Colour Creates Ideas, Expresses Messages, Sparks Interest, and Generates Certain Emotions... be inspired by colour!

We often get to see so many incredible and eye-catching balloon creations on social media, and in most cases, it is the colours rather than the actual design that catches our attention first! 

I remember when Elari Events posted one of their beautiful balloon designs a few years ago in fabulous shades of dusky pinks, greys and silver. It attracted so much attention that everyone wanted to know what balloon colours they had used to create this magical palette! Elari Events continues to produce truly fabulous balloon decor and stunning colour combinations! 

 Zoe Adam-Jones, CBA of JAZ Trading of QLD, Australia, shows how the beautiful Elari decor customs colours were created.

This colour chart was created by Zoe Adam-Jones , CBA, of JAZ Trading .

Custom Balloon Colours

I suppose that we have been creating 'custom' colours for as long as I can remember, however before it became a trend it was only used as a last resort - the extra cost and time involved usually being a determining factor. I once stuffed Orange 646Q inside Yellow 646Q to create the perfect Goldenrod colour for a Giraffe design that I had created. 

However in today's balloon world, that is definitely no longer case! Balloons and balloon décor have become increasingly trendy over the past few years and with this uptick, consumers have become more discerning and often demanding of their requirements.

I love colour and love creating custom colours. Probably one of my favourite custom combination is the Jewel Tone balloons double-stuffed with Chrome balloon colours. I am also a little infatuated with all the stunning pastel colours that you can create.

In the first year that we showed this combination on the Qualatex stand at a UK trade show, the response was unbelievable! I don't think that I had ever before seen such incredible reactions from so many to a display of 11" Jewel Tone latex double-stuffed with Chrome Balloons. Of course, the colours created by this combo are rich and vibrant, with an almost glass-like appearance! I was asked many times "what balloons are they?" I still get the same reaction when I am teaching a class and I show a Chrome balloon inside a Jewel Tone! 

Creating appealing colour combinations is definitely an art, which is probably why I see so many requests on social media from balloon companies asking what colours have been used to create this or that design! 

If custom colouring is new to you, here is a great video clip that shows you how to double-stuff balloons and some of the fabulous colour creations that you can make! 

So how do we know what colour combinations are ideal to create enticing new colours or a corporate colour?

This is much easier than you think, as Qualatex has done all the hard work for us by producing a range of comprehensive colour guides! 

This is the Neutral & Muted Colour Guide - click HERE for a direct link to all of the guides or follow this link https://us.qualatex.com/en-us/inspiration/paint-your-party-qualatex/

Another great colour tool that Qualatex has recently introduced is the ability to download Double-Stuffed Images! These are perfect to show to your clients when proposing decor and/or a colour schemes! I have to confess, this really excites me, as I really love to give my customers as much visual detail when I am proposing my decor ideas to them, being able to show them, and being able to show them all the different custom colours that I am suggesting is such a huge bonus! 

Look for this Q2 icon for double-stuffed custom colours. You can download any or all of the Qualatex custom colour balloon images for business use. The files are named with the custom colour name, followed by the outside colour, then the inside colour. 

Here is one of the colours that I selected from the Double-Stuffed collection that are available to download as images. This colour is known as Desert Sage and uses a combination of a Spring Green inside a Grey balloon.

Learning about colour, understanding colour psychology (how we react to different colours,) and learning how to make fabulous and harmonious colour palettes work is all available in the latest Balloon IMAGES that is completely dedicated to colour - Paint Your Party with Qualatex. I love this edition, it is packed with so much great information that will truly help you and your business go from strength to strength! And if you are studying for your CBA accreditation, you will definitely find the information within this edition extremely helpful as part of your studies!

I hope that you enjoy using these exciting new resources as much as I will!

Happy Ballooning, and don't forget to Paint your Party with Qualatex! 

Sue

www.suebowler.com

Follow me @suebowler

We all get a Little Bit Excited when we see a New Balloon Colour - Magical Custom Colours

I will always remember seeing someone's first reaction to a display of Jewel Tone double-stuffed with Chrome Balloons - the colours created by this combo are rich and vibrant, with an almost glass-like appearance! The most exciting thing about creating custom coloured balloons via double-stuffing is that the options are endless!

I suppose that we have been doing this for as long as I can remember, however before it was only used as a last resort - the extra cost and time factor was a determining factor. 

 Today, that is definitely not the case!

Balloons and balloon décor have become increasingly trendy over the past few years and with this, consumers have become more discerning and often demanding of their requirements.

I love colour and love creating custom colours. Probably one of my favourite custom combination is the Jewel Tone balloons double-stuffed with Chrome balloon colours. I'm also a little infatuated with all the stunning pastel colours that you can create.

Shimmering Emerald Stars

Be the envy of party decorators everywhere with this "star-studded," gorgeously green Column!

