You will also want to buy a good balloon pump to save your lungs. Look for a dual-action hand pump. With this type of pump, air will be expelled both on the up and down stroke, inflating the balloon quicker. Once you have mastered balloon animals and want to do it frequently, a floor pump is a good investment. Leave a one-inch uninflated tip at the end of the balloon. This should provide enough leeway for twisting. Balloon artists often release a bit of air from an inflated balloon by releasing the nozzle that’s held in their fingers before tying it off. This valuable technique is known as “burping” a balloon. To make a lock twist, you make two basic twists along the length of the balloon so you have four balloon segments. Since you have to keep a grasp on the two twists, it’s best to make them fairly close together. Then bend one end of the balloon against the other end of the balloon so it is bent between your second and third balloon segments. Grab the two middle segments and twist them together (three times at least) isolating them from the rest of the balloon. Now the twists should be locked and secure.
