July 31 - Twistee's Dog #4

Dog eat dog, Read the news
Someone win, Someone lose
Up's above and downs below
And limbo's in between
Up you win, Down you lose
It's anybodys game

~ ACDC - Dog Eat Dog

Though I initially wanted to look at Kaiumporn Tee (Balloon TwisTEE)'s style because I liked her smooshy nose area, I was wonderfully rewarded to navigate through her online portfolio. She is truly an amazing artist. She has shared so many images of her creations it's easy to get distracted by wanting to build something she has created.

My intentions all this year were always to use the concept rather than follow a design, so I had to at least make one attempt at simply using the technique. I turned off my monitor (after turning on my Spotify playlist) and here is what I came up with.

I had the (not so) brilliant idea of using all black to match our Bowie - and a late night photo session that he definitely was not into.

---

Other balloon designs by Kaiumporn Tee:

Show All

July 30 - Twistee Pig

A pig is an animal with dirt on his face
His shoes are a terrible disgrace
He has no manners when he eats his food
He's fat and lazy and extremely rude
But if you don't care a feather or a fig
You may grow up to be a pig

~ Bing Crosby - Swing on a Star

As with all the previous balloon techniques and concepts that I've taken a look at this year, here is a purple pig in Kaiumporn Tee (Balloon TwisTEE) style.

This is an attempt to copy one of a few pig images that she has shared online.

---

Other balloon designs by Kaiumporn Tee:

Show All

July 29 - Twistee Pooh

It's hard to explain how a few precious things
Seem to follow throughout all our lives
After all's said and done I was watching my son
Sleeping there with my bear by his side
So I tucked him in, I kissed him, and as I was going
I swear that old bear whispered, "Boy, welcome home"

~ Kenny Loggins Return to Pooh Corner

I think I got a little something in my eyes ... We used to play and sing that song every night when putting our boys to bed.

Kaiumporn Tee (Balloon TwisTEE) has a few Pooh's that she has shared over the years, so I don't feel too bad about this one not matching her best, I could use the practice of building a few more now that I've worked through it once.  (I am still nursing a deep cut on my finger ...)

Today is the day I'm scheduled to come home from Bling Bling Jam - and this is the last of the balloons that I prepared in advance for my leaving.  It's only fitting that the final image be of Pooh and purple trying to sneak into my luggage.

---

Other balloon designs by Kaiumporn Tee:

Show All

July 28 - Twistee Dog 3

"Of course you are. You're almost there and you're afraid you won't make it. The closer you get, the worse the fear gets. No point in trying to hide behind that face. I know fear when I see it. Seen it a lot."

~ Sandor "The Hound" Clegane Game of Thrones

This dog is one fo the more complicated ones shown by Kaiumporn Tee (Balloon Twistee).

It's supposed to be a doberman puppy but I didn't get the head or ears as pointy as I liked (or as she did).  I do like the way that she builds eyeballs, but it does make it a bit of a struggle to have them set right in there.  I have a lot of pictures I can't use because they're looking out a bit wonky.

That handsome dog below is our Bowie, though he probably knows his name as "Eee'sagoodboy". 💖💖💖

---

Other balloon designs by Kaiumporn Tee:

Show All

July 27 - Droopy

~ Droopy

Droopy is based on an image that Kaiumporn Tee (Balloon TwisTEE) posted a while back.

The muzzle form works perfect for his jowls. There are some things in the head structure I would do differently.  His ears bug me the way they stick out from his head like that.  If I weren't both pressed for time and working with an injured finger I'm sure I would build it again.

---

Other balloon designs by Kaiumporn Tee:

Show All

July 26 - Twistee Dog 2

Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go, down to New Orleans
You know I love you so
Before I be your dog
Before I be your dog
Before I be your dog
I get you way'd out here, and let you walk alone

~ Lightnin' Hopkins Baby Please Don't Go

This dog is a Papillon and is another one taught in the image tutorials shared by Kaiumporn Tee (Balloon TwisTEE).

She has an amazing collection of dogs she has shared on Facebook and Instagram, it's evidence that her muzzle concept can be used for almost any breed.  This one is more advanced than the basic dog I shared earlier though still not as details as some.

I also have bad and unrelated(?) news.  I cut the tip of my finger pretty bad today with a serrated knife while trying to cut a bagel.  I've since learned that's one of the most common kitchen cuts, and as much as I lecture my boys about knife safety I can only blame myself.  My wife came to my rescue with some NuSkin and bandages but .. owww *throb*throb*.   I made things really difficult for myself. 😧

---

Other balloon designs by Kaiumporn Tee:

Show All

July 25 - Twistee Fish

Fish heads, fish heads
Roly-poly fish heads
Fish heads, fish heads
Eat them up, yum

~ Barnes & Barnes Fish Heads

This fish is another one of the interesting side designs from Kaiumporn Tee (Balloon TwisTEE).

