Martin yes I do realise they are drawings and not actual photos! Pam it's not that I am trying to replicate something that I cannot I am just struggling as I am not quite at the look at a picture and reproduce stage.

As I said above I thought I had bought the full instructions but it would appear I didn't.

I will contact BalloonsIT and ask if they have more information available but since the job is next week I'm not hopeful of getting them in time.  I also cannot make up the Oscars in advance as I don't have a big enough car, however, I won't stress about them once I know how they are done.  It's the not knowing that is bothering me.  I can and will do it but it may take a few more attempts that's all.

Good for you. I love your enthusiasim, keep it up.

Have a great event

Pam
xx

Now what do I know, but........................Looking at the picture and the shape of the oscar in the computer image looks more womanly shaped, your one Yvonne seems to go large at top and just narrower as the design goes down. The top bust row of balloons look more Jordan than The arms also need more elbow and shoulder definition, yours have a lovely heart shape to them at the moment.

The computer design looks like it has 24/25 rows of balloons and yours is only 20, so do all your balloons need to be slightly smaller and softer which would then lock them in all tighter together?

Graham my hubby said the same thing about the arms and I do tend to agree.  I will have a play with those later on but in the meantime I have had another play with the body in the correct colours![attachment=0:1wihcvfs][/attachment]Oscar - No Arms - 22 June.JPG[/attachment:1wihcvfs]
I know it does not curve in and out as much as in the drawing but I would actually prefer mine to look more of a mans figure as I believe the actual Oscar is supposed to be a man!?

Oh and he is headless as I don't have enough ceiling height to make him this size and give him a head ... unless of course he was to have one of those shrunken heads!!!

I think my main issue with this one is that there is an obvious difference where I have used 5" rounds and 11" and I would be really grateful if someone could give me a clue as to how to avoid this.  I am sure I have been told on one of my training days but my memory cannot cope at the moment so I stand no hope of remembering something I was told months ago!!!!

Thanks for all your help so far guys it is really useful    8-)

Yvonne, that looks so much better   Is it not just the light/sun reflecting thru the 11" and 5" that makes them look more noticable?
Perhaps double stuff the 5" but thats a lot more time, or can you inflate the 11" balloons to 5/6" for a stronger colour.
The top row of 11" still look slightly on the large size to me.

No there is definitely a distinct colour difference! I know what you mean about the sizing of the top row.  For some reason the Qualatex sizing box jumps from 7" to 9" (before that is is 1/2" increments) so I had to guess and I think I guessed wrong.  Will get Paul to make me a 7.5" and an 8" to see which looks better but suspect that won't be tonight  :roll:

Need to catch up on my accounts (not even looked at them since March) and then take a look at the arms later this afternoon!  Thankfully the weather is good enough that the kids can play in the garden as they really don't like the sound of my air inflator!

That looks great Yvonne I think they will be so impressed with that one.

I know what you mean by the colours I personally use all 11"  on mine to give better even colour match - I use one of my dual inflators - your heidi will do it (hows hubby doing with it is he ready to do mine yet?) and push the balloon as far down the stem as I can to get the air into the top of the balloon and shape it - when you tie them into duplets you need to cut some of the end of the balloon off as it can cause bulking in the centre.

When it comes to balloon sizes not in your box - do the same as you do for your larger 16", 24" & 36" balloons and get out a tape measure and measure the space between the backs of two dining chairs back to back to get the sizes you need.  

Tis always good to have a tape measure in your tool box as this could come in handy if A/ you forget your box or B/ you dont have room to fit it into your car - every venue has two flat back chairs to create instant sizer..

Pam
xx

Cheers Pam.  I am actually rather pleased with this one even though he is headless!  I will also do the smaller balloons in 11" and just under-inflate them some more.  So would you still do the arms with 11" too as they will only be 3"?

I'm not actually using Heidi to do the air inflation at present as I don't have / can't afford a compressor man enough for the job and haven't looked into nitrogen yet.  I've been doing them all on my ProAire.

Re: using the backs of chairs - D'oh why didn't I think of that!!! and yes I do have one tape measure but I have loads of sewing ones knocking about so I may put those everywhere I can think of then I am bound to have something to measure the distance between chairs!

As for fixing the bugs in the Heidi I haven't really used mine enough to have found them yet!!  If you want to list the problems you have had with yours and once I have this job out of the way I will let him tinker with Heidi's innards!

Oh whilst I have you here do you have a link for the bottle bags you use to cover the bricks!  I had a look earlier and couldn't find them.

Yvonne, your second attempt is awsome. By the time you do it on the day I'm sure it will be perfect.

One small suggestion I would make is to make them both at the same time rather than making one and then the other. That way there is more chance of them being identical. You probably had already thought of that though.   :!:

Wishing you every success with it. Look forward to seeing the photos.

Graeme

I agree with everyone else Yvonne... fantastic second effort!

Why thank you people  

Graham I had planned on making them at the same time and as soon as I have it all figured out and written down I shall pre-inflate the balloons the day before (or when I get up at the crack of dawn with nerves that day! but probably best not to leave it that late   ) and make up the clusters and put them in bags according to their sizes (and obviously label each bag too) so that when I get there it is really a case of just putting balloons on stands and replacing any that pop or have deflated.  I am also planning on sorting out as much as I can the day before i.e. balloon weights for the SOP tunnel and brick weights for the garland arch.  Also plan on sorting out the weights and ribbon for the table bouquets the day before too.

Then I will be able to get on with the multitude of other stuff and hopefully get some cracking photos for my portfolio.

Well I finally finished Mark II.  Had to get him in the garden before I could attach the head and the bottom balloons did not like the decking / splinters / brick wall and I lost 3 of them!

Here is the finished thing:-
[attachment=0:12hyla9f][/attachment]002 (1).JPG[/attachment:12hyla9f][attachment=0:12hyla9f][/attachment]002 (1).JPG[/attachment:12hyla9f]

Top row of the body is too big, as are the 2 rows of the neck but that can be adjusted next time.  Also I think the arms are too long and if I narrow him off at the shoulder they will definitely be far too long.  However, for a 2nd attempt I am really pleased.

Also opinions please  :roll:  If I make the shoulders and neck smaller would you say I can get away with a fully inflated 11" balloon for his head?  P.S. That is what he currently has.

Sorry Yvonne I dont have any 16" left, thought I might have had a couple but obviously used them: As we dont use them often they always seem to last for ages even though only 50 in bag.

If you cant get them or no one else has any spare, I suggest using 2 gold 11" inflated to 10" double stuffed to deepen the colour

Good luck

Pam
xx

found 1 in a bag of 11" if its anyuse let me know

Pam
xx

Thanks Pam but don't worry.  I really need 2 and I don't think I can get away with using the 11" even if I double stuff!  I'll just buy a bag.

At the end of the day this is my first proper job so I was expecting to pay over the odds for the balloons by having to buy loads more than I need so it is no great problem.  I'm just grateful they didn't want a handful of really obscure prints that I would never use again.  With the Gold I am sure I can use them again