Ideas foir Impression Pad? (Like a Janus Pad?)

[c***@gmail.com]

Here's what I'm looking for:

A cheap impression pad. Like the Janus Pad. But without spending 75
bucks. Want it to look like it could be something bought in a WalMart
or an Office Max. Nothing like a "mentalist" prop.

Here's how I'm thinking:

A cheap sprial-notebook. Or maybe a pad of Post-Its. I've tried
roughing spray on every other sheet -- hoping maybe to get some sort of
impression from the top sheet via the spray. No luck.

Other ideas: Coat the back of each sheet with UV sensitive ink.
Problem: shining the UV light without looking like I'm shining a UV
light.Not subtle.

Thinking, too, about long/short pad pages. Not sure why I'm thinking
this -- Svengali-like.

Any other ideas? I'm about to hop on down to my science surplus store,
keep an open mind, and maybe stumble across something.

Cameron

[Little Paul]

Post by c***@gmail.com
A cheap impression pad. Like the Janus Pad. But without spending 75
bucks. Want it to look like it could be something bought in a WalMart
or an Office Max. Nothing like a "mentalist" prop.
A cheap sprial-notebook. Or maybe a pad of Post-Its. I've tried
roughing spray on every other sheet -- hoping maybe to get some sort of
impression from the top sheet via the spray. No luck.

So you're looking for a pad that someone can write on, tear off the top
sheet, give the pad back to you, and you can see exactly what they've
written?

Get yourself a bit of carbon paper, put it 3 or 4 sheets dwon from the
top. Get them to draw on the top sheet using a biro and keep that
sheet. Then take the pad off them and try to read their mind, but
rather than telling them what they drew, try to draw the same thing.

Get it wrong, get frustrated and tear off the sheet you're drawing on
and discard it. Do this however many times you need to to get down to
the carbon paper - you can now see exactly what they drew and get it
spot on.

If you experiment with placing the carbon paper the appropriate way up,
you don't even have to get down to the carbon paper to see some sort of
impression, and if you draw in big black marker you can easily disguise
what you *can* see.

Post by c***@gmail.com
Thinking, too, about long/short pad pages. Not sure why I'm thinking
this -- Svengali-like.

That might be handy for locating the carbon sheet - not sure.

-Paul

[Steve L]

Post by c***@gmail.com
A cheap impression pad. Like the Janus Pad. But without spending 75
bucks. Want it to look like it could be something bought in a WalMart
or an Office Max. Nothing like a "mentalist" prop.
A cheap sprial-notebook. Or maybe a pad of Post-Its. I've tried
roughing spray on every other sheet -- hoping maybe to get some sort of
impression from the top sheet via the spray. No luck.
Other ideas: Coat the back of each sheet with UV sensitive ink.
Problem: shining the UV light without looking like I'm shining a UV
light.Not subtle.
Thinking, too, about long/short pad pages. Not sure why I'm thinking
this -- Svengali-like.
Any other ideas? I'm about to hop on down to my science surplus store,
keep an open mind, and maybe stumble across something.
Cameron

Jeesh, this idea sounds too easy. How about a pad of carbonless paper? Just
visit your nearest FedEx Kinko's and ask them to make a few pads of blank
2- part carbonless paper ( about 50 sheets in a pad). They also have 3 part
and 4 part carbonless paper.

Steve

[mitchell_leary]

You do NOT need to spend $75 plus dollars on an impression pad. But
someday, when money is plentiful, I would recommend Lee Earle's CLONE
FOLIO. It's big-time expensive but the method is ingenious.


In one of the Richard Osterlind dvds he's got a method for making an
impression pad from from a garden variety drug-store note pad (the kind
you carry around in your pocket. It's very easy to make but I don't
think I could do it justice with words alone.


Most of these impression pads use the BACK COVER as the gimmick. It's
really a double cover with the carbon paper and sheet of paper
inbetween the covers. The last page of the notebook is laid on this
gimmick (that's the sheet the spectator will write on). The rest of the
notebook papers are flipped over and out of the way.


This fake cover is hinged to the real cover with tape along the bottom
(only). It's not connected to the wire coil that binds the notebook
together along the top.


What a lot of magicians do is take a rubber band and wrap it around the
bottom of the entire notebook. This prevents the spectator from
accidentally finding the gaff when she's drawing.


You work out your own presentation. I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY
recommend the entire set of Richard Osterlind mentalsm DVDs. They are
far and away the best source of mentalism material to be produced in
the last 75 years. I would even recommend them higher than Corrinda or
Annemann's books, and they are the bibles of mentalism.


