Introduction: Make a Card Appear to Penetrate Your Arm
Here's a project that ends in an entertaining display for your friends and family.
A playing card is seen to visibly penetrate your arm, and is then shown to be quite normal.
Step 1: Items Needed
- Newspaper
- Glue stick
- Pen/pencil
- Scissors
- Drinking Glass
- Two playing cards (one is to be a picture card, eg: King or Queen).
Step 2: Preparation
Spread the newspaper on a flat surface, to keep your project neat.
Photo 1: Make sure the drinking glass is roughly the same size as your arm.
Photo 2: Place the glass on the back of the picture card, so the edge of the glass is touching the centre of the card.
Photo 3: Mark a semi-circle on the card by tracing around the glass.
Photo 4: With the scissors, cut around the semi-circle.
Photo 5: Fold the other card in half length-wise.
Continued...…..
Step 3: Preparation Continued..
Continued.....
Photo 6: Apply glue to only half of the face of the folded card (do not cover the whole face with glue).
Photo 7: Align the picture card against the glued section of the second card.
Photo 8: Apply glue to the small section of picture card.
Photo 9: Stick this section to the dry half of the second card, so it lines up perfectly with the rest of the picture card.
You now have what appears to be one picture card. It is actually two cards pasted together, with a flap that can be bent backwards (see Photo 10).
Photo 11: Place some heavy items on the card until the glue has dried.
Step 4: Rehearsal
Photo 1: When dry, handle the card so that the flap remains closed. This can be done by pressing lightly on the face of the card with your first finger.
Photo 2 & 3: Change your grip on the card so that the flap is hidden.
Photo 4: Make a sawing motion back and forth on your arm a couple of times.
Photo 5: Push the card slightly forward along your arm so that the flap opens.
Photo 6: Display the card apparently embedded in your arm.
Photo 7: When ready to complete the showing, close the flap by pushing it with your thumb and pulling the card back a little.
Step 5: Conclusion
Photo 1 shows the completed item, with the flap visible.
Photo 2 shows how, by holding the two cards closely, the flap is almost invisible.
This allows a fairly close inspection, as long as your audience doesn't actually handle the card.
Have fun preparing and performing this project. I welcome any questions, comments or feedback you may have.
Produced for your enjoyment by Magic For All.
