10 Principles of Balloon Hat excellence

10 Principles for making an excellent Balloon Hat

1. The happiest you can be personally is when you make someone else happy – the happiness bounces off them and back to you.

2. Balloon hats do not keep people warm, dry or safe. Their only function is to create joy.

3. It is a privilege to decorate someone’s head. If you are going to be lazy about it, you should stick to making cute balloon animals.

4. Desire and practice are by far the two most important factors in making excellent balloon hats.

5. Practice includes 1) mastering pre-existing techniques through repetition, 2) developing your own style and language, and 3) consistently yet gently moving past your comfort zone in the unknown.

6. Beginners should master symmetry, veterans should not be dependent on it.

7. Balloon hats are most effective when they balance opposing dynamics of whimsy and sophistication.

8. Negative space is your friend.

9. The best inflatable crown possess the ephemeral nature of balloons, but at the same time transcend what is typically expected of balloons.

10. Making a hat (engineering) and presenting it (performance) are two separate skills. Both are essential, but it is natural that some people may prefer and excel at one over the other.