Balloon Chat
Uncategorized Boards => Balloon Review => Topic started by: nippy99 on July 27, 2012, 06:44:29 PM
046 - TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS - JOHN CHRISTIANSON - DVD
I thought I would choose a DVD from the archives featuring an artist we haven't seen on Balloon Reviews. This is a double DVD which is very hard to get hold of to the point I can't even recommend a place to buy it from. This review will either make you work harder to find a copy for sale or save you a job! I was interested in John's work specifically for his version of Kermit the Frog, and with The Muppets cinema release over the last year I was tempted to give it try.
So here we go.........
FRINGY FROG
KIT LIST : 160Q LIME GREEN / 5" LIME GREEN ROUND / 160Q RED / 5" WHITE ROUND
Prepare to cry - this Kermit the Frog is a knuckle buster and an exercise in keeping your patience. The core body comprises of three raisins to attach both the arms and the legs. This is really difficult. Even under inflating the lime green round it is really hard to get the pressure just right. After popping so many rounds I ended up gluing the arms and legs!! What a cheat!
John gives an excellent method for making the neck fringe bubbles to save breaking the little pieces of balloons. This is the best Kermit I have seen and one that I will learn to master!
Not for beginners.
[attachment=0:v0e7kzvz][/attachment]252-kermit.jpg[/attachment:v0e7kzvz]
BAD SCHTICK BEAR
KIT LIST : 260Q GOLDENROD / 160Q GOLDENROD / 160Q EHITE / 5" PINK ROUND / 5" WHITE ROUND / 160Q MOCHA
This DVD was created quite a few years ago and I think this model is showing it's age a little. I admit my version is not that great but I really do not like the mouth. The use of 160Q for the face and body provide little contrast in bubble sizes. May be a 260Q body would have been better. The ears are also separate and would be better integrated into the face design.
I haven't seen any other Fozzie Bear designs on the market so perhaps I can rework it a little.
[attachment=0:1it4wdck][/attachment]DSCF7459.jpg[/attachment:1it4wdck]
WALRUS
KIT LIST : BETALLATEX SWAN PINK / 160Q LILAC / 260Q BLACK / 260Q PINK / 160Q WHITE / 260Q YELLOW / 6" PINK HEART
This model uses the hard to get hold of (in UK) Betallatex Swan balloons. This special balloon makes an excellent body for the Walrus. The 260Q legs are glued on which is a pain. A Sempertex heart would work better than Qualatex ones as you get extra length on the neck to make two pinch twists to connect to the body.
I do like this design and it has increased my interest in Shonna's upcoming DVDs using special shaped balloons.
[attachment=0:1j65sexb][/attachment]walrus.jpg[/attachment:1j65sexb]
I was just rewatching this yesterday while reloading my balloon bag! What a coincidence! I was wondering why we never hear from John Christianson anymore. He's one of my favorite balloon twisters! I hope we see more work from him someday...
The real knuckle-busting comes in when you get to the Cruller flowers- get ready!
I'm excited, having gotten into twisting when this DVD was no longer available. I just got the DVD from someone who had to leave the balloon world. Looking forway to learning a good Kermit to go with Bauldy the clowns Miss Piggy from youtube.
Quote from: "Scott Tripp"The real knuckle-busting comes in when you get to the Cruller flowers- get ready!
Oh yes - I had a look at that last night - waiting for my fingers to cool down from my gig today and I will give it a try.
I do the poor mans John Christianson cruellerflower after struggling to come to terms with the real one, http://www.grahamleesmagic.co.uk/g9.html (http://www.grahamleesmagic.co.uk/g9.html)
CRULLER FLOWER
KIT LIST : 160Q VARIOUS
The Cruller flower looks amazing but requires a considerable amount of practice and very accurate bubble sizes. This flower comprises of 8 petals all of the same size (that's the first difficult part) and then each petal is tucked inside the other until it is perfectly round. I did struggle and my photo only gives you some idea what the finished flower should look like. John gives plenty of instruction but this is probably something you will need to play with for many hours.
I didn't try a second time as I am very unlikely to use this design myself.
If you enjoy a challenge get this DVD! - John also includes another slight variation on the flower design.
[attachment=0:2bpiqp8m][/attachment]cruller.jpg[/attachment:2bpiqp8m]
Thanks for another excellent review Darren! I've been looking for this DVD set for quite a while. No one seems to know where John is.
If anyone have contact with him or know how to obtain this set of DVDs, please PM :D.
Bosco
The flower was also explaind in one of the balloon magic magazines. I have put the flower up as I always think the links are hard to spot.
I need to get the technical people to make them brighter/different.
SEAL
KIT LIST : BETALLATEX SWAN WHITE / 260Q WHITE / 260Q BLACK / 6" WHITE HEART
Firstly, you may have realised that I have made my Seal in yellow as I didn't have a white swan balloon. I would say the Walrus design is better. In my version of this model the head of the seal is under-inflated and doesn't look as good as John's original design. The plus side is this one doesn't require any glue as a raisin is used to secure the front seat. Would look better in white and I do like this design when made properly.
[attachment=0:13kcvjlx][/attachment]seal.jpg[/attachment:13kcvjlx]
TIGER
KIT LIST : 260Q ORANGE / 260Q WHITE
A very nice two-balloon tiger. This design reminds me a little of the Wolf/Fox design Patrick showed at a recent TBAG day. My tiger tail is too long but I do actually quite like this one.
[attachment=0:16vmfzgm][/attachment]tiger.jpg[/attachment:16vmfzgm]
MOUSE
KIT LIST : 260Q EHITE / 160Q WHITE / 160Q BLACK / 5" WHITE ROUND / 160Q PINK / 260Q PINK
This mouse looks better when made than it does on the DVD. I really like this design but the instructions are a little tricky to follow for the feet and legs. John does tend to mumble in places. I really like the way the eyes look and the 160Q pink inserts for the ears. The legs are better glued to the 5" round body as I have done here so you get a nicer shape. This has potential for many other animal designs.
[attachment=0:1o21berh][/attachment]mouse.jpg[/attachment:1o21berh]
This would make a good kangaroo with some tweeking.
MANIC MONSTER
KIT LIST : 160Q RED / 160Q ORANGE / 160Q DARK BLUE / 160Q WHITE / 160Q YELLOW / 160Q WHITE / 5" WHITE / 260Q ORANGE / 5" BLACK / 160Q SILVER
Obviously a parody of Animal from the Muppets. The problem I have with this design it is very flat, i.e only 160Qs are used which makes the body fairly floppy and one-dimensional. I feel a mix of 260s and 160s may have been better. My version just doesn't look right to me. There are a lot of different balloons required and this one takes quite some time to make.
John's overall instruction is fine but I do find him mumbles a little and there are not enough close-up shots that are required to add clarity.
[attachment=0:2c2s1eto][/attachment]animal.jpg[/attachment:2c2s1eto]
SUMMARY
This DVD is not for the beginner and I would suggest only those twisters with a fair amount of skill try this one. The Kermit design is the main selling point for me with the other muppets being a little disappointing. The cruller flower is stunning and is one to aspire to. Some of the designs (seal / walrus) use specialty balloons which non-US twisters may find hard (and expensive) to source.
The video production is a little substandard, the bubble sizing not overly clear and there are no real close-ups which is puzzling for certain parts.
Still worth having in your collection but just make sure you have the right level of ability.