I think these image tutorials are more of a way for someone who already knows the design to remember it rather than any sort of lesson.n  They are at times complicated, but the result of the effort is certainly worth it.

I love the shape of this fish!

---

Other balloon designs by Kaiumporn Tee:

Show All

July 24 - Twistee Bird

Rise up this mornin'
Smiled with the risin' sun
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true
Saying', (this is my message to you)

~ Bob Marley Three Little Birds

This bird was taught by Kaiumporn Tee (Balloon TwisTEE) in an image tutorial.

I'm working my way through a few of the image tutorials that I have set aside from her that I've always meant to build, and although this one doesn't fit in the mold of the specific form I'm trying to emulate, but it all speaks to her interesting style.

In fact the more I look through images for ideas, the more I realize how narrow my initial perception was.  Though there are an amazing variety of dogs and bears, she is certainly not limited to them.  She has a very expansive repertoire and is consistently sharing new and innovative designs..

---

Other balloon designs by Kaiumporn Tee:

Show All

July 23 - Twistee Bunny

Run, rabbit, run
Dig that hole, forget the sun,
And when at last the work is done
Don't sit down, it's time to dig another one.

~ Pink Floyd Breathe

This bunny is another from the image tutorials supplied by Kaiumporn Tee.

These rabbits assemble quick enough to be line work, and are a pleasure to make - I have some satisfaction when making the big smooshy jowls.

I'm off to Bling Bling Jam for a few days and I'm not going to have much time to do my normal image editing, so I will be attempting to save some time by going old school and setting up the purple poses.

---

Other balloon designs by Kaiumporn Tee:

Show All

July 22 - Twistee's Dog

~ Sesame Street Has Anybody Seen My Dog?

This dog is based on another image tutorial that Kaiumporn Tee has shared, and is the foundation for many of the more detailed dogs that she has posted.

This was the first balloon that I have brought into our new offices.  I hope they're prepared for the weekly onslaught!

---

Other balloon designs by Kaiumporn Tee:

Show All

July 21 - Twistee Bear

It is the mothers, not the warriors, who create a people and guide their destiny.

~ Chief Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Sioux

Kaiumporn Tee is a balloon artist I have been following on Facebook and Instagram for a while now.  She has an interesting and somewhat distinct style to some of her balloon creations, and her smooshy faced dogs and bears have often caught my attention.

She has shared a few image montages of some of her simpler versions, which are a good place to start to unravel some of the amazing detailed work she does.

I will be gone for some of the end of this month, so instead of rushing through a new balloon concept, I'm going to spend a few days trying to figure out the TwisTEE-style.  This was a design for a bear she shared.

One interesting thing of note is how quickly the balloons oxidized.  I built the brown bear and had him sitting by my desk for only about 4 hours before taking pictures, but you can see how discolored the tips of his paws have gotten in this amount of time.

---

Other balloon designs by Kaiumporn Tee:

Show All

July 20 - Mr. Poopybutthole

Rick:No, "Steve" put that memory in your brain so he could live in your house, eat your food, and multiply. We could be infested with these things. ( belches ) so we got to keep an eye out for any zany, wacky characters that pop up.
Mr. PB: Ooh, whee! Whatever you want, Rick! We're here to help!
Rick: Thanks, Mr. Poopybutthole. I always could count on you.

Ooohweee!!

Mr. Poopybutthole is another character from the tv show Rick & Morty.

This show is such a glorious and genius kind of stupid, well worth the effort if you enjoy that kind of thing. (Minor spoiler alert) Mr. Poopybutthole is one of the wacky characters introduced in the episode Total Rickall during an alien infestation where the aliens insert good memories of your relationship with them.

Darren Saari shared an image of his version which I used as a base to create this. I didn't change much of anything except the skin color and how the eyes/nose are attached.

Unfortunately the friend I brought this for hadn't seen the show ...

July 19 - Mr. Meeseeks

“I'm Mr. Meeseeks! Look at me!”

~ Mr. Meeseeks' catchphrase

Meeseeks are an entity introduced in the Rick & Morty cartoon "Meeseeks and Destroy". They are spawned from a device and come into existence to fulfill a singular purpose of the person who summoned them. Once that purpose is fulfilled they disappear in a poof. From the wiki:

"Their motivation to help others comes from the fact that existence is painful to a Meeseeks, and the only way to be removed from existence is to complete the task they were called to perform. Not even physical violence is able to eliminate them."

The longer Meeseeks stay alive, the worse they off they become as they struggle to fulfill their purpose. Hilarity ensues.