I'm curious as to how people get more time or usage out of the magic drawing board. I love it and use it a lot, but would like to add to my repertoire without just drawing a new face.
Here are two things I've seen that can help, but I'd love some more.
1. The late, great Colonel Bill Boley used the drawing board to tell a story about his grandmother. He starts with the drawing board upside down. His earliest memory of her was when she was on her knees scrubbing the floor. He then draws a picture of her backside and the bottom of her shoes and a bowtie at the top where her apron is tied. "She had worn holes in the bottom of her shoes." (He pushes the ready drawn eyes over as he pretends to draw the holes. But where's Grandpa? He then turns the drawing over and it is a picture of Grandpa. The tufts of hair on the side were water marks on the floor Grandma was scrubbing.
2. Another use is just to write the theme of the show on the board at the beginning. Pick it up and refer to it, then draw the talking face during the program. Thanks to Tim Cowles for that concept.
Thanks! I love the idea! I perform for kids and they don't know what ventriloquism. It's a good idea to have it written out. I love the humor you added.
This is total drawing board over kill! I force the three of spades. Then I say I’m going to read my helper’s mind and draw what they are thinking of. I draw a TREE on the board and put three spades in it… It’s the tree of spades. That’s a really old bit, but it establishes the board as an ordinary drawing board without actually saying that.
Then I force another card on another helper. This time the helper holds on to the card because this routine is so long that everyone will forget what the card is by the end.
I tell everyone that all magicians have a beautiful assistant to help them, so I’m going to draw one. When I’m performing for younger kids, I tell them that a beautiful assistant is a pretty girl, so I’m going to draw a pretty girl.
I don’t really draw a girl. I draw a dragon. As I’m drawing I say things like, “Pretty girls have scales. Pretty girls have a nose they can breathe fire from, etc.” I do a look-don’t-see with the dragon as I pretend not to notice its eyes moving. Finally, I say “That’s not a pretty girl.” And I erase it.
Then I say I’m going to draw a pretty girl, but I really draw a monster. The monster says that he’s going to eat everyone, so I erase his mouth to save everyone.
Then I really draw a pretty girl, but she can’t hear. So, I erase her ear and draw her a big one. Finally, she says that she’s a beautiful assistant and she can tell everyone the name of the card. The helper, that’s been holding the card the whole time, shows everyone and the applause is deafening.
No one has every pointed out the fact that all the characters mouths and eyes are in the same place. That’s just something I think is really funny.
BTW, I use two svengali decks to force the cards. As long as the backs are the same no one will ever notice.
Now that's what I call packing flat and playing big! Plus, you get an assistant that doesn't cancel on you! As you know, when a person flies they are very limited on the number of vent figures they can bring, so the drawing board is a must have. And to be able to get more time out of it is wonderful. I use the big one for audiences of over 125 and the smaller one for everything else.
To start, I write the word FOCUS on the MDB. The 'O' and 'U' are put in place for the eyes.
I explain, that while my friends and I are here to teach and entertain you, I need for you to do something. I need you to FOCUS to get the most out of the program. While it's a good idea to FOCUS today, you need to FOCUS everyday that you're in school so you can get the most of your education.
There are two things that will help you to FOCUS everyday. A good night sleep, which means no Jay Leno or David Letterman. The second thing is, you need fuel to keep you going through out the day, which means a good breakfast.
As I'm talking about these things, I'm drawing the word FOCUS into a face. The completed drawing starts to move his eyes before I finish the lecture and the rest is history.....
