quiet place - at that appointed hour, when the first rays of light spill across the petals of a thousand blooms - you might catch a glimpse of him they call the Flower King.

Every blossom opens to its fullest, every stem bends in quiet welcome - as though the meadow itself has gathered in silent court.

No wishes are granted and no great treasures are found.  But for one perfect moment, the world is exactly as it was meant to be.

At peace. 

This is a color day BONUS balloon!
Sempertex Deluxe Rose

July 26 - Sempertex Deluxe Rose

Then there was music
And wonderful roses
They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows
Of dawn and dew

~ Till There was You - The Beatles

I've missed doing these Sunday Color Day posts.

I enjoy the exercise, it's a challenge to doodling with a single color.  I don't think it's necessarily exciting.  ... but sometimes it is.

There is value to discussing the quality and subtle differences in brands.  This exercise should be focused on the balloons.  ... but sometimes it shouldn't. 

Sometimes ... I just want to make up a story about what happened to Charlie the Chicken-of-the-Sea after receiving so many rejections (Sorry Charlie!) or calculate the precise amount of wood a North American Woodchuck might actually chuck on a given day.

I'm going to separate the this from the that.

Think of this like the Sunday Paper, we are first interested in the business section.   

Like adults.

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Sempertex kind of feels like the control group when testing (is that what I'm doing?) They are consistent and reliable almost universally.

But pink is one of those colors that you just don't need too many varieties of.  In fact, one seems like plenty unless you're going for something very specific.  Is this a better hot dog?  And then ask yourself ... do you need a better hot dog?

Overall impression of Sempertex Deluxe Rose? It's fine, but it has wasted away in a best intentions box for months and took effort to finally use.

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Other color day balloons:

February 12 - Invisible

I gather the giggles, the gloom and the glory,
Footnote the folks who inspired the story.
I nudge every nozzle and polish each pose,
Then sneak in a pig (because that's how it goes).

And I sit there a moment.
Just me.
Just the quiet.

An invisible clown?

Then I turn out the light.

*click*