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BALLOON ART |
Balloon modeling is a great way to entertain kids of all ages. Balloon animals, characters, hats, swords and other toys are made from tubular balloons which are generally more elastic and stretchy than other balloons, and are tied, twisted and sculpted into various shapes. Various techniques are used by balloon twisters, including weaving multiple balloons together to create more complicated forms. Balloon modeling or twisting is the shaping of special balloons into almost any shape, often an animal. Those that make these animals and other twisted balloon sculptures are called Twisters. Twisters often work as clowns, or amusement park entertainers. These modeling techniques have developed to include a wide range of very complicated moves, and a highly specialized vocabulary has emerged to describe the techniques involved in their resulting creations. For many years it was standard practice to inflate the balloons with their own lungs as it was necessary part of the act. But many now use a pump, whether it is a hand pump, an electric pump plugged in or run by a battery pack, or a compressed air tank. Most twisters are physically incapable of mouth-inflating hundreds of balloons over an extended period of time. There are also hygienic issues involved: many twisters and parents are uneasy handing a child something that has been in the twister's mouth. Some believe that when a blown-up balloon pops, the germs of the twister are spread faster and further than they normally would be. Lastly, many twisters prefer to avoid being a bad role model by putting them in their mouths around children. Balloons do pose a choking hazard for small children, and are usually marked with hazard warning labels for children under the age of eight. |
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