The world of balloon entertainment, by Dale Obrochta
Gathered in a restaurant is 30 enthusiastic entertainers, fidgeting with balloons. Around the room you here squeaking, twisting, jokes, and personal lessons on how to transform a pinch twist into a split bubble. If you are an outsider looking in, it is a remarkable sight. Characters of all types are gathering in one spot sharing … Read more
I am opening a can of worms here by trying to define the balloon industry and its categories. It is like trying to explain Love. Every person in the industry understands what a Balloon Artist consists of and what defines them as an Artist. Yet the term “Balloon Artists” is tossed around as much as … Read more
When I look at balloon entertainers websites, they are misleading. Visible to the eyes are brightly colored photographs of balloon pictures with multiple balloons. They do not make balloon animals they make balloons animals. In fact, an array of balloons are used in the creation of a single balloon figure. Now, there are groups of … Read more
If you are afraid of heights, then you are not going to be pressing your face up against the window of the 67th floor of the Willis Tower. Well heights don’t bother me, so here I am pushing my face against the cold glass straining to look around the corner of the building. What am … Read more
Two more months Then what do I do? January will be here in a blink of an eye. No more holiday balloons to make, no more scurrying form place to place. Or will I? Now is the time I need to look to the future to plan, to figure, to scheme. Where will I go? … Read more
Kids What Zombies It seems that with the popularity of video games, Zombies are trendy this year. Kids want brain-eating Zombies instead of cute Halloween pumpkins. I have the two Zombies that I make during Halloween. The first Zombie has less twisting and more drawing, while the second has more twisting than drawing. Each year … Read more
Summer Teeth – Some teeth here, some teeth there As an entertainer I look for the unique qualities that make people and objects standout in the crowd. Many times it is a color combination that I study, but recently I have become fixated on a shingles commercial with Dennis Grogan, a retired firefighter. Every time … Read more
Learn How to Draw a Pig in Under 14 Seconds Balloon twisting is about remembering shapes, colors, sizes, and assembling in a specific order. I was having dinner with my niece, and she asked me, “Uncle Dale, do you want to see me draw a pig?” “Sure,” I said.” In less than 10 seconds, she … Read more
Using pumpkin’s for a figures head is nothing new. It’s just a mater of how much detail you want to incorporate into the body once the head is complete. I like to keep the body simple and keep most the details in the pumpkins’ head. The open face pumpkin is built with your typical 260-twisting … Read more
Would you make recommendation, if you could? I’m an entrepreneur, like many people in the world seeking to make a living. My greatest resource are past customers and their recommendations. They have seen my work and selling to them isn’t really selling, it more likes taking an order at a drive thru. They know exactly … Read more