| If you are a beginner (or a seasoned professional), | | | | message Mylar or cartoon balloon as part of your art. |
| you should definitely know the 7 basic pitfalls of | | | | This is talking the whole profession back 50 years. |
| doing balloon decorating and how to avoid them. | | | | Pitfall #4 - Doing Single Arches on The Outside - I |
| These mistakes are so critical because based on | | | | know that the temptation is definitely there, but |
| them all of your future success and credibility will | | | | single arches cannot and will not resists the outside |
| rest. The basics are literally and figuratively the | | | | elements; they are just not strong enough. A good |
| foundation for your success. | | | | gust of wind will tear them apart. |
| The 7 Basic Pitfalls of Doing Balloon Decorating: | | | | Pitfall #5 - Leaving Doors Open While You're |
| Pitfall #1 - Mix-Matching Ribbon and Balloons - When | | | | Decorating - When you allow any latex to be |
| you are creating a balloon bouquet, you never want | | | | exposed to draft, direct sun, or glare, within a very |
| to, for example, attach a red ribbon to a purple | | | | short time, they will start to become opaque whitish |
| balloon or a yellow ribbon to a green balloon. Red | | | | and ashy looking. |
| ribbon goes with red balloons. Yellow ribbon goes | | | | Pitfall #6 - Leaving Balloons In The Path of Direct Air |
| with yellow balloons. Purple ribbon goes with purple | | | | Conditioning - The same effect that an open-door |
| balloons. The only exception is white ribbon which is | | | | draft will have on the sheen of your balloons is also |
| neutral and will work with any color balloon. | | | | the effect of direct air-conditioning. Within 30 |
| Pitfall #2 - Using Printed Balloons - You should never | | | | minutes, the will be milky looking, ugly and opaque. |
| even dream of letting your customers talk you into | | | | Pitfall #7 - Over-Inflating Balloons - I think that this is |
| to putting printed messages on your works of art, | | | | the cardinal crime of would-be balloon artists and |
| such as a Happy Birthday or Congratulations message | | | | most beginners. The art of balloon decorating is |
| on your balloon arches. Writing on balloon art is illegible | | | | achieved by slightly under-inflating your balloons less |
| and looks like graffiti from a distance. | | | | than their full capacity, making sure that each balloon |
| Pitfall #3 - Using Message Or Cartoon Mylar Balloons - | | | | is the exact same size as the rest. |
| An even worse "sin" of decorating is to use a | | | | |