For the many years i studied card magic I measured my technical ability and progress by the various card sleights I could perform. I set myself a road map of skills to keep myself focused and to give my development some direction.

Now technical ability doesn't make you a better entertainer or balloon artist or increase the rate you can charge but it got me thinking about balloon skills.

Where are you on your journey? Are you still trying to master a particular twist? What are your technical ambitions?

I like to think technically I am competent yet I am still learning and would love to master the double frumple twist. I've hit a brick wall with one of my current reviews as I need to be able to do this. I won't give up!

That is interesting Darren as two people in the past 7/10 days have spoken with me about twisting skills
and the possibility of a certain set criteria of balloon knowledge for accreditation. Similar to the magic circle
with member, member with silver star/gold star etc etc. It was even mentioned for joining the balloon artistes guild
which I was not keen about so the discussion then went to a balloon artiste guild member with gold star or something
similar. Trouble is who decides a set level and who says you have passed etc, I think that would be a good way of upsetting people.

Having said that I was booked today and on the contract it said I was booked for Brilliant balloon modelling,
now who says what is and is not brilliant?

A nice topic to chat about though and I have no idea what a double frumple is so maybe you can show me next month in Birmingham?

Agree, it's an interesting topic. what I know (balloon) twisting skill are categorised as "beginner", then the "intermediate" , and finally the "advance". Not sure there are other terms , perhaps "Master" ? or " Professional" ? and of course, how to measure a person's skill level ? in the end , all these might not be important, it's all about one's reputation.
those in the trade for long time, perhaps can offer their view ....
hope to hear some response.

Great question Darren. I can safely say I am right smack bang at the beginning of my journey. I believe I twisted my first ever balloon in March/April and I have already started my own business. I have done nothing but practice and I'm incredibly grateful to this forum. People in my area are very excited by what I can make and I seem in demand. However I am starting slowly as I have 2 young children so just fit it in when I can. I really want to attend courses and events that you all seem to attend but there are none around me so it's tricky for me to get away for them at present. I'm excited everyday with what I learn and look to you all for guidance and knowledge. Thank you

Great replies so far.

I don't think the awarding of grades/stars etc is a good idea for TBAG. What I like about the club is everyone meets as equals with no inner circles or subgroups for elitist egos. I feel this promotes a friendly environment where everyone cares and shares.

Technical ability should not be the way to judge how good someone is, it is how the range of skills, however small, are used and applied to professionally promote our art to the public and how you use them in an entertaining way.

There is no time period for learning our art. The learning never ends. Some of us may take a few years to twist a lobe on a heart, some may never achieve it yet are totally happy where they are on their journey.No-one should ever be judged by the distance they have travelled.

Wow this is getting deep!

It could be interesting to look at what you are required to do to get a CBA. And then see if the same kind of criteria could be applied to twisting.

Just a thought!  

Certified Balloon Artist (CBA®)   Practical Exam Score Sheet
Name:_______________________________________________________________ QBN #:___________________________
Business:____________________________________________________________ Phone: __________________________
Table Centerpiece
Judging Criteria Points Comments
Visual Impact 5 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Balance 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Harmony 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Rhythm & Motion 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Proportion & Scale 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Unity 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Line 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Space 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Color 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Mechanics 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
California Law 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Possible Points 35
Social Expression Bouquet
Judging Criteria Points Comments
Visual Impact 5 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Balance 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Harmony 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Rhythm & Motion 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Proportion & Scale 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Unity 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Line 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Space 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Color 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Mechanics 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
California Law 3 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Possible Points 35
Duplicated Bouquet
Judging Criteria Points Comments
Accuracy of Duplication 20 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Mechanics 5 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
California Law 5 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Possible Points 30
Date: _________________________
Location: ______________________
Start Time: _____________________
Duplicated Balloon Flower
Judging Criteria Points Comments
Accuracy of Duplication 5 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Mechanics 5 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Possible Points 10
Garland (5-balloon Clusters)
Judging Criteria Points Comments
Mechanics 10 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Sizing 5 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Spiral Pattern 5 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Possible Points 20
Knots
Points Comments
Temporary Knot 5 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Permanent Knot 5 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Possible Points 10
Panel Questions
Points Comments
Design ____________________________ 15 _____ ______________________________________________________________
Design ____________________________ 15 _____ ______________________________________________________________
Design ____________________________ 15 _____ ______________________________________________________________
Business ___________________________ 15 _____ ______________________________________________________________
Business ___________________________ 15 _____ ______________________________________________________________
Business ___________________________ 15 _____ ______________________________________________________________
Possible Points 90
Role Play
Points Comments
 Phone Call or Delivery 30 ______________________________________________________________
Four (4) Classic Balloon Decor Photos
Judging Criteria Points Comments
Sizing 10 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Creativity 10 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Mechanics 10 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Overall Design &
Composition 10 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Job Cost Forms 10 _____ _______________________________________________________________________
Possible Points 50
Rev. 10/05
TOTAL POINTS _________
Add all boxes.
Pass = 248 Perfect = 310

