Customer Reviews

Twisting History: Lessons in Balloon Sculpting

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are many twisting books, and they fall into 2 categories. Recipe books, and true books on the subject. The second category, true books, is very small, and TH is one of the best. Rather than present another collection of balloon sculpture recipes, Moss has created a book with a point, a theme, an unfolding story that leads any twister down a path to improvement. In the course of the book (which contains several excellent sculptures!) the readers develops a feel for balloons that no other book offers. TH isn't just about sculptures - it is about developing a presentation for the sculptures you can make. The best leaders lead by example, and TH presents a theme (an evolutionary timeline featuring balloon animals instead of life as we know it) which unifies the book.

There are many captivating sculptures in the book, and Moss takes care with all of them to provide clear directions. From varieties of balloon dogs to the enchanting bird in a cage, this book offers sculptures for all levels of twisters. It is well written, very refreshing in a market segment that features so many books with little writing. If you aren't a twister, you'll enjoy the engaging illustrations of Balloonosaurs as you read good prose describing the rise and fall of balloon animals through the ages. TH sets a standard that others would do well to follow - unity, diversity, and clarity. If you don't have this in your library as a twister, what are you waiting for? This is the next wave - in another five years, TH - rather than Balloon Magic or Capt. Visual - will be seen as _the_ place for novice twisters to start, because the level of art demands more than a catalog of instructions.

I was disappointed. The writing style is fun but the amount of material is small compared to Captain Visuals book (at about the same price).

I did not find this book to meet my own needs but I was able to give the book to a person interested in balloon twisting and get them hooked. The illustrations are easy to follow and help to enhance the instructions. The other parts of the book add to it well. We don't need balloon books that just teach us how to make specific animals. We need balloon books that will teach us other things too.

This is a great introduction for anyone who is serious about the art of balloon sculpture. Rather than focusing on specific patterns for sculptures (though there are plenty), Larry Moss describes in detail the basic twists that are used by top performers to create their own unique designs. After working through Larry's examples, it's easy to go on to invent new sculptures using the fundamental techniques he demonstrates.

The book is also written with unusual wit and charm, using a wacky theory of balloon evolution as the theme for the book and as a way to mark the reader's evolution from beginner to proficient sculptor. I strongly recommend "Twisting History."

This is my first book on folding balloons. (Finding it at the library was tricky; I started looking under "balloon animals." It turns out the library had it under "balloon sculpting.")

Larry does a good job of taking the reader through the basics, and then on to more interesting sculptures. He starts with the classic dog, and then shows a number of simple variations. There are several dozen different balloon sculptures. The pictures were very helpful. Larry takes the reader step by step through how to make each balloon sculpture. He writes well. It is a quick read, taking at most an hour.

The book starts off saying it is a history book of how balloon animals evolved from plants, and then finally balloon animals evolved into the animals we know today. The rest of the chapters keep building on this theme. I found the presentation of this "history" a bit too cutesy.

This is a good book to start with. If you want to learn the basics, and get some ideas on different things to try, this is worth getting.

This book is a great jumping off point for anyone who wants to learn about balloon twisting. The book follows a logical, but fun process of building on what you have already learned. It takes you right from a beginner up to an intermediate balloon twister and gives you a start on some advanced techniques. Larry has written a fun, albeit not totally, historically, correct history of the balloon animal; it is hysterically correct. This book is a good value and anyone would be happy to receive it, even if they are already twisted, I mean twisting balloons already.

It's not really that great. It's interesting only if you are a beginner. It's nothing compared to "Ballonicature", the CD-ROm from the same author.