Emsworth Wed Jun 30 08:23:28 2004
Re: Marlboro for $13.95 per carton!
> ooo - i like the way you think...
> and wow! you are really getting good with the balloons!
Well, as mentioned, I have been returning to my roots. This has been an off and on hobby of mine since at least fifth or sixth grade, but now I seem to have located a more permanent source of balloons, and even have an extra pump. Mainly, however, a book picked up in Arkansas, by two Italian authors, was a major inspiration, though also a trifle intimidating, with full figure designs for scores of cartoon/comic figures, including Uncle Scrooge (he's on another reel, though I gave out from sheer exhaustion and hand pain before attaching *his* hands), Asterix, Felix the Cat (that one would be much easier, if only i had enough black balloons), and a complex Popeye which I hope to have figured out before the Con (as it is the sailor's 75th anniversary). For the most part, though, I'm doing those off and on between much simpler monkeys and snails.
>you _have_ to do
> some at comic con, if only to show me how it is done (not that i have any
> future making balloon creations, what with the cat, and all - but i do
> like knowing how things are done. which reminds me - how did you do argus'
> horns?)
The biggest problem with Argus was indeed the horns. I tried several different single balloon designs, trying to work the feet from the knot end, but had trouble leaving enough uninflated balloon for a slightly pointy nose, not just a large fat blob. Even then, had trouble getting both ear flaps and horns. Then, re-examining the strip, I realized just how tiny Argus' horns are. The solution was fairly simple (one might *almost* say cheating, but I wouldn't; just ingenuity and making the most of resources). I created Argus' ears/gill flaps on each end of the balloon, leaving the head in the center (pushing the nose through), with an open whole to insert the neck when I replenish my supply of white balloons and am able to do the whole thing. For the horns, I simply snipped the tail ends from a couple of already inflated white balloons (which had been carefully twisted/knotted so as not to deflate), and taped them to the back of the head, thus allowing me to space them appropriately. Even if I had, say, made tiny balloon bubbles and grafted them on, it wouldn't have had the same effect, and still would have seemed too "teddy bear" like.
I'm actually toying with the notion of sending Brad an instruction sheet, once I've finalized plans for the body as well (though for Con purposes, except for opne for the creator if possible, I may just stick to the heads; he's almost cuter this way, anyway).
> i particularly like the boxjam scene. this strikes me as having great
> potential, particularly in re comic-con - balloon recreations of favorite
> cartoon scenes.
Actually, I had toyed with the notion of seeing if Brad or someone could arrange for me to make balloons at the Keen booth, for decoration and amusement (or possibly loose bills to take care of churro expenses; though it seems Flametree Publishing may *finally* be paying me, so keep your digits folded over each other in pretzel-like fashion!) I struggled to resize, edit, and paste together an entire tableau for BoxJam, sort of a "BoxJam's Viewmaster" strip. We'll see if the blue one remembers to use it this time.
> ....although it might rather limit the time you have for other things....
True, though I'll work that out as we inch closer, and especially once the event schedule is finalized (do mark your calendar for 4pm on Saturday, however; that will be the panel with June Foray, featuring clips, Q & A with "Garfield" cartoon scribe Mark Evanier, and Bullwinkle Show script re-creations with talented modern voice actors subbing as Bullwinkle, Boris, et. al opposite the magnificent Juney! YOu haven't lived til you've heard her play an alien beauty contest entrant).
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