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I was waundering if I could get some help with a revalation. The effect looks like this. I show a clear bag(osterlinds transparent forces bag). It is full of different cartoon characters.I have someone reach out and pull out one of the names. I than have them select a card(card force). So they pick Mickey Mouse and the Ace of Spades. On my left arm I have a tattoo of Mickey Mouse holding the ace of Spades. What is the best way to reveal the tattoo. I have been having them draw a picture. Than I try to duplicate the picture. Than I say I knew all along that they were going to pick Mickey Mouse holding the Ace of Spades. I just feel something is missing and that the reveal could be better. Any ideas anyone?

Have the tattoo on the inside of your forearm, sleeves rolled down but cuffs unbuttoned. Do the routine and then say you need to work at divining the selection. Pause, then hold arms out and slightly down, palms downwards as though putting the 'fluence on the table. Act as though it's not working and say, ‘No good, I need to roll my sleeves up for this one', do so and go back to same pose. After a short while say, ‘Still no good, I have no idea', smile and hold arms outwards in an 'I surrender/I dunno' pose which reveals your forearms and, of course the tattoo.

Yeah, 100% what Mandrake said. Let them discover the revelation themselves. The jaw-on-floor moment is great with a strong effect.

I already have the tattoo on my upper left arm. I've had it for about 5 years now. I would just force a card than reveal the ace. Than I saw Osterlinds ETMMM video and thought how cool it would be to force Mickey Mouse too. Thanx for all the help.

Another idea I was to do pre-show work. Force Mickey Mouse. Give an envelope to another spectator. Inside the prediction would read choose a card(than they would pick the ace of spades) and look at my left arm. What do you think of that idea. Or is there something more that I can ad.

I have to say that I think Mandrake's idea was quality, just the job. I think it's excellent as it is, and if i had the balls to get a tattoo i'd probably steal your idea.

In magic, I don't think there's any need to complicate things. If you're giving an envelope to an audience member before the show, you're putting into people's heads the idea of collusion. I know that wouldn't make sense in this situation, but the muggles don't always seem to understand this!

I think the best way to explain it, is to think about the effect the trick will have in the spectators' head AFTER they go home. One of the best effects I ever did was a simple one, where a spectator picks a card and loses it in the deck. I gave him the cards to shuffle and then when he looked back up he saw I had it in my mouth. A fairly standard trick; one which I'm sure a lot of people will be familiar with. But one with exactly the same jaw-dropping effect. However, like when I saw Penn and Teller "recreate" the fabled Indian Rope Trick, the trick in my friend's mind began to mutate from what it had originally been. I overheard him, a week later, telling a friend about a great trick I had performed on him the week before. In his remembered version, he had been shuffling the cards and then suddenly realised the car had been in his own mouth! I didn't argue of course. I just smiled and nodded. And now in that pub the trick where the magician managed to stuff a card into someone's mouth without them noticing is still being talked about!

I always ramble when I write on these forums, like an old man with too many memories. Basically, keep your trick the same and use Mandrake's presentation. Brilliant stuff.

Jamie

I like Mandrakes idea. But I do not have the tattoo on my inner arm. It is on my left bicepe(I think).

magic8697 wrote:I like Mandrakes idea. But I do not have the tattoo on my inner arm. It is on my left bicepe(I think).

You're not sure where your own tattoo is? Just kidding.

If it's there then depending on your style, this is something I think might work...

You put a large bandage over your tattoo and roll your sleeve up (or just go sleeveless). Don't make a comment on it unless someone explicitly asks about it.

Then do the forces, follow Mandrake's idea (which I think is really superb) up to the point where you pretend you couldn't get it the first time. Then act annoyed and peel off the bandage quickly, saying something about how your new tattoo is itching, and without drawing attention to the tattoo, quickly shift all focus back to the table/cards/etc. and concentrate somemore. "Fail" a 2nd time, then rub your hand over the tattoo, complaining how the itchiness is interfering with your concentration. So when they are focusing on you rubbing your bicep, just reveal the tattoo, let the moment sink in. Then turn back around with a cheeky smile so the audience gets the idea that you have known this all along (else they wouldn't understand why you fail twice when you have the prediction tattooed in already). Still smiling, roll down your sleeve and say, "Well... Maybe we'll try something else, shall we?" and proceed to the next effect.

If someone notices the bandage in the first place and questions you what it is, just say it's a new tattoo that's healing.

If your style suits, you can even "colour" the bandage and the area around the tattoo with a bit of fake blood to make it all the more realistic.

jimbothegreatest wrote:if i had the balls to get a tattoo i'd probably steal your idea.

Temporary tattoos are available from some online stores or you could try a Henna tattoo. They all wash off eventually so no need for all that painful stuff with inks and needles - and you can vary the force card occasionally as well!

Contrary to popular misconceptions, Tattoos aren't that painful to get (and I have several). The catch is, you need to think carefully about placement and you want to do some footwork and find those artists that aren't "heavy handed" with it comes to working the needle. Unfortunately, there are those that love to dig deep in order to make you squirm. Truth of the matter is, most Tattoo's feel like nothing other than a good sun-burn for about two to three days and that's about it.

As to the pain during application; this too is generally minor if you have an artist you can trust that has a light touch. Again, location of the work is a major key... After many tats I had one situation where I had to take multiple breaks over roughly a two-hour period of time just to get through the process of covering a 1 1/2-2 inch area on the inside of my left arm... I had no problems with the other 10 or so inches of work but, in that little area you have a ton of little nerve endings and too, you are dealing with the side of the arm that gets the least amount of sun and just general "conditioning" through life e.g. it will be more sensitive.

Other painful points will be any place that is not fleshy such as the spine, breast bone, ankles, etc.

WARNING: If you are under 35 years of age, I do not recommend getting a Tattoo. Your tastes, image and philosophy will change over time and there will come the day that you rue artwork you dropped hundreds of dollars for that is no longer applicable to your life. I also discourage people when it comes to getting silly tats such as Mickey Mouse or Bullwinkle or those trendy ones such as Sports Teams, Favorite Music Groups and of course, your current love interest's name. All of these things can become horrid demons over time, so think it through..

http://www.into-you.co.uk/other.php?dir=lucy&loc=lon

how about that for a revelation...