summer stuff on foam for a shop - need some help

I need to make some fun/summer decorations for a shop/mall like thinghy. They will be made from foam and hung from ceilings and/or lie on the ground. They will be quite high (some at 3-4 meters some even higher - like 5-6 meters high - even 10-12meters) - so there won't be any point in drawing a lot of details. I'm more or less free to chose the theme so I figured I'd make a few huge seastars and maybe a smoothie glass with an orange slice and a little umbrella..stuff like that. I can't make a lot of different objects because the budget is not very large and the cutouts/prints/paints will take a lot money. Right now they have some crappy flowers and clouds that look like they were put through a paper shreader...

My problem:

I never made anything vector for use as print cutouts (is that the right word?) I only made small stuff for web/print - where details are important. Also I am unusure of the special needs (if any) when dealing with huge stuff - the objects will be like 1 meter across if not larger. I know some of you guys here have worked with foam before - I remember seeing some foam stuff here - I think it was moo. Can you guys please help me out?

Anything would help. Even suggestions as to what objects might work for a summer theme So far I've thought of a lot - but I'm limited in my choice by the budget and I need to present the store owner a few choices. I have 2 "themes" so far - an aquatic thinghy with seastars and stuff and a sun/smoothies one... but I need some help with the techniques...anything you guys can throw my way...it's really a huge store and a good portfolio addition:D

I made a few sketches to show the owner guy... here goes:

A few details about the place - there are 4 levels, each 4 meters high... and the central space under the cupola is wide open...- and about 20 meters across....
there are 25 halways also...a lot of foam

The aquatic thinghy -

cupola -

a hallway

The smoothie theme:
The sun will be like 2 meters across and positioned in the center - hung from the cupola thinghy...

all of them

hung from the cupola

Well I can't help with the foam......but i do like what you have already. The smoothie theme is pretty good though im partial to the aquatic one. One of the biggest selling points with the aquatic theme i think is everyone (even kids) can relate to them. Im not sure everyone can relate to umbrella drinks and slices of lime....especially the kids and being a mall/shop i figure you'd have to cater to the family vibe.

As to other objects...... what about something kinda abstract. Like right now im looking at an indoor photo......and the decorations are like sails........just these large single colored (yellow/orange/green) triangles (some edges are curved) that overlap each other. Or maybe you could do an abstract of a butterfly shape? Though again.....it may be a bit "artsy" so some ppl may not relate to them....i dunno.

Though i think (as a general tip) color is more important than the actual shape/object. Everyone understands color.....kids will love bright colors....vibrant colors will give off the summer mood etc.

Cool project BTW. If ya could it'd be cool to see a photo of your work hanging.

whew - I was beginning to fear I'd break the record for the most viewed, never answered thread

thanks rodder - I would feel the same about the smoothie theme - but from what I saw - the patrons are mostly teenagers not families. I did think of a theme strictly for kids - there's areas in the shop reserved just for little ones so I figured I'd make something for that
kids stuff

the plane is a drawing I made a while ago and I could make it 3d - like - a real object out of wire and foam and cloth...I already spoke to some toy making people - they said it'd be real easy. I could also make some deltaplanes...I didn't draw them - just stole some pics but I'll make them too

- aerian theme -

anyway - thanks again rodder....

is there anyone who knows how to make the foam stuff and will help a poor ... desperate, old man?

I can hardly wait to see them live mihai. When is the deadline? I'll go to the mall and examine them and make a quick reply about my opinion.

[QUOTE=Elemental]I can hardly wait to see them live mihai. When is the deadline? I'll go to the mall and examine them and make a quick reply about my opinion. [/QUOTE]
to which mall will you go? I live in Bucharest Romania

no deadline yet... I just have to come up with something

How do you land such cool jobs? lol I really can't give an input on the theme beucase I like them all!

...a friend of a friend .... you know how it works
and it's not "landed" yet. I still have to present the owner with the proposal

What a coincidence. We both live in the same country and town. Of course i already knew that ;) That's why i asked.

Damn you mihai...you still haven't remided me to ask my dad for some help on this project and now he is allready a sleep...
Remeber to remind me tomorrow.

Really can't offer any advice when it comes to foam cutout printing, but as for the work I think they are great.

Really nice bright bold colours that give it a great summer feeling. :D

Hope you get the job.