I have seen an art pad trick done recently on a show, as well as seeing David Copperfield perform it on stage. The basic idea is something is drawn on the pad and then it becomes animated. I can only speculate at how this is setup. My question however is, how close can the spectators be to the gimmick before there is a danger of the method being seen?

If you are referring to Cardiographic by Martin Lewis, the answer is pretty close. The "business" is pretty well concealed, and the comedy of a "wrong guess" disarms the spectator so they're not really looking for anything anyway.

Heree is a link to the aforementioned trick, so you know what I'm talking about: https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic/......edition/ .
Hope this helps. Save your pennies if you like this trick, it'll set you back a couple bucks. I should add this is designed for parlor/stage so by "pretty close" I mean a couple feet.

Can this be modified to display something other than a card. When I saw Copperfield do it, he had a sunset.

It is difficult what is behind your question as to how close can the spectators be. There is a close up version, but the large version can be performed in a parlour setting.

The stage version is expensive, but the inventor has published on CD how to make on yourself. The trick is by Martin Lewis, and his website is called MagiKrft. He is a very famous magician, I am surprised you have not heard of him.

This trick is now available from www.magikraft.com . Click on the like and you will find the items I listed below.

It is called "Signature Sketchpad Card Rise". There is an addition sold to use a "Birthday Card - Rise" instead of a playing card sold separately.

If you wish to same some money, you can get the "Making Magic Vol. 1", DVD which has detailed instructions on making "Cardiographic" stage version. There has been some changes and improvements to the latest versions, which are not on the this DVD, it explains the one David Copperfield did on one of his specials.

It is also explained in his book "Martin's Miracles" and on his Lecture notes series. Although not as detailed as on the aforementioned item.

He also now has a "Rosepad" version.

There is a Close-up version called, "Business Card-iographic" which comes on CD to make up with your own business card stock.

Please reference that performance. As Copperfield did the rising card on pad on his television special. You may be referring to something totally different. This would be difficult to have a sun rise, although again, your lack to share complete information is puzzling. Was it a picture the sun rose from? Animated how?

Oh Im sorry I did not mean to leave things out. 15 or more years ago I went to see Mr. Copperfield perform. He took a spectator on stage, took out a fairly large note pad and drew an island on it. He then added a moon (the spectator chose the idea of an island and a shore), he then stated that it sucks its nighttime. He then rotated around and when the pad came back into view the moon was lower on the horizon. As he spun around several more times the moon got lower and lower in the horizon. Finally as the moon reaches the horizon he stopped spinning thus leaving the pad in full view, making a magical gesture the moon visibly vanishes under the horizon and the sun rises in its place. He then rips the paper from the pad and hands the sheet to the spectator. The pad was much larger then the cartography pad. Out of the entire show this was the illusion I remember vividly. The feeling I got when I saw that illusion was such a rush it was almost like seeing a train heading into a head on collision(the only way I can describe it).

Okay, there is nothing on the market that has been revealed with this description of the effect. It may be a special effect just created for David Copperfield. I have never seen him do anything like that. He did do customized Bathing Beauty trick with Loni Anderson once on television. I have seen him live a few times and he did not do anything like what you describe during the performance. Of course being a smaller city, he does leave things out when in smaller venues.