Do You Know What This Is?

Introduction

Of all the Frixion Stuff that I do, this has to be one of the coolest. The best part is that it’s not just a “trick.” It’s a concept . . . one that you can apply in your own way.

Preliminaries

For the unfamiliar, you must first know a couple of things. The Frixion Pen (a product of the Pilot Pen company) is a temperature sensitive pen. When the ink is heated, it vanishes. When the ink is cooled, it reappears. It’s like magic. These pens are available at Staples, and other stationary stores. They’re also available at Stone Cold Magic.

Basic Effect/Concept/Method

In the Stone Frixion Fire e-book, one of the many concepts discussed is what I call  Evanescence Effects. These are effects where a drawing of an object becomes real. It comes to life.  The method is simply to draw a small object with Frixion ink (for example a dime). Then have a dime (see Money to Burn in the July 2009 issue) preloaded into a piece of flash paper. Place the flash paper onto the drawing of the dime. Light the flash paper. The drawing and flash paper vanish. You’re left only with the dime on a blank piece of paper.

Many presentational angles for this concept are discussed in the e-book. However, one of my favorite presentations of this concept is to draw an object on a piece of paper and ask someone, “Do you know what this is?” When she says “no,” I pull out a piece of flash paper (object hidden inside) and place it on the drawing. I ask again (this time about the flash paper), “Do you know what this is?”

When the answer “no” comes again, I then light the paper, and the object reveals itself. I ask one final time, “Do you know what that is?”

She’ll always say, “Yes” with a look of astonishment on her face.

The objects I’ll most likely use for this are listed below in no particular order:

  • Paper clip
  • Soda Pop Can Tab
  • Rubber Band
  • Tie Tack

You have not lived until you’ve done this with a rubber band. When I draw a rubber band and ask “Do you know what this is,” people have no idea. Once the flash paper, with the hidden rubber band, is lit on fire, the rubber band which was previously balled up un-balls and expands in the flame. It’s a fantastic visual! See the photo below for a look at some of the drawings I might create on the paper.

Do You Know What This Is? Free Frixion Magic

The photo above shows how the drawings might look. They don’t have to be fancy. Of course, given the “Do you know what this is” presentation I use, I would not actually write the word next to the drawing as I’ve done in the photo above. That is for your clarification only. Also, I would never do multiple drawings on one sheet of paper. I would only draw one on the back of my business card or on a piece of paper using a camouflaged Frixion® pen.

For more great Frixion ideas like the one above, check out the Stone Frixion Fire E-book.

It’s on sale for only $9.95 until November 12, 2010.

You can also pick up Frixion pens as well as Frixion Kits at Stone Cold Magic.