New Style Magic Painting

An alternative routine for Practical Magic’s New Style Magic Painting
By IAN ADAIR

This version can be presented using the outfit as supplied. YET...here the children pretend to draw pictures in the air, all of which are blown towards a piece of plain blank paper (shown both sides). The black outline magically appears, then becomes coloured.

THE ROUTINE: "Hands up the boys and girls who are good at drawing and colouring? (performer acknowledges those who raise their hands). Well, I want you all to help me draw and colour a picture by magic. It's pretend drawing and pretend colouring.

First we need a nice plain sheet of paper. I've put one inside this clear plastic frame (shown both sides). Let's make sure there's only one inside (paper partly withdrawn). Right, now I want all the boys and girls to take their hands and delve into your pockets. If you haven't got pockets, girls, just pretend. It's a game of pretend drawing and colouring. Bring out a pretend black marker pen (performer goes through the pretend actions and holds up an imaginary black marker pen). Everyone ... take the cap off, but don't lose it (children go through the action). Now hold the marker ready to do the pretend drawing. Get ready. Let’s draw a clown … a clown who can juggle balls. Start at the top and draw his hat. That’s great. Now his big round head. Don't forget the eyes, nose and mouth. Now his funny clown suit. Oh, he needs a big pair of boots. Have we forgotten anything? (The children will tell you that we haven't drawn the juggling balls.) Yes … the juggling balls ... one here, one there, and a few more. Carefully place the caps back on your pens (children go through the action). Hold the marker in front of your mouths. (point to a child) Don't swallow it!!! Now blow. Let's blow the picture through the air onto the paper. (All the children blow and the performer tries to dart  away from the flood of ink coming towards him.)

Let's see if our pretend picture has come to life (performer removes sheet and reverses it. THE BLACK OUTLINE OF THE CLOWN JUGGLING THE BALLS IS THERE FOR ALL TO SEE! The clear plastic frame appears empty at this stage.) Wow...congratulations! You are very good at pretend drawing. (The picture is replaced inside the frame, drawing outwards, then the frame is reversed and left on the stand.) Let’s see if you are good at pretend colouring. Put your pretend black markers into your pockets and delve deeper to find coloured ones. We need a red one, a blue one and a yellow one. Bring your pens out and don't forget to take the caps off ... don't lose them. Now copy me. Put your coloured pens i front of your mouth (point to another child this time) don't swallow it! Get ready to blow the colours through the air and onto the picture. Ready, steady ... blow! Put the caps on your pens and place them in your pockets. Let's find out if we have succeeded in pretend colouring (picture is removed and reversed to show it is now coloured.)
Everyone…give yourselves a round of applause for being very good at pretend drawing and pretend colouring. (Children clap.)

SETTNG UP THE APPARATUS FOR THIS VERSION: You require the display stand and the clear frame with the divider.
You require the usual two pictures: the black outlined one and the coloured one.
Insert the coloured picture (picture inwards) into one side of the clear frame, so the reverse plain white side is showing. Now insert the black outlined picture into the opposite side of the divider with the reverse white side outermost. Once both of these are inside the frame, the unit can be picked up and shown on both sides. It appears to contain a piece of double blank paper. Place the clear frame onto the striped display stand with the black outlined picture towards the front (white side showing).

WORKING: The frame is lifted away from the display stand and shown on both sides. The children see a piece of paper which is blank on both sides. The frame is replaced onto display stand. The paper on view is now partly pulled up to show there's only one inside. The children see the striped background. If you are working where lights are shining behind you, or outside it is best to stand behind the frame and display unit. This eliminates any show-through. With the paper back in position, go through the routine as previously described.
When the time comes, pull out the paper and reverse it, showing the black outlined picture. The children also see what appears to be an empty frame on the display stand.
Replace the black outlined picture into the frame, but reverse it so the actual picture shows through the clear plastic and is on view.
Now reverse the frame, so the blank side of the coloured picture is seen. Go through the as previously described. Finally remove the paper, reversing it to show the picture IS now coloured.

NOTES: Coloured silks, paint boxes and coloured pencil cases can all be used in this routine, if wished. However, a lot of fun can be had using the ‘pretend’ theme. It also means that there is no extra set-up here. Also, pictures which contain odd colours such as pink, brown or orange etc, can be dealt with, the children's imaginary pens having such colours.

I love the original routine, but this one offers ‘two effects' whilst using the same apparatus. Also, because I wanted to use the routine under all conditions, outdoors as well, I actually glued an additional sheet of white paper onto the back of one of the black outlined pictures. This made it impossible for any show-through, The picture is slightly thicker than the final one, but not noticeable to the children. It can still be slid on one side of the divider, within the clear frame.

I do hope you enjoy working this routine as much as I have, I've worked it at holiday venues and in hotels and it has a tremendous amount of audience participation.