Anyone use Graphology?

Sep 10, 2008
915
3
QLD, AUS
Hi guys, a question for you readers out there.

I've just started learning graphology (the art of making determinations about people based on their handwriting), and am wondering if anyone's used this in the context of a performance before?
I've been developing a few ideas, but would like to discuss some ideas with people who've attempted to apply this before?

I'm assuming the premise would be somewhat similar to palm reading and/or cold reading, but since the written language is involved, I'm sure that there would be avenues that could not be explored in the previously aforementioned disciplines?
 
Mar 6, 2008
1,483
3
A Land Down Under
I have done many other forms of readings with my personal favourite being based on psychometery. I will help you as best I can however my advice would be hit up Craig Browning, Luis Vega has used it quite well in the past.
 
Sep 10, 2008
915
3
QLD, AUS
So apart from simply just reading them based on their style, are there any effects that involve the content of what they write?
Or any effects getting them to write specific words/content? I've got some really really vague ideas, that I will attempt to develop, but does anything similar exist?
 
Mar 6, 2008
1,483
3
A Land Down Under
To be brutally honest the effect is the reading. Nothing you can do (for the most part) compaires to the reason you give. People only care about them seleves and telling someone something about themself or others far outways any magic or mentalism effect created.

Honestly you are thinking like a magician and in this type of entertainment it will be increadably detrimental to your succuess.
 
Sep 10, 2008
915
3
QLD, AUS
Thank you for the brutal honesty, I truly appreciate.

So if what you described about readings is the true premise of them, would it generally be wise to use them in the context of a routine?
 
Dec 18, