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Description
Kimono: better than you since 2003.

I'm particularly proud of this balloon, though I still see plenty to improve on. This is a 16-inch-ish Tufftex or Perfect Products, pictured with G3 1st year Kimono, who served as my snooty model. <3 Kimono so much!

I've discovered quite a bit about working with sharpie on balloon. For instance, I outline in the lightest body color first, and if I really, REALLY need to erase something, I can go over it with dry-erase marker and then quickly rub it out with rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will lighten but not erase the sharpie. It'll also leave some light color on that area, which is pretty light and hard to see. I also can't rule out that it has any chemical effect on the latex, but we got this one pretty big and it hasn't popped.

When I start working with a balloon, I inflate it midway so I have a nice full shape, but it isn't taut and there's no neck (assuming you're working with a balloon that GETS taut). Later I inflate it fully, and sometimes I'll even do so before the final black outline so that the outline is thinner. I have an ultra-fine black sharpie that works wonders on eyes and symbols, and also outlines (see Fluttershy in scraps) if that's what I'm after. But, be VERY careful with ultra-fine pens, as they can puncture or damage balloons. I attempted to trace a design onto a clear balloon (more on that later) and I believe it was due to the point of the pen that it popped on inflation!

Description
Kimono: better than you since 2003.

I'm particularly proud of this balloon, though I still see plenty to improve on. This is a 16-inch-ish Tufftex or Perfect Products, pictured with G3 1st year Kimono, who served as my snooty model. <3 Kimono so much!

I've discovered quite a bit about working with sharpie on balloon. For instance, I outline in the lightest body color first, and if I really, REALLY need to erase something, I can go over it with dry-erase marker and then quickly rub it out with rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will lighten but not erase the sharpie. It'll also leave some light color on that area, which is pretty light and hard to see. I also can't rule out that it has any chemical effect on the latex, but we got this one pretty big and it hasn't popped.

When I start working with a balloon, I inflate it midway so I have a nice full shape, but it isn't taut and there's no neck (assuming you're working with a balloon that GETS taut). Later I inflate it fully, and sometimes I'll even do so before the final black outline so that the outline is thinner. I have an ultra-fine black sharpie that works wonders on eyes and symbols, and also outlines (see Fluttershy in scraps) if that's what I'm after. But, be VERY careful with ultra-fine pens, as they can puncture or damage balloons. I attempted to trace a design onto a clear balloon (more on that later) and I believe it was due to the point of the pen that it popped on inflation!