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OK, so there’s obviously nothing that magical about the Magic Drawing Slate, but they are a lot of fun to play with just the same. I fondly remember these toys from my childhood, although they were clearly around for many years before the 1980’s had begun, dating back to at least the 1950’s and possibly even further. They are such simple toys, and fairly inexpensive, so most kids have probably owned one at some point in their life.
The Magic Slate consists of a piece of grey acetate like sheet laid on top of another darker layer of a more rubbery construction. Using the tip of a plastic stylus on the acetate, it was possible to draw pictures, as the stylus would cause the acetate to gently stick to the underlying layer only where the stylus had been used. The sticking together of the two materials meant it was now easier to see the under layer through the acetate, thus giving the impression you had drawn something.
When you had finished drawing your picture it could then be erased simply by separating the acetate from the rubbery layer, thus stopping the two layers sticking together and yielding a blank sheet again. On some magic slates this was simply a case of peeling the acetate up and laying it flat again, whilst others encased the whole lot in a frame and provided a plastic slider that could be slid from one side of the slate to the other to separate the two layers.
Obviously the magic slate was limited to only being able to draw in one colour, but I believe there were some that had a rainbow effect applied to the rubbery layer so your lines changed colour depending on where they were drawn on the slate. I also remember seeing a similar idea where the acetate was replaced by a piece of neon pink plastic, which allowed bright pink coloured lines to be drawn on a slightly lighter pink coloured background.
[…] Magic Drawing Slate – Much more eco friendly than a pad of […]
Hi Seven thanks for writing the article about the Magic Slate. I remember it in my child hood with the same enthusiasm. You taught me some things I didn’t know about it, like the top sheet is made out of acetate and exactly how it works. I guess I knew that the mark was made by the top layer sticking to the underlying layer, but it has been so long since I had one that I couldn’t remember that detail. For me, it’s been about 50 years since I had one. I’m a little older than you. You must be in your third decade to have played with it in the 80’s when you were a child.
Your article was very good, but I found it because my short term memory is really going. If I can figure out what I wanted to do, then I still do it pretty well, but often when I decide to do something, when the time comes to do it, I have forgotten. So it doesn’t get done when it should. I couldn’t remember what the name of the Magic Slate was, you helped, and it took me a few hours to find your article with Google. I couldn’t easily find the search words to weed it out from all of the other drawing devices out there. So with the wealth of information you have given me about it, I’m sure I will find the Magic Slate if it is still for sale. If they aren’t and
the patent has run, join me, and we will get them manufactured again and make a lot of money. Not sure I would go that far, but it could surely be marketed to people like your and me. Anyway I thought I would but two of them and keep one in my car and one in my office so I could capture an idea or task when it first comes to me.
Thanks again, Chick
Hi Chick
I’m glad you enjoyed reading about the Magic Slate and I hope you find one.
I had a quick look for you on http://www.Amazon.com and there are some available. Just go to this site and enter Magic Slate into the search box!
Good Luck!
[…] a pen horizontally or vertically. Â Probably it’s closest rival for ease of use were the old Magic Drawing Slates, which may have been much cheaper but were much easier to damage than the Magna […]
Some one told me that a magic drawing slate can be made by applying bee-wax to a colored surface and then put a milky plastic sheet over it. the drawing etc. will appeare on upper sheet by sticking to the lower bee-wax surface. but how the wax is applied i don’t know. What do you think about this idea? i shall need ans wait for your guidance.
Sounds like it would probably work. I guess you would just rub the beeswax over a board until it had a good coating.
To be honest though these things are normally so cheap it’s probably quicker and easier just to buy one 😉
[…] Slate for the Digital Age An electronic version of the classic Magic Slate eliminates the need to find a paper scratch […]
I gave my grandson a miniature magic slate from the cracker jack box, it is ooooooold, it may be his dad’s, he loved it, so I promised I will pick one up at Walmart, this starts my search of the Magic Slate, I refuse to pay twenty bucks for them, I am willing to make them if I know how.