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Basics of Balloon Animals
Because many magicians, particularly those who perform for kids, twist balloons and make balloon animals, here's a section on balloon twisting basics.
How to Make Balloon Animals
On this page, you'll learn how to twist a variety of animal balloons.
How to Make Balloon Swords
Want to learn how to make a balloon sword? Here are a collection of balloon swords that you can make. And we teach all of the techniques that you'll need to know.
Basics of Balloon Twisting and Balloon Animals
If you're getting started in balloon twisting, here's everything that you need to learn.
Five Balloon Animals You Need to Know for Parties
If you want to entertain with balloon animals at a party, here are balloon animals that you need to know how to make. Learn how to make these quickly and effortlessly, and you'll have the basics to entertain at a party or event.
Reader Submitted Balloon Animals
Got a great balloon animal that you've created and want to show the world? Here's the place to submit your pictures and captions. See submissions
How to Make Flower Balloon Animals
Want to make a flower out of a balloons? You can learn several variations here. The flower balloon animal is a cute, crowd-pleasing balloon animal/sculpture and there are further variations on these that are linked from within the instructions.
How to Make a Dog Balloon Animal
Here's how to twist a dog animal balloon. The dog balloon is a fundamental sculpture in the art of balloon twisting and balloon animals. Many animals balloons such as the deer and giraffe are variations on the dog balloon. And you'll find that the basics that you master when twisting a dog balloon, will apply to more difficult balloon sculptures.
How to Make a Sword Balloon
This is the basic sword balloon that is easy to learn and twist. You'll find that kids, especially boys, love these swords.
How to Make Fast Sword Balloon Animals
While you can make a basic sword balloon animal by applying two fold twists to a balloon. Here's a faster method that is employed by balloon animal pros.
How to Make an Elephant Balloon Animal
Here's a balloon animal that will prove to be quite popular. It's an elephant that’s complete with his own trunk and ready to be part of the herd.
How to Make an Elephant Balloon Animal
Here's a balloon animal that will prove to be quite popular. It's an elephant that appears to be right out of a circus. This is an intermediate balloon animal sculpture.
How to Make a Giraffe Balloon Animal
Making a giraffe balloon animal is very similar to making the basic dog balloon animal. In fact, a giraffe, in the balloon world, is pretty much just a dog balloon with a long neck. If you can already twist a basic dog balloon, you can twist a giraffe.
How to Make a Rabbit or Bunny Balloon Animal
Twisting a rabbit or bunny balloon animal is very similar to making the basic dog balloon. If you can already twist a basic dog balloon, you can twist a bunny. As with all balloons, it's all about proportions.
How to Make a Flower Balloon Animal
The flower balloon animal is a cute, crowd-pleasing balloon animal/sculpture. Note that this lesson is the first of two parts. Here I teach you how to make the petals of the flowers. In part two, you will learn how to make and add the stem.
How to Make a Rabbit or Bunny Balloon Animal
This is a more-detailed rabbit or bunny balloon. The difference between this version and the basic one is that the bunny here has distinct feet.
How to Make a Flower Balloon Animal - Part 2
The flower balloon animal is a cute, crowd-pleasing balloon animal/sculpture. This lesson is the second of two parts. Here I teach you how to make and add the stem of the flower.
How to Make a Flower (Iris) Balloon Animal
This is a flower balloon animal that resembles an Iris. It's not difficult to learn and make and is probably the easiest of the flower balloon animals.
How to Make a Flower Balloon Animal - V. 2
The flower balloon animal is a cute, crowd-pleasing balloon animal/sculpture. Unlike the basic flower balloon animal, this flower is more attractive with its denser petals.
How to Make a Flower Balloon Animal Ver. 2/Part 2
This balloon animal is a variation on the basic flower balloon animal. This version offers a bit more detail and is slightly more advanced because it employs a tulip twist.
How to Make a Flower Balloon Animal - V2-b
The flower balloon animal is a cute, crowd-pleasing balloon animal/sculpture. This lesson is the second of two parts. Here I teach you how to make and add the stem of the flower.
How to Make a Hummingbird Balloon Animal
Here's a simple balloon animal in the shape of a hummingbird.
How to Make a Mouse Balloon Animal
A mouse balloon animal is essentially a very small dog balloon animal. As with anything in balloon animals, it's all about proportions.
How to Make a Turtle Balloon Animal
Here's a turtle balloon that you can make that's complete with its shell.