That's right, I said it.




-Leary-

[Cameron Raygun]

Thanks all for the ideas. Carbonless paper is something so obvious I
didn't think of it. :)

Mitch -- I'll check out the Osterlind DVDs. I'm a huge fan of Osterlind
-- I didn't realize he talks about an imp pad in one. I'll have to go
over them again. BTW -- Mitch, I've been a big fan of yours for years
now. Appreciate all your info. You turned me onto Fitzkee (and lots of
other folks). I really appreciate it.

[mitchell_leary]

Thou shalt covet thy Fitzkee trilogy. Those books are not in print
anymore and their fate remains in limbo. I heard the publisher Lee
Jacobs died and his wife is being a real bitch about selling the
rights. She wants some astronomical fee that would take the buyer
several lifetimes to recoup his investment. The entire Lee jacobs line
is in jeopardy at the moment. Just be glad you have a set.



-Leary-

[Cameron Raygun]

You gotta stop recommending books, Mitch. I just a few hours ago
(finally) purchased the complete Jinx and then stumbled on your
recommendation for John Booth's Psychic Paradoxes in one of your
archived posts.

My credit card says, "Ouch."

[mitchell_leary]

Look at these books as an investment in your education, not just a
bunch of books you'll own but never read. I only recommend the the
best, never fads or fly-by-night instructionl material and ideas. For
every book, video or dvd I recommend, dozens don't make the cut.


When it comes to information, I look for potential--ideas or tricks
that will stir your imagination and hopefully cause you to re-think
everything you know. Many times I'll offer you the answer to a trick,
then let you come up with the question(s).



-Leary-

[mitchell_leary]

If you really want to toy with people (like a group of magicians, or
your relatives who think they know how all your tricks work), pretend
to be using an imp pad, but in reality you've forced the card or object
they're drawing. Thus staying one step ahead of the pack. The minute
they think they've got you, you slip this one past them and destroy
them.


The undisputed King of this one-ahead system of thinking was the late
Andy Kaufman. He used it in his comedy routines to keep the audience
off guard, you can use it in your magic. Kaufman's biography contains
a wealth of information on the study of misdirection...as used by an
advanced student of comedy.


Many people fail to grasp what Andy Kaufman was all about and write him
off as a psychotic. The man was a genius.



-Leary-

[Art]

I'm surprised you like the clone folio. They show up on ebay cheap once in
a while. I bought one and it was inferior to carbon paper in my opinion and
the catalog descriptions misrepresented the required handling. It sits in a
drawer somewhere waiting for me to stick it back on ebay.

Post by mitchell_leary
You do NOT need to spend $75 plus dollars on an impression pad. But
someday, when money is plentiful, I would recommend Lee Earle's CLONE
FOLIO. It's big-time expensive but the method is ingenious.
In one of the Richard Osterlind dvds he's got a method for making an
impression pad from from a garden variety drug-store note pad (the kind
you carry around in your pocket. It's very easy to make but I don't
think I could do it justice with words alone.
Most of these impression pads use the BACK COVER as the gimmick. It's
really a double cover with the carbon paper and sheet of paper
inbetween the covers. The last page of the notebook is laid on this
gimmick (that's the sheet the spectator will write on). The rest of the
notebook papers are flipped over and out of the way.
This fake cover is hinged to the real cover with tape along the bottom
(only). It's not connected to the wire coil that binds the notebook
together along the top.
What a lot of magicians do is take a rubber band and wrap it around the
bottom of the entire notebook. This prevents the spectator from
accidentally finding the gaff when she's drawing.
You work out your own presentation. I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY
recommend the entire set of Richard Osterlind mentalsm DVDs. They are
far and away the best source of mentalism material to be produced in
the last 75 years. I would even recommend them higher than Corrinda or
Annemann's books, and they are the bibles of mentalism.
That's right, I said it.
-Leary-

[mitchell_leary]

I never had the full sized version but I played with the Clone Folio
Junior and thought it was pretty cool (princple wise--I just like
clever stuff).


I applaud you for finding the less expensive method superior. You're
far better off whipping out a fifty-cent notepad than a $50 leather
executive folio.



-Leary-

[Art]

Using Google Desktop I search on my winning bid for Clone Folio. I paid $34
for it on ebay. Waste of $34.

Post by mitchell_leary
I never had the full sized version but I played with the Clone Folio
Junior and thought it was pretty cool (princple wise--I just like
clever stuff).
I applaud you for finding the less expensive method superior. You're
far better off whipping out a fifty-cent notepad than a $50 leather
executive folio.
-Leary-