Monday, October 12, 2020

Part 2 Fabulous Balloon Walls - created with QuickLinks™️

Welcome to Part 2 of Fabulous Balloon Walls! In this post we are going to look at balloon walls that are made using QuickLink™️ balloons.

If you missed Part 1 of Fabulous Balloon Walls - created with Latex Round Balloons, click HERE for a direct link.



QuickLink Walls

I have found that using QuickLinks is probably one of the easiest and quickest ways to make a balloon wall.

Firstly, I want to talk about the balloons themselves:

  • QuickLinks are available in both 12” and 6” size.
  • The balloon shape makes tying very easy – tip to tip or tail to tail!
  • And of course all the colours coordinate with the entire Qualatex® range, from latex balloons to Microfoil’s to Bubble Balloons.

When QuickLinks were first launched, It took some time for me to get used to working with them. You need to think logically when assembling a QuickLink design to ensure that you construct it in the simplest way possible. QuickLink designs are typically constructed using chains with connectors that lock the chains together to form a structure.

When making a balloon wall using QuickLinks, there are two methods that are generally used:

  •  QuickLink Vertical/Horizontal Grids
  •  QuickLink X-Pattern Grids
Before we talk about these two methods, I would like to say a quick word about Balloon Design Tools. Balloon Design Tools is a fabulous program that allows balloon professionals to digitally design Arches, Columns, Organic decor and Balloon Walls. It also features other balloon related calculation tools. In this post, I will be featuring walls that I have created for clients and for classes that I designed using this tool. Not only has it saved me many hours in the designing process, it also gives me the perfect computer-based graphic that I can share with my clients for their approval... without the need to inflate any balloons!
If you are considering making a balloon wall, then I strongly recommend testing out this software. It is available on a 7-Day Free Trial. If you wish to sign up after the trial, you have an option of a monthly or annual subscription. 

The Design Tool was created by Chris Adamo, CBA, from Sydney, Australia. He has over 20 years of balloon industry experience and is as passionate about this wonderful profession as anyone could be. In recent years Chris has been asked to teach all around the world and is driven to helping the balloon industry through quality and practical educational videos and tools. The ‘Balloonpro.co Design Tool’  has transformed the way we design, plan and create balloon decor. It is a huge honour and privilege to be able to share this with the wider community.

In a future blog post, we will look at the fabulous functions available on the Balloon Tool and how it can really help you. I guarantee that you will be impressed! 

QuickLink Vertical/Horizontal Grids

This is one of my favourite techniques and I have used it many times when creating balloon walls at corporate events. The last wall that I made before we headed into lock-down was for an event in London where the theme for the party was Great Gatsby! 

Black, Chrome Gold and Chrome Silver QuickLink Balloon Wall designed and created by Sue Bowler, CBA
Black, Chrome Gold and Chrome Silver QuickLink Balloon Wall
designed and created by Sue Bowler, CBA.

www.suebowler.com
Black, Chrome Gold and Chrome Silver QuickLink Balloon Wall
designed and created by Sue Bowler.


Here is the same design that I created on the Balloon Tool. I used this to propose the design to my client and as you can see, it was approved!

Step 1: Use the QuickLink balloons to create the balloon wall frame. 

In this example, I have used 12" Onyx Black QuickLinks inflated to 9" to make the chains, and 7" Chrome Silver inflated to 5" to make the duplets that lock the wall together.

QuickLink Grid


Step 2: Fill the gaps within the grid frame with 11" (Duplets) balloons - the size of the balloons used should be in keeping with the inflated size of the QuickLink balloons. 

In this example, I have used 11" Chrome Gold and 11" Chrome Silver balloons for the fillers (duplets), these balloons were inflated to 8".

QuickLink Grid filled with Chrome Gold & Silver  11" Balloons

Step 3: Optional - you can add different types of balloons into the frame to create an alternative look; you can even create a semi-organic look by using different size balloons.

I added a whole new look to this balloon wall by adding different latex balloons, including prints and confetti-filled. I also added in some Microfoil balloons which I think you would agree really adds value to the design!

QuickLink Grid filled with a selection of latex and Microfoil balloons

I also want to share with you this fabulous wall. The original design was by Luc Bertrand, CBA, of WaW Balloons in Vichte, Belgium. Luc created this wall as part of the décor for the 100 year celebration of Pioneer Balloon Company on the Qualatex stand at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair in Germany. Luc's design uses the AeröPole System® to create the circular frame and then Luc used 6" QuickLink balloons to create the central grid system and filled with multi-coloured 5" latex balloons. 

100 Year Celebration Balloon Wall by Luc Bertrand
100 Years Celebration Balloon Wall by Luc Bertrand


I re-created Luc's design for the Pioneer Balloon Company's 100th Birthday Celebration Party in Wichita in 2017. The party theme was Black & White, and it was a great opportunity to use a fantastic selection of black & white printed balloons.This wall made the perfect photo backdrop!

Who are all these lovely people?

QuickLink X Pattern Grids

This is another great technique using QuickLinks to create fabulous wall designs. 

Here are two grids that I have designed on the Balloon Tool to show you examples of how the frame looks with and without the balloon fillers.






Here are some examples of wall designs using the X-Pattern Grid


QuickLInk 'Love' Balloon Wall by Sue Bowler
'Love' X-Grid Wall designed and created by Sue Bowler




It's a Boy! QuickLink Balloon Wall by Sue Bowler
'Welcome Baby' X-Grid Wall Designed and created by Sue Bowler

Nir and Avital Shechter, CBA's of Baloney Nir in Katzrin, Israel
Nir and Avital Shechter, CBA's of Baloney Nir in Katzrin, Israel are all about design especially when they create their fabulous balloon walls! 

Back to School Balloon Wall by Nir and Avital Shechter, CBA's of Baloney Nir in Katzrin, Israel
'Back to School' X-Grid Wall Designed by Avital and Nir  

Probably one of my favourite X-Grid Wall designs is also by the incredible duo, Avital & Nir. The fabulous colours and the different sizing of the fillers makes this design fun, exciting and oh so vibrant! 

Multi-Coloured Balloon Wal by Nir and Avital Shechter, CBA's of Baloney Nir in Katzrin, Israel

And finally, two more fantastic balloon wall designs by Nir & Avital using this very versatile X-Grid wall technique. Their attention to detail really brings their designs to life!

Back to School Balloon Wall by Nir and Avital Shechter, CBA's of Baloney Nir in Katzrin, Israel
Balloon Wall by Nir & Avital Shechter

Fabulous Coloured Balloon Wall by Nir and Avital Shechter, CBA's of Baloney Nir in Katzrin, Israel
Balloon Wall by Nir & Avital Shechter


If you have never tried making a balloon wall before, then I recommend that you start with QuickLinks! If you want to practice you can use 6" QuickLinks which means that your design will be much smaller than if you use 12". You can still make a great backdrop design using 6" QuickLink balloons, so make sure that whatever you make you use it for a photo opportunity! 

A huge thank you to Nir & Avital Shechter, Alberto Falcone and Luc Bertrand for sharing their beautiful balloon wall designs with the Very Best Balloon Blog! 

In my next blog post, we will look at balloon walls made with Microfoil™️ Balloons! 

Happy Ballooning! 


Sue
Follow me @suebowler



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