When Netflix approached Air Artists to create a striking centrepiece for the launch of Squid Game Series 3, the result was a one-off installation that turned heads across Newcastle’s Quayside. Rather than producing repeatable designs, each inflatable was crafted as a bespoke artwork, made once for a single client and event.
To launch Series 3, we created two hand-painted replicas, each standing 15 metres tall, positioned on opposite sides of the Millennium Bridge. Inspired by the iconic Red Light, Green Light doll and a companion character, both inflatables were produced as faithful product replicas with precise proportions, colour matching and facial detailing.
As night fell, integrated lighting transformed each figure into a cinematic focal point, drawing crowds and attention across Newcastle’s Quayside.
The Squid Game inflatables created for Netflix were one-off, large-scale product replicas designed to make a bold visual statement. Positioned prominently for the series launch, they demonstrated how creative design, engineering and event management combine to deliver a high-impact reveal.
Standing over fifteen metres tall, the inflatables commanded attention from across the city. They proved that large-scale inflatables, when engineered and finished with precision, can rival traditional sculpture while offering greater flexibility and transportability.
Advanced continuous airflow systems were used to keep the inflatables securely pressurised throughout the event. This professional-grade technology ensured structural stability even in challenging outdoor conditions, meeting the safety and logistical requirements of a complex live installation.
Every Air Artists project is individually hand-painted by an in-house team of artists. For product replicas, this involves precise colour sampling, layered paint techniques and reference photography to recreate textures, shading and highlights.
For Netflix, this meant reproducing the Squid Game characters with film-accurate colours, expressions and costume tones, resulting in lifelike, three-dimensional figures scaled perfectly for a public environment.
Integrated LED lighting enhanced visibility after dark, creating a striking focal point across the river. Our event management team handled installation, risk assessments and coordination on site to ensure a seamless launch under tight deadlines.
Every inflatable is bespoke and produced exclusively for your brief. Whether you need a product replica, branded character or large-scale sculpture, our team designs, hand-paints and installs inflatables that deliver maximum visual impact.
Explore our artwork gallery to see recent projects, or contact us for a proposal, technical plan and cost estimate tailored to your event or campaign.
At Air Artists, we specialise in creating bespoke inflatables that transform live performances into unforgettable experiences. For the Scissor Sisters’ inflatable, created as part of their reunion and summer tour, our team designed something bold, playful and impossible to miss: a giant pair of iridescent inflatable scissors that dominated the stage.
When YUNGBLUD appeared at BLUDFEST, his presence extended far beyond the music. A towering inflatable character stood beside the stage, eyes wide, hair ablaze, wrapped in stylised flames and flanked by a skeletal figure. Hand-painted and impossible to ignore, it did more than decorate the space. It helped define the show’s atmosphere before a single note played.
This is how modern inflatables are redefining concert tour stage design. Lightweight, expressive and instantly iconic, they offer touring artists, creative directors and production teams an agile tool for building visual identity and emotional tone. For this project, Air Artists was tasked with creating a one-of-a-kind centrepiece that captured YUNGBLUD’s world in physical form.
When Netflix approached Air Artists to create a striking centrepiece for the launch of Squid Game Series 3, the result was a one-off installation that turned heads across Newcastle’s Quayside. Rather than producing repeatable designs, each inflatable was crafted as a bespoke artwork, made once for a single client and event.
Air Artists, renowned for their transformative approach to inflatable art, recently unveiled a striking 5-metre inflatable Samurai. What sets this piece apart from typical inflatable creations is its meticulous attention to detail, particularly the face—so realistic it challenges viewers to question whether it is, indeed, an inflatable. This masterpiece is part of Air Artists’ broader vision: to push the boundaries of inflatable art, creating sculptures so lifelike they appear to transcend their medium. The inflatable Samurai will be showcased as part of stage set designs for concerts, theatres, festivals, and more, highlighting the incredible versatility of inflatable art.
Inflatable hand-painted giant art is revolutionizing the way live performances, including concerts and theatre shows, approach set design. This innovative medium not only adds a visually striking element to productions but also offers practical benefits such as fast setup times, portability, and flexibility. This case study will explore the growing use of inflatable art in theatres and concerts, showcasing examples like the giant beanstalk in Jack and the Beanstalk and other notable inflatable works by Air Artists.
Air Artists is a pioneering company known for designing and producing some of the most iconic inflatable art pieces for the world’s largest theatres, concert stages, and musical tours. Founded in 1976 by Rob Harries, the company has been at the forefront of pushing the boundaries of inflatable artistry, creating show-stopping pieces that have become integral to some of the most memorable moments in entertainment history. Based in Essex, England, Air Artists has earned a reputation for its unparalleled creativity and engineering, producing inflatables for top-tier artists and global events.
Air Artists was born in 1976 by Rob Harries in a unique time where very few people knew much about inflatables.
When the Mongolian rock band The HU takes the stage, their performance is about more than just music. It’s a full-scale spectacle of sound, movement and visual drama. When their creative team approached Air Artists to design inflatable artwork with striking detail, the inflatables had to reflect the same epic energy and cultural force that […]
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