Shoot the advertiser!
Written: Mar 27 '01
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Pros: Creates great pictures, easy to clean, no mess, non toxic.
Cons: To hard for most children and/or adults to erase.
The Bottom Line: This is a great toy if you have the patience to learn how to use it correctly.
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| Misticke's Full Review: Marvins Magic Drawing Board |
I remember doing art similar to this in school. It was a bit harder though. First you take a bunch of different colors. I always chose blue, yellow, green, red and orange. You randomly color a whole sheet of white paper, pressing firmly with each colored crayon. Then you take a black crayon and color over all the other colors. Again pressing firmly. To create a picture, you take a pin or pencil and draw whatever you like. This would always create some really wild and pretty pictures.
Marvin has eliminated all the effort it takes to create these picture, by introducing Marvin’s Magic Drawing Board. You still get the randomly colored back-ground with a black-inky-like cover. I was happy to show my children the old way of doing this kind of art, and they thought it was pretty cool until it was advertised on TV And then it had become a request on Birthdays and Christmas. I held off, telling them that the address goes on and off to quick for me to write it down. But now it is in our local K-Mart as well as Toys-R-Us. When my 7-year-old saw it, he asked for it for his birthday. I wanted to shoot this so called Marvin! I bought it reluctantly and he was really thrilled when he opened it.
I got the biggest thrill though! Although MY way of doing this particular art took longer and required more effort, he found this to be a lot harder. Sure you can draw pictures and they come out halfway alright, but when it came time to erase, it became a chore. He would press with the stylus and keep pressing until he got tired and aggravated and it ended up on the table with the trash. Of course at $11.00, I refused to throw it away. I think he will pick it up again in the future. Until then, I intend to have some fun with it and teach him new things as I learn them. I have already learned how to erase and have shown him over and over again, but he still can’t get it.
With Marvin’s Magic Drawing Board, you can create endless pictures if you can figure out how to use the stylus and which way to push the black “stuff”. It does erase easily once you figure out how to do it. I’ve got that part down pat! This board can be used over and over again, is safe, and clean.
Stylus - 1. A pointed instrument used for writing, especially on wax for engraving. 2. A phonograph needle. In this case, the stylus is used for drawing on the board. There are different ways to use your stylus. The stylus has three ends. One is pointed and is used for making thin lines or detail. Another end is round, used like a pencil. There is also a flat thick part, used for making broad lines of color. It takes a lot of practice with the stylus to create the perfect picture.
Erasing your picture will also take practice. You must be able to distribute the black fluid evenly around the board. I find that if you hold the stylus almost flat to the board, very gently press down, and go from one end of the board to the other, it works. It’s kind of like buttering a piece of bread. If color continues to appear, then you are pressing to hard. If nothing is getting erased, then you are not pressing hard enough. Once mastered, you should be able to spread the fluid from top to bottom in the same direction before doing the same side to side. I got it! I’m the pro!
THINGS TO KNOW
The surface to the Magic Drawing Board is made with strong material to last for years and years to come. You should only use the stylus or the flat back of your fingernail to draw on the board. If your stylus becomes lost, you can use something flat like a popsicle stick or a credit card. NEVER, NEVER, use instruments with sharp edges or points that can puncture the board. IF the board should become damaged, not to worry, the fluid is safe and non toxic. It can also be mended by using a clear piece of adhesive over the damaged area.
The Magic Drawing Board and the stylus can be cleaned with soapy water or even some furniture polish. I’ll remember that next time I’m dusting!
BOTTOM LINE
This Drawing Board also come with some really neat markers. Now THESE he likes and does play with. One marker is white or almost clear and can be used for secret messages or erasing. These are NOT to be used on the board! Make sure you buy paper for these alone. I guarantee your child will play with these more.
I am having more fun with this than my son is. The next time he sees something on TV and begs for it, I am
going to remind him of the Magic Drawing Board. Even though it looks good and appears to be fun, doesn’t mean that it is. Eventually it will make it into the stores and hopefully someone else will own it before we do so that my kid will get to play with it before saying if he wants it or not.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 11.00
Type of Toy: Magic
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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Epinions.com ID:
Misticke
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Member: Debbie McPhail
Location: Ocala, Fla
Reviews written: 142
Trusted by: 37 members
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