Designer name: Eve Antonello, CBA, Pioneer Balloon Company, Wichita, KS, USA.

To create these fabulous colours, Eve used Jewel Lime and Jewel Teal with Chrome Silver inside.

Pastel colours are extremely popular and I loved having the opportunity to design and make a beautiful balloon and flower wall for a client. 

To create these colours I used "Chalky" & "Warm" pastels.

Chalky pastels are created by stuffing vibrant colours inside Qualatex White latex. Using the double-stuffing method, these balloons take on a matte appearance that creates a unique look, similar to chalk on a blackboard.

For warmer pastel shades, stuff balloons into colours with warm tones like Ivory Silk, Pink, and Blush. The double-stuffing provides an extra dimension that simply cannot be achieved with a single balloon.

These Instagram posts from Mañeca Balloons, in New York, USA are simply fabulous!  Not only are they showing their beautiful decor, they are also showing that they are using custom coloured balloons.

Boho Safari Theme Baby Shower 🦒
Mañeca Balloons, in New York, USA. 

Beautiful Organic Garland by
Mañeca Balloons, in New York, USA. 

For quick reference, Qualatex has created a range of custom colour charts which feature common colour combos that we can share with our clients when searching for the right colours. To see all the charts and in full size click HERE

Did you know that there is now a Facebook Group that is dedicated to Custom Balloon Colours - "A group to share and discuss balloon colours - this is existing, or custom colours. A group for any skill level or enthusiast. Share your amazing designs with the colour combos you used!" 

Below is a great video with Zoe Adam-Jones of Jaz Trading in Queensland, Australia. Zoe recorded it for Q Corner, and in it she explains how she created a fabulous range of pastel custom coloured balloons for a Hot Air Balloon design that she taught in one of her classes... How beautiful it was! I also recommend that you check out Zoe's business - Jaz Trading's Pinterest account too, as it too is packed with inspiring ideas and inspiration! 

And finally, don't forget to check out the great article on the Qualatex website - Hot Trend: Custom Pastel Colors that features beautiful custom colour decor by Sarah Courtney of Belle Balloons in Melbourne, Australia, Tina Giunta, CBA, of Shivoo Balloons in Melbourne, Australia and Jenny Wang of Bingo Party Studio in China.

This Colour chart was created by Zoe showing one of the hottest colour combinations - Dusk Dreams from a design created by Elari Events.

Flamingo Hat Box Design
By Sue Bowler

As much as it's more work and of course more expensive to do, I really love the effect of double-stuffing, not purely based colour but also because it can make the balloons look more solid, often glass-like, and it also makes the balloons last so much longer in a design, which is an absolute bonus when creating long lasting displays.

Thank you to Mañeca Balloons, and Zoe Adam-Jones for sharing their fabulous designs and creativity with the Very Best Balloon Blog! 

Happy Ballooning!

Sue

www.suebowler.com

Follow me @suebowler

Dive into the latest trend on Instagram - #mermaids (1,331,460 posts and growing!)

Being trend-savvy is the key to success, especially in the world of balloon artistry. Knowing what's hot will give us the edge over our competitors and excite our clients.

A sea-world theme is a favourite for me. I love colour, and this theme allows me to use so many wonderful hues to create magical decor. Earlier this year I created a number of visual displays for Pioneer^®  Europe at Spring Fair. Spring Fair is the UK's No.1 trade show for gift and home products, held at Birmingham's N.E.C. One of the displays I made was designed to feature the new Qualatex^® Enchanting Mermaid Microfoil^®  balloon. 
It was also the perfect opportunity for me to showcase the NEW Qualatex Chrome Balloons™ and their unique vibrancy and versatility, especially when double-stuffed inside Jewel- coloured balloons.



I have been asked on several occasions how I made this display, so I thought that I would share it with you on the Very Best Balloon Blog.

It's all about the base!

The base is an integral part of the design. Without it, the design would not be as eye-catching as it is. It allows me to use many of the colours that are featured in the "Enchanting Mermaid" Microfoil. 

38" "Enchanting Mermaid" #57815

To start, I made a very simple Quick Link x-pattern wall using Chris Adamo's fabulous Balloons Online Design Tool. The wall consists of six chains using 6" Caribbean Blue Quick Links inflated to approximately 5", or five pumps on a Qualatex Green hand pump.

Two - chains of 10
Four - chains of 6
Total number of 6" Quick Links - 44

The chains are locked together using 5" Caribbean Blue and or 5" Tropical Teal duplets. 
Inflate to 3" or one pump using the Qualatex Green hand pump.
Total number of 5" balloons - 62.

