Learn how to make animals out of balloons and share your skills at a party or festival. People love making special requests and seeing the colorful balloon animals. Train yourself to become familiar with the balloon twisting technique (which is a basic step in shaping any animal), then use your knowledge to make dogs, monkeys, and swans out of balloons.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Learning Basic Twisting
Step 1. Perform a basic twist
Inflate the balloon and tie it at one end. Hold it close to the end, using your non-dominant hand. Use your dominant hand to twist the balloon so that you create separate sections of the balloon. To keep the balloon from re-twisting, hold both halves with one hand.
- Use #260 balloons, which are long balloons designed to be shaped into animals. Balloons like this can be purchased at party supply and costume shops. Water balloons and party balloons cannot be twisted to form an animal.
- You can inflate the balloon manually using your lungs, but it will be much easier if you use a hand pump. You can buy them at toy stores and party stores that sell balloon supplies.
- You should be able to hold the balloon firmly without breaking it. Trim your fingernails and remove any jewelry you're wearing so they don't get caught in the balloon and break it. If the balloon breaks easily, use a better quality one. Cheaper balloons use a thinner rubber, this causes the balloon to burst easily.
Step 2. Lock the twist of the balloon
Blow up the balloon, tie it, and join the two twists you've made, so that the balloon now has four parts. Hold all four pieces in the same hand to prevent them from falling apart. Use the other hand to hold the two halves in the middle and gently pull them apart from the two ends. Twist these two centers three times, then hold the balloon. Now these sections will be locked.
- This lock twist is used to maintain the shape of the balloon, without twisting the lock, the balloon will return to its original shape.
- This twist is also used to make ear or other parts of an animal.
Step 3. Make a folding twist
Inflate the balloon, tie it and make a twist at the end. Holding the twist in one hand, use the other to fold the top of the balloon down. Hold the twist and the top, then twist them together three times so you form a knot. The balloon will now have three parts: two ends and one knot.
- This folding twist acts like a lock twist, preventing the balloon from slipping out.
- Folding twists are commonly used to make ears, noses, and other animal parts.
Method 2 of 4: Making a Balloon Dog
Step 1. Blow up the balloon and leave a 7.5 cm tail
Blow until the air fills the balloon to about 7.5 cm from the tip, and stop and tie the balloon.
Step 2. Make three basic twists
Starting at the end of the balloon tie, make three twists so you have four balloon halves. The first section, which includes the balloon ties, will form the dog's muzzle. This section is slightly longer than the other two sections, which will form the dog's ears. The last section, which will be formed into the dog's body, is the longest.
- Hold all of these parts in one hand to prevent them from slipping, as you haven't made a lock twist.
- Experiment with varying section lengths for the muzzle and ears. You can also make a very long snout to produce a pangolin.
Step 3. Twist the two halves of the ear
Use your free hand to grip the second and third parts (the ears), and twist them three times. This twist of the lock will keep the balloon from falling apart again. Do you see the dog's head now?
Step 4. Make three more basic twists
Make the first twist a few inches below the head to form the dog's neck. Make two twists under the neck to make two equal parts; these two parts will become the dog's forelegs. Hold all of these new pieces in the same hand to prevent them from falling apart.
- Would you like to make a giraffe instead of a dog? Make the neck very long; the rest of the body is exactly the same as how to make a dog's body.
- You can make the legs long or short, but make sure they are the same length.
Step 5. Twist the legs
Fold the balloon in a twist between the legs. Grasp this leg with your idle hand and twist it three times at the base of the neck. The dog's legs and neck will now be locked.
Step 6. Make three more basic twists
This time, divide the remaining length of the balloon into four equal parts. The first part is the dog's body, the second part (with two segments) is the dog's hind legs, while the last part is for the tail. Hold it with one hand to prevent the twist balloon from coming off.
Step 7. Twist the hind legs
Fold the balloon at the twist between the hind legs. Hold this section and twist three times, at the base of the body. Take a look at your work: now your balloon has a nose, short ears, front and hind legs, and a tail. Your work is done.
Method 3 of 4: Making a Balloon Monkey
Step 1. Blow up the balloon and leave a 15cm tail
If the remaining tail is shorter, the balloon may pop when you try to make the monkey, so make sure you have plenty of balloons in stock. Tie the balloon with a knot.
Step 2. Perform a basic twist
Twist the balloon a few inches from the knot to create a small section that will form the monkey's face. Hold both halves in one hand to prevent them from slipping.
Step 3. Make a short fold twist
Start by making a basic twist that is close to the first twist so that you will produce a small section between the two twists. Fold this section so that the two twists are parallel. Use your free hand to grasp the folded part and twist it three times to lock it. You have made your monkey's first ear.