So that is what the CBA exam score sheet looks like, copied and pasted from the Qualatex.com website.

Quote from: "nippy99"What I like about the club is everyone meets as equals with no inner circles or subgroups for elitist egos.
I feel this promotes a friendly environment where everyone cares and shares.

I agree Darren, we are the only balloon club that I know that allows non members to attend and I very much like that.
Gives it a unique feel, especially with us all going out for a meal after making it more social as well.
Everyone is welcome and it's great to see people develop over time, all at a different pace depending on what time they have available.

Quote from: "Danny the Idiot"So that is what the CBA exam score sheet looks like, copied and pasted from the Qualatex.com website.

Not seen that before Danny, thanks for hunting it out.

I never knew that there was an exam, yet even though i have never seen it, it seems familiar to me!!

What can you say about technical balloon skills, I would say that over the years i have used many balloon twists and found great achievement in performing them correctly, but that's was as far as it went for me anyway!! Balloon art rises far higher than just your skill in performing twist's correctly, but yet i see the significance in having to use them, obviously the twists are important for getting the structure of a sculpture correct and holding it in place (very important).

"Technical" in balloon terms is not a true definition of balloon art, For me it's more about expression. A person can make a sculpture and perform all the twists perfectly and finish the sculpture, this does not mean that the sculpture is going to look amazing!! It means that the person has merely performed all the twists correctly!! eg.. 3 twist dog!! Again not bashing the twists at all, but stating that ability goes beyond the technicalities!!

When i first got into ballooning, i remember years ago talking to Graham, and thinking that there was a limit to what could be learned about balloon art, Graham then informed me that he had been twisting for many years and was still learning, i found it hard to believe at the time, but now many years on, i see what he meant!! because the technical twists are a base to an amazing world of self expression through balloon art!!

I had another thought, just the one!

Competitions at twisting conventions - what do they compete upon?

Here are the competitions at Twist and Shout.

3 minute
12 minute
Hairband
uninflated
small
medium
large
costume
fashion
stage

I can't look up the sizes for the small, medium, and large as the website is being updated.

And from the Millenium Jam in Belgium

One balloon competition
Multiple balloon competition
Iron latex man challenge where everyone gets the same balloons and time to create something.
Stage

Wow this is getting deep... I started off reading this and thought what a great question. Then got to wondering exactly what a double frumple twist was. Then as I am writing this forgot what a single one was . I'm sure it will come back to me in time (Must be my age). Even though I've been twisting for the last 5 1/2 years I still feel like I'm very new to the world. There is just so much that I don't know and so many things I've not done so in that way I still feel like a newbie.
  As for the club I am pleased that everyone can join in and be a part of something special growing our art. I too haven't seen the cba test (thanks Danny) though I did know that there was one, as i'm thinking of moving into decor over the coming years and have been researching it a little. I think it's great that there are places for competitions but that there are also places where they're not needed too. Which I know doesn't really help but...
 Techniques are something that I believe you pick up along the way. I have always tried to proportion any sculpture that I make and have learnt new things from doing this as much as from other people. If I pick up something new then I try to incorporate it into as many different things as I can. eg: I discovered recently a really workable shoe design and am deliberately putting it onto figures that I wouldn't normally have, a: to commit it to memory and b: to find out it's limitations. Though it's not really that technical when you put it together and break it down it's the order and sizing that makes it so. Thinking about it then in that light. Are a series of simple connections (which let's face it that's all twists are), which are put together in a specific order deemed as technical?