talkmagic.co.uk

administrator wrote:As an alternative to Copydex, you may consider Liquid Skin which has been created by a latex expert to be the perfect solution for fake skin. It is more expensive but as it is designed specifically for producing a latex false skin layer, it is far superior.

Available at http://www.emagictricks.co.uk/product_i ... ts_id=4534

Something like this can also be found in any theatrical make up supply company,like cha's fox's in london.They are in Tavistock street, behind the theatre museum in covent garden.

mind you, Blaine didnt use this stuff. He did it the old way, with a needle and a bit of pain.
Dale

Dale

Are you sure Blaine used a 'needle and pain'???

Seems mindlessly barbaric, considering the actual consequences...?

And also seems unlikely, as repetition of this effect would be obviously tainted by the timely appearance of scar tissue after three or four performances. I would assume that Blaine is no relation to any Indian Fakir-faith healers???

Interesting...

yes quite sure. Blaine is quite hary down bellow, if the video is anything to go by, and latex would show up. It would clump around the hair.
as for scar tissue, you are talking about something the size of a needle, tiny.
He threaded it under the skin, just like the fakirs did.

I disagree.

As posted previously, I've a hairy midrift also, and although I've not seen Blaine's stomach trick, I can say that I managed to pull the effect off quite convincingly.

I cannot believe that Blaine, who is associated with camera trickery and special effects, would go through the physical torture.

In fact, with advances in modern materials, and considering Blaine's budget, some well trained makeup artists with a few hours preparation could easily pull this trick off.

I also posted previously about an incident I read about not long after the Blaine version of the effect aired in the States about a guy causing himself some harm by attempting to surgically insert waxed dental floss into a wound he'd made.

Owing to the physical properties and fat content of the flesh in that particular region, I would assume that one would need to put the thread into a flesh pocket of at least a quarter of an inch in depth... something which would be quite painful, if not impossible, through a pin-hole. Add to this the fact that the thread would have to be neatly coiled into this pin-hole sized wound so as to facilitate easy and consistent withdrawl, and I would imagine this is a logistical nightmare.

If this was Blaine's method, I would be very suprised. There are a lot of potentially harmful effects in magic - needle through arm, finger impaling, guilotines, knife through arm - but they are ALL ILLUSIONS. Why would this be any different???

Think more along the lines of the old kids trik of pushing a safety pin under the skin on the back of the hand and fastening it, the thread isn't embedded under his belly it is passed under the skin with a needle (and possibly a light anasthetic!) to below his belt line. The result is a minimum of pain, no scarring and no hospitalisation!

Hmmmm...

nickj wrote:Think more along the lines of the old kids trik of pushing a safety pin under the skin on the back of the hand and fastening it, the thread isn't embedded under his belly it is passed under the skin with a needle (and possibly a light anasthetic!) to below his belt line. The result is a minimum of pain, no scarring and no hospitalisation!

Exactly.
Dale

Where is this method documented? I would be very interested to read more...

i will do a bit of reading, and let you know in the next few days.
Dals

As already mentioned, with all the skills and talents behind the David Blaine machine, there would be no need to undergo any physical insertions or pain. If he does go via this route then he’s a complete berk as there are other ‘magical’ methods to achieve the same effect – just have a word with Yankee Tom for full details!

Mandrake...

Thanks for mentioning that. I was trying to be diplomatic

In fact, I've been speaking back and forth via email to a couple of guys I know in the states since hearing about these 'insertions', one of which is what I would call my 'Blaine Resource'. In his opinion, Blaine would NOT have undergone this type of dedication to perform such a simple parlour trick. My other friend, who is has been dealing in illusions and tricks for a very long time likens the trick to Harry Anderson's needle through arm illusion. One reference is to the Blood Brothers here in the UK, who do various bloody 'insertions'.

I'm interested to hear where on earth daleshrimpton and nickj heard of the methods they describe, as they are more barbaric than magic. (and as I mention earlier, they seem quite improbable too).

Any kids or 'would be Blaine's' reading... there is more than one way to skin a cat (so to speak), and for goodness sake don't go reaching for your mom's needles yet!!! There's a much easier (and probable!) way to perform this illusion!!!
The irresponsible method you think you may have learned from this site is unconfirmed!!!!

OK, being very serious for a moment, the danger of anything along the 'physical insertions' line can't be overstated and seige lays it out very well indeed. The watchword is 'Don't try this at home - there's a much easier way - honest!'

Though I don't advise that you try it, as better methods have been described, the under the skin idea that I suggested would not be dangerous if a clean needle were used, and would also not be particularly painfull since the thread is not passed through the flesh of the midrif, mearly under the skin.

However, I would dissuade anyone from doing this just because easier methods are available, and no matter how painless threading a couple of feet of cotton under your skin is it can't be that comfortable. Also note that I have never tried this trick by any method but if I were to I would probably try the needle through arm method mentioned as I am blessed with a relatively hair free belly with more than enough flesh to pinch together!

Anderson's needle through arm illusion IS an illusion... it uses the latex method described previously in this thread.

And in fact, I've yet to find any reference to the string in stomach illusion which actually involves breaking the skin, although I've found countless mentions of the latex pocket version.

The only man who can really solve this argument is Yankee Tom, as he's the man when it comes to prosthetics.

YT or someone else may even know Cornelius Gold of the Blood Brothers - who performs a very gory 'string from stomach' routine... and I'd be willing to bet there's no penetrations (although he'd probably not reveal his method anyway!)

And like Mandrake says... DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME... even with a sterile needle.

I don't know if any of you guys are familiar with Jackass or Dirty Sanchez, but I would imagine even those crazy dudes would laugh in your face if you suggested the 'threading half a foot of sterile thread with a sterile needle from below the belt line into your midrift, and pulling the thread out of your belly' routine.

Like we've said, we're magicians, not surgeons! There's an art to illusion, whereas there's no art to self-mutilation (although I'm sure anybody with piercings on their person will disagree - but I think you know what I'm talking about)

you dont thread all the cotton into your skin. the " channel" for want of a better word is no more than a couple of inches long ,tops.
This effect was developed in the east, and was a popular stunt by Fakirs, and street magicians.
Bearing in mind that these people also pierced themselves with blades, hooks, and all manner of other items, a small prick with a needle would be nothing. And, if the worry of pain and infection piercing the midrift is that strong, why do so many people have their belly buttons done?
I am not sugesting that anybody should try this. Its DUMB!!!!
however it is a method that has been used in the past .
This is, i am sure the method the Amazing Orchante` ( Tom Orchard ) has used several times on national television a few years ago.
.
if you read his wonderful life story, which is being published on nzmagic, you will find out that almost everything he did was real.
for references into this effect, look through books that deal with eastern magic. Will Ayling wrote one, and there have been many others, all describing things far and away more risky.
Dale