How to Make a Sword Balloon -Version 2
Here's a variation on the basic sword balloon animal. You'll find this one to be sturdier than the basic balloon sword.
How to Make a Flower Balloon Animal - Ver. 2
This balloon animal is a variation on the basic flower balloon animal. This version offers a bit more detail and is slightly more advanced because it requires the addition of a tulip twist.
How to Make a Sword Balloon - Ver. 3
This balloon sculpture is a variation on the version 2 sword balloon. You'll find this one a bit more ornate than the balloon sword that it is based on. Kids, especially boys, love these swords.
How to Make a Balloon Sword - Vers. 4
This balloon sculpture is a variation on the version 2 sword balloon. You'll find this one a bit more ornate than the balloon sword that it is based on.
How to Make a Sword Balloon Animal
Here's another sword balloon animal variation. This one creates a sword that resembles Excalibur.
How to Make a Moose or Reindeer Balloon Animal
Here's a fun balloon animal, depending on how you look at it, a reindeer or a moose.
How to Make a Weiner Dog Balloon Animal
Twisting a weiner dog balloon animal is very similar to making the basic dog balloon. If you can already twist a basic dog balloon, you can twist a weiner dog. As it is with real life dogs, with balloons, it's all about proportions.
How to Make a Poodle Balloon Animal
The poodle balloon animal is cute, crowd-pleasing balloon animal that is for those who have experience twisting balloons.
How to Make a Poodle Balloon Animal - Part 2
These instructions are the second half of the basic poodle balloon animal. For instructions on how to begin the poodle balloon animal, you’ll need to go to part one.
How to Make a Poodle Balloon Animal - Ver. 2
The poodle balloon animal is cute, crowd-pleasing balloon animal that is for those who have experience twisting balloons. This balloon animal is similar to the original poodle but it's more ornate and detailed with the addition of "feet."
How to Make a Poodle Balloon Animal - Version 2
These are instructions for the second half of the poodle balloon animal - version 2. For instructions on how to begin the poodle balloon animal, follow the instructions in part one.
How to Make a Flower Balloon Animal
The flower balloon animal is a cute, crowd-pleasing balloon animal/sculpture. Unlike the basic flower balloon animal, this flower is more attractive with denser petals. This version offers a bit more detail and is slightly more advanced because it employs a tulip twist.
How to Make a Flower Balloon Animal
The flower balloon animal is a cute, crowd-pleasing balloon animal/sculpture. This lesson is the second of two parts. Here I teach you how to make and add the stem of the flower. In part 1, you learn how to make the petals.
Why Learn Basic Balloon Animal Twisting?
Almost everyone who performs magic professionally learns how to make animal balloons. Why is this the case and why are balloon animals considered an art that complements magic? Some of the reasons are due to market forces while others can help you to become a better performer. I'll explain.
How to Make a Sword Saber Balloon Animal
Here's a different balloon sword that is drastically different from the others and among the easiest balloon sculptures to make. If you're a beginner, this is probably one of the first balloons you should attempt.
Dog Balloon Animals
If you want to make your own kennel of dog balloon animals, here are several different types of dogs you can make.
Variations on the Dog Balloon Animal
Once you learn how to make a dog balloon animal, there are lots of variations that you can make. It's all about proportions. So once you've mastered the dog balloon animal, get twisting.
Basic Balloon Animal Twists
Here are the basic twists that you need to know to make balloon animals.
Balloons for Twisting and Balloon Animals
When you perform balloon twisting, spectators will often ask if you are using special balloons. The answer is "yes." Here's what you need to know.
Pumps for Balloon Twisting and Balloon Animals
If you're getting into balloon twisting, you'll want to invest in a good pump, as well as quality balloons. Somehow, you have to inflate your balloons and here you'll learn how.
How to Inflate a Balloon for Twisting and Animal Balloons
Proportions are the key to successful twisting and animal balloons. And to twist, you'll need to allow extra space in a balloon after inflating and tying it to accommodate the twists that you will be applying. Here are tips on inflating a balloon for twisting and animal balloons.
Tips for Making Balloon Animals
If you're learning how to make balloon animals, here are tips and solutions to some common problems.
How to Make a Pinch Twist
The pinch twist is often used as ears on balloon animals, as well as a stabilizer for some sculptures. It's a useful twist to know.
How to Make a Tulip Twist for Balloon Animals
The tulip twist is a specialty balloon animal twist. As the name implies, the twist looks a bit like a tulip and can be used as the basis of a tulip-like balloon flower. Another use is as an additional detail on a sword, as well as the center of a petaled balloon flower or a plane's propeller.
