When we were contacted by the award-winning children’s entertainment group, the Beanies, we knew they’d be looking for something fun and original.
Since getting together in 2016, Laura, Michael and Mim have traveled all over Southern Australia, delighting kids and their parents alike with their high-energy shows.
They wanted us to create a custom inflatable stage prop to use at parties and special events. Their concept was to combine an arch and a brightly-coloured background in one inflatable.
They had thought of an inflatable because it would be easier to transport and travel with across the country to their shows. As they often have limited time to set everything up, it was essential that any custom inflatable stage prop would be quick and easy to set up- they mentioned that they would often have less than 10 minutes.
Start with a great concept
We never use off-the-shelf templates, and every inflatable is totally customized to meet the unique needs of a particular client. We loved the idea of creating something so different and versatile, and immediately set about finding out more about what they had in mind as a design.
We’re always pleased to take the client’s drawings of their concept as the starting point for our design work. From the get-go the Beanies had an absolutely clear idea of how they wanted their custom inflatable stage prop to look like.
Their hand drawn sketch was the perfect introduction. A rainbow arch, with the Beanies logo highlighted, in a cloud, would curve over a large base of fluffy clouds. They also imagined a puppy with cupcakes and other goodies floating on the clouds.
Clarify the Design
Based on this, our designers got down to work on creating initial 2D drawings, so that the dimensions could be defined. The internal dimensions of the arch were 2.5m wide x 2m high, ensuring that the custom inflatable stage prop would be usable even in smaller spaces and those with lower ceilings.
The clients were delighted with our sketches, and gave us the go ahead to proceed. Using our CAD software, our designers wasted no time in transforming the 2D concept into a fabulous 3D rendering. Now they could really see what the finished product would look like.
The first 3D version highlighted the shape of the arch, as well as the size and position of the logo.
Once that had been approved by the clients, we moved on to create a full colour image, so they could start to see what the finished product would look like. We also worked hard to ensure that the colour of every letter of the Beanies name would match their existing branding perfectly.
They provided feedback that they wanted the arch to be colourful, and put their logo front and centre at the top in a “cloud” - which was in line with their brand message.
On seeing the full 3D image, the clients felt that the details with the puppy & goodies detracted from the fluffy effect of the clouds. These were removed, and the design became less crowded and cleaner.
Turn it into Reality
Once the clients had seen just how their custom inflatable stage prop would look in reality, all they wanted to know was: ‘How soon can you get it to us?’. Manufacturing generally takes 2-3 weeks from the final go-ahead, so our expert manufacturing team wasted no time in getting down to business.
As this arch combined so many vibrant colours, the first step was to print samples of each one, to ensure that, when printed, they would match the image, and the Beanies’ logo, perfectly.
Once the team was satisfied, our advanced CAD software worked the magic of translating the custom inflatable stage prop for the printer. Next, the cutting and stitching, which is always a delicate and time consuming part of the process, got underway. Given the intricate shape of the inflatable, this was a particularly demanding job, but our team excelled themselves (as always) in ensuring that it would be strong enough to withstand regular use.
We don’t just make, pack and ship. That’s not how we earned our reputation for quality. Once the custom inflatable stage prop was ready, our team inflated it and carried out a series of rigorous tests to guarantee strength and durability.
As it sometimes happens that, when inflated, an arch differs slightly from the 3D drawings, they also look out for any changes from what had been agreed with the client. Although rare, if it happens we always let them know and get their feedback.
Love the Results!
As soon as were satisfied that the custom stage prop inflatable complied with our quality standards, and was exactly what the client had requested and expected, it was shipped to their door.
Needless to say, they were delighted with their new arch! It’s since been a focal point at many of their shows, and features on their website and social media pages.