With this type of "wall", we have spaces between each of the "X's" - the wall above has fourteen spaces to fill. This was where I was able to introduce a range of fabulous colours.
Each of the coloured balloons used one of the balloons listed below inflated to 5", 5.5", and 6" - the variation in size creates visual movement within the design, but be careful not to make the size differences too extreme. Each balloon is made into a Duplet with a 4" Caribbean Blue as the base balloon. This holds the balloons in place and keeps the wall flat at the base.

Chrome Silver 11" #58270
Chrome Silver looks fabulous when inflated. It creates a solid shine and has a reflective surface, unlike any other latex balloon. Chrome Silver also works extremely well when inflated inside a Jewel colour balloon (double-stuffed) - I renamed these "Jewel-Chromes," and they look stunning! 

Chome Gold 11" #58271
Chrome Green 11" #58273
Chrome Purple 11" #58274






To create the Jewel-Chrome balloons, use; 

Jewel Teal 11" #43753 
Jewel Quartz Purple 11" #43789

Jewel Sapphire Blue 11" #43793

18" "Happy Birthday Mermaid" - #57799 

To complete the display, you can add a selection of balloons that complement the "Enchanting Mermaid" special shape. Deco Bubbles are perfect for this display. They create a "bubble" look and allows to feature 11" latex balloons, making the display longer lasting. 

Qualatex has just released a fabulous new Chrome Balloon Custom Colour Chart, to download it click HERE or visit www.Qualatex.com

Happy Ballooning!

Sue

www.suebowler.com

Balloons at Weddings — Elegant or Tacky?

Balloon Canopy by Sue Bowler, CBA.

There are divided public opinions regarding balloon decor at weddings. I have actually heard people calling balloons "tacky," and on occasions I can understand why people might think this.

When we walk into a traditional style wedding there is one colour that usually dominates the room — white! White table covers with white place settings or even a white marquee and often held in very neutral venues. So when colours are added into this very pure environment, it needs to be subtle and blended in carefully. 

So how can we make our wedding decor elegant? When I design wedding decor,  it is important for me to keep the decor very neutral. I like to create the majority of my designs using White or Ivory and Diamond Clear balloons. Today, silver is often used at weddings. This can also be considered a neutral colour.


Adding Accent Colour

So when a bride tells us the colours that she is planning to feature at her wedding, think of these as being the accent rather than the dominant colours. Consider using only 5" balloons when adding colour, and simply add just a hint rather than a big block of colour. Another tip is to offer the accent colour in tints, tones, and shades rather than just one single colour. For me, colour blending is more elegant than using one single hue.

To learn more about colour, check out my post: Beginners Guide to the Elements and Principles of Design - Colour.

We are very fortunate with balloons that we can create a multitude of colours simply by putting one balloon inside another to create new and unique colours. This is known as custom colouring, a technique that I love and use very often in my designs. 



These are columns that a group of students made as part of the Complete Wedding — Series 2 Course that I teach in the U.K. and around Europe.

The accent colour in this design is blue, but if you look carefully, you will see that the 5" balloons all vary slightly in colour. This was achieved by using the custom colouring technique mentioned above and therefore creating additional excitement and interest within the design, without the colour being domineering or overbearing.


Here is a chart that shows you how to create some very exciting colours. If you right click on this image, you should be able to save it to your computer.

Wedding Arbour by Sue Bowler, CBA.

Here are two more examples of wedding decor designs where the wedding colour has been added in as an accent colour and also using the custom colouring technique to create the tints, tones, and shades of a single colour. In both of these designs, I used fabric and greenery to add colour and texture to the designs.

Light-Up Wedding Column by Sue Bowler, CBA.

Today, there is a whole revolution of exciting new design ideas and concepts using balloon at weddings! Rose Gold is a colour that is becoming very popular, and in response to this, Qualatex^® has introduced a fabulous range of Rose Gold Hearts, Round, and Star shape Microfoil^® balloons.

To find out the full range available in this colour, click HERE.

We all love Qualatex Bubble Balloons! These are just perfect for weddings! Ruti Grodzinsky, CBA, of Designed by Ruti — Balloon Decor, Israel, recently created this fabulous decor, combining Bubble Balloons and asparagus fern for a beautiful, elegant wedding. I love the simplicity and elegance of Ruti's design, and I am really loving this Bubble and greenery look!

I recently published a post - Look at Colour Trends for Spring 2017. This shows some other great examples of this new greenery trend with balloons.

Keeping the colours subtle and reacting to trends is a great way to succeed in the wedding market.

I personally believe that balloons at weddings can be extremely beautiful and elegant. Just keep the decor neutral, light, and airy, and keep colours as an accent detail, rather than the main player. 

To promote your wedding services, ensure that you have a good social media presence, especially on Pinterest and Instagram, as they are both very visual and highly used by brides to be!

Happy Ballooning!

Sue
www.suebowler.com