The Basic Balloon Animal Twist
Here's the basic balloon animal twist that is the foundation for everything that you make out of balloons. This skill allows you twist a balloon into segments that form your balloon animal creations.
The Balloon Animal Lock Twist
After the basic balloon animal twist, the second fundamental skill in making balloon animals is the lock twist, which you'll learn here.
Balloon Animal Fold Twist
Like the basic twist and lock twist, the fold twist is a fundamental twist in making balloon animals. It is also the foundational twist to make a sword.
Three Balloon Push Through
Not used by itself, the “three balloon push through” is a fundamental balloon sculpture that often forms the bodies and heads of more advanced balloon animals. Here’s how you make a “three balloon push through.”
The Bubble for Balloon Animals
The bubble is a finishing twist that is typically used as a cool detail in a poodle balloon animal as well as in balloon hats.
Burping a Balloon Animal
Balloon twisters often release a bit of air from an inflated balloon by releasing the nozzle that's held in their fingers before tying it off. This process is known as "burping" a balloon.
Please Don't Get a Bunny - Adding a Rabbit to Your Magic Show
Got an opinion about adding a live bunny to a magic show? Here's where you can express it.
How to Quickly Make a Flower Balloon Animal
If you already know how to make a basic flower balloon animal, here's how the pros quickly make the petal portion of a flower balloon. Note that this technique is an advanced one that requires lots of practice and considerable hand strength.
How to Make a Flower Bracelet Balloon Animal
Here's a variation on a flower balloon animal. It's a flower balloon that's a bracelet that can be worn on a wrist much like a flower corsage.
Balloon Animals Based on the Dog
Once you know how to make a dog balloon animal, you have a multitude of balloon animals that you can now make that are based on it. With some adjustments to your twists, you'll soon be making a veritable balloon animal zoo.
Ladybug Balloon Animal Bracelet
Here's an easy balloon animal, a ladybug made of balloons that may be worn on the wrist.
Ladybug Balloon Animal Advanced Instructions
Here's a fun balloon animal, a tiny ladybug made of balloons that may be worn on the wrist.
Christmas Balloon Animal Snowman
Here's a festive balloon animal, a holiday or Christmas snowman made of balloons. With a little tape, you can stand him up on a table and use him as a decoration.
Christmas Wreath Balloon Animal
Here's a festive balloon animal, a holiday or Christmas wreath made of balloons that you can post on the wall.
Christmas Balloon Animals and Decorations
Here are festive balloon animals for Christmas that include wreaths, reindeer, a snowman and more. Use these as balloon animal giveaways or as fun decorations for the holidays.
Christmas Wreath Balloon Animal - Version 2
Here's a festive balloon animal, a holiday or Christmas wreath made of balloons that may be hung on the wall. This is the more-detailed holiday balloon animal wreath.
Balloon Animal Turtle Bracelet
Here's an easy balloon animal, a turtle made of balloons that may be worn on the wrist.
Balloon Animal Turtle Bracelet - Advanced Instructions
Here are streamlined instructions for the balloon animal turtle bracelet that may be worn on the wrist. These instructions are for experienced twisters.
Balloon Animal Poodle - Advanced Instructions
The poodle balloon animal is a cute, crowd-pleasing balloon animal that is for those with some experience twisting balloons. Here's you'll find advanced, streamlined instructions.
Advanced Instructions for a Turtle Balloon Animal
Here's a turtle balloon animal that you can make that's complete with its shell. These are advanced instructions for making the turtle balloon animal.
Advanced Instructions for the Poodle Balloon Animal Version 2
The poodle balloon animal is a cute, crowd-pleasing balloon animal that is for those with experience twisting balloons. Here are advanced instructions for making a second, more detailed version of the poodle balloon animal.
How to Make the Fast Lock Twist for a Balloon Animal
Once you’ve mastered the basic lock twist to make a balloon animal, these instructions teach you a faster process that saves you a step in making the twist and saves time when making lots of balloon animals.
How to Make a Balloon Animal Horse
Here's a balloon animal that you can make in the shape of a horse. As you may suspect, the balloon animal horse is a variation on the balloon animal dog. Among balloon animals, this relatively easy and simple balloon animal is great for beginners and novices and kids will love it.
Advanced Instructions for Balloon Animals
If you already have some experience with balloon animals and prefer streamlined methods for making them, on this page, you'll find advanced instructions on making balloon animals.