Step 4. Perform the basic twist again
Within a few inches of the first ear, make another basic twist to create a short section. Hold it with one hand so the balloon doesn't unravel. This short section will be the monkey's forehead.
Step 5. Make another short fold twist
Start by making a second basic twist close to the first, so you'll have a small section between the two twists. Fold this section so that the two twists are parallel. Use your free hand to hold it, then twist it three times to lock it. This part is your monkey's second ear.
Step 6. Twist the ears
Hold it carefully, then twist at the base of the ear. The forehead will be in the middle of these two ears. Twist the ear three times to lock it. The monkey head is now complete: you have a nose, forehead, and two ears.
Step 7. Make another three basic twists
The first twist should be a few cm below the head to form the neckline. Make two twists underneath to make two equal parts. These two parts will form the monkey's arm. Hold all the parts in one hand to prevent the balloon from twisting.
Step 8. Twist the monkey's arms
Fold the balloon in a twist between the arms. Hold the two halves and twist them three times at the base of the neck to secure the arms and neck. The balloon will now look like a monkey that has a head, neck, and arms.
Step 9. Make another three basic twists
The first twist should be a few inches below the arm to form the body part. Make two additional twists underneath to form two equal parts. This part will be the monkey's leg. Hold all the parts with one hand to prevent the balloon from twisting.
Leave a significant amount of the balloon at the end to form the tail, which will be the longest part of the monkey's body
Step 10. Twist the legs
Fold the balloon in a twist between the legs. Hold the two halves and twist them three times at the base of the body. The balloon's body and legs are now locked, and the monkey's tail will hang from its body.
Step 11. Create a coconut tree trunk
Choose a balloon in a contrasting color to the monkey and blow it up, then tie it. You don't need to leave a tail at the end. Tuck it between the monkey's arms and legs so it looks like he's climbing a tree.
Method 4 of 4: Making Swan Balloons
Step 1. Blow up the balloon and leave a 10 cm tail
For a charming swan, use black or white balloons.
Step 2. Fold the balloon
Shape paper clips using balloons; the knotted part of the balloon should be in the middle of the clip, and the tail should stick out at the end of the clip. Another way to create this shape is to make a circle with the two ends of the balloon overlapping each other, then flatten it out.
Step 3. Create a basic twist
Hold the folded balloon by the middle, so that you are holding three parts: the top of the clip, the bottom, and the knot in the middle. Twist these three pieces together, making sure you cover the balloon knot at the twist. You will now have two circles with a long neck sticking out of the twist in the middle.
Step 4. Tuck one of the circles into the other
Use your free hand to hold the circle and push it through the other circle. With this, you will make the body of the swan. The tucked in circle represents the folded wings, while the outer circle represents the underside of the swan. The tucked loop also keeps the balloon from slipping out.
Step 5. Make the head
Hold the neck a few inches from the tail and use your hands to displace some of the air into the uninflated tail. This process will result in the top of the neck forming the head of a swan. The rest of the tail of the balloon that is not inflated will form the beak of a swan.
Tips
- Use new balloons, not old ones. Old balloons burst more easily when you blow and twist them.
- Experiment with different shapes and sizes of balloons to make apples and bees.
- Store balloons in airtight containers as latex will degrade when exposed to air.
- If the balloon bursts, consider it part of the entertainment; calm down.
- Use a small amount of cornstarch in the storage container to prevent the latex from sticking together.
- Speak as you twist the balloon. Be funny and entertaining. This will help keep you entertained even if you make a mistake.
- If the balloon bursts, laugh and joke that you purposely "blown" the balloon for fun, then start again. The kids may be a little distant, but they won't leave you.
- Bring a permanent marker and draw a smiley face on your animal.
- Do not buy cheap twist balloons from a toy store. Buy it from a costume shop that's been open for a year and sells clown gear. Check the expiration date of the balloon. Be prepared to pay more for each pack than when you buy regular balloons, but this price difference will pay off with the quality you get.
- Bring balloons in your pocket to school, wedding receptions, or wherever the kids are.
- Use an inexpensive balloon pump from a toy store. Some people can blow balloon #260 with their mouths, but not many people can. Hand pumps are also more hygienic.
- Each child in the room you are in will want to have one balloon. We're serious. Do not let you make a child cry, avoid this.
- Learn how to make snakes, swords, hearts, turtles, cute hats and other balloon shapes.
- Inflate the balloon until all the air is evenly distributed, then deflate it slightly leaving about 7.5 cm as mentioned in step 3. This will help you.
Warning
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Balloons are not for use by children who are too small, as they may pose a choking hazard.
