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How
to Create a Framed Heart
Sean O'Kelly
Bending the Frame
Framing Notes
Inflation
The Wrapping
Wrapping Up Notes
Interlocking Hearts
The simple design of the love heart is perhaps the most identifiable
of all traditional icons. Most commonly built on a rigid frame
and wrapped with clusters of 4 x 12cm or 30cm balloons. Easy
to construct, transport and install it can be increased or
decreased in size without compromising the shape.
• 2 x 6mm Aluminium Rod or Tube each 1.90 metres in
length. For ease of ‘hand-bending’ anything greater
than 6mm diameter is not recommended. The frame is constructed
in two halves to help with symmetry.
• 100 x 12cm balloons Gold
• 100 x 12cm balloons White
• Duct Tape (Silver or colour match to balloons)
1. Working on a flat surface, eg large bench or floor make
your first bend on a 45º angle at the 10cm point on the
rod.
2. Working along the rod, a further 80cm make another bend
of 45º in the same direction. Ensure that the rod
still remains as a flat piece.
3. Working along the rod, at 20cm intervals make three more
bends of 45º all in the same direction.
4. The 6th bend at the 4th 20cm mark is again at 45º
in the opposite direction, leaving a length of 15cm.
5. Repeat the entire process with the second rod.
6. Overlap the two halves to form a heart shape and secure
together with duct tape.
After the frame is taped it may seem alarmingly ‘tight
‘. Slight errors in shape can usually be corrected
before or after balloons are wrapped.
The same design can be expanded by lengthening the
respective sections to form large sized hanging and walk through
hearts.
7. Inflate 2 x 12cm Metallic Gold balloons [sized to 10cm
wide] and join together at the neck to form a duplet.
[Figure 1]
8. Repeat the process with a pair of 12cm Pearl White balloons.
9. Wrap the two duplets together [at the knot] to form a
cluster of 4. The cluster will have 2 of each colour. [Figure
2]
10. Repeat the entire process until you have made 50 clusters
of 4.
11. Starting at the top centre [15cm section], wrap 2 balloons
from the first cluster around the rod so it now ‘hugs’
the frame. Position 2 balloons of the same colour next to
each other.
12. Repeat the process with two more clusters, placing them
on either side of the first. Ensure that each new cluster
‘snugly’ interlocks with the cluster next to
it. [Figure 3]
13. Wrap the clusters along the frame as shown in [Figure
4] allowing the spiral to spread away from the centre in
an even pattern.
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Fig: 3 |
Fig: 4 |
14. Continue to wrap the remaining clusters along the rod
they meet at the bottom ‘V’ intersection. Ensure
that the tightness of the packing and the spiral pattern
is consistent. [Figure 5]
 Fig:
5 |
• Depending on your ‘packing pressure’
along the rod, more or fewer clusters may be used.
• The style of the heart can be altered by adjusting
the shape of the frame. Once you are experienced with
the method you can begin to stylise your own shapes.
• Further adjustments can be made by altering
the size and/or type of particular balloons along the
frame. For example, replace some or all of the balloons
with foil or latex heart-shaped balloons.
• Experiment with the placement of coloured balloons
in each cluster for a wide variety of patterns. Please
find some templates for your experimentation. |
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The method of producing an Interlocking Love Hearts exactly
the same as the making of two single Love Hearts except that
one heart uses fewer balloons where the two interlock.
It is recommended that for interlocking hearts, you use a
single colour for each heart, as the spiral can get lost when
overlapping the second heart.
[Figure 6-7]
 Fig:
6 |
 Fig:
7 |
Contribution by: Sean O'Kelly (Vic, Australia)
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