Great Painting Competition

The Great Painting Competition – Ian Adair EXCLUSIVE 

I’m going to go to town describing this, because rarely do you get an item which is so magical and which also has so much inherent business, and, as any children’s entertainer will tell you, that’s a winning combination. And that’s what we have here – a real WINNER! As I describe the routine, try to picture the fun you can have with this item in your show!
Announce that you are going to have a competition, and, as you are The World’s GREATEST Painter, you will obviously win the handsome rosette, which will be attached to the winning picture, but you’ll let someone have a chance, just for the fun of it. Up comes your helper (let’s call him James). The children will be the judges, and it’s important they make sure there is no cheating, and, should they see any, they are to let you know as LOUDLY as possible! Now you’ve probably worked out already that YOU are going to cheat outrageously, so you’ve set up things nicely for a riot!
You display two framed pictures (13” x 9.5” (33 x 24 cms approx.) and Perspex, not glass - don’t worry!) each of which displays a black and white picture of a Jack-in-the-Box. You also show two bags into which the pictures will be slipped, because this is Magic Painting, which is quite different to the real thing. One of the bags is BRIGHTLY COLOURED, and the other is VERY NASTY! Phew! It even smells funny! Which would James like? The nicely coloured one? Too bad! As you are the magician, you’ve reserved that one for yourself! That’s fair, isn’t it, boys and girls? The pictures are slipped into the bags. Now, as everyone knows, when you are painting by magic, it’s important to hold up the picture as high as possible. How high can James hold his picture. Oh dear! He’s only got short arms, but look how high you can hold your picture! That’s fair, isn’t it, boys and girls?
On to the choice of paintbrushes – there are two available: a new one, and one which looks as if it’s been struck by lightning! Which would James like? The new one? Too bad! As you are the magician, you’ve reserved that one for yourself! That’s fair, isn’t it, boys and girls? And, as the long day wears on, how you wind up your young audience! As you and James are painting, is it your fault if you flick paint at his bag? Of course not! It could happen to anyone…even if it does happen two or three times!
Now it’s time for the judging, so you remove your picture…and WHAT A MESS! There are splodges and splats of colour all over – except you keep insisting that’s it’s a beautiful picture! James removes his picture – and he removes it himself – it’s PERFECT! Of course, you insist that you should win, but the children tell you otherwise and the rosette is attached to James’s picture.
Now, how about this? We also supply you with an EXTRA set of seasonal pictures – a Christmas Tree with presents underneath - so that you can use this routine all year round! You might lose the competition but in every other sense YOU are the WINNER with this fabulous routine! Supplied with frames, pictures (two sets, screen printed onto plastic), paint brushes, rosette and bags. We even supply you with the b/w artwork of the Jack-in-the-Box and the Christmas Tree, and give you permission to copy these and hand them out for your own colouring competition. Of course, you'll personalise them with your own details - think of the publicity!

It all adds up to one of the BEST children’s tricks for a long, long time!
Typical Ian Adair! Typical PRACTICAL MAGIC!

Approx. size of eack picture frame is 13" x 9.5" (33cms x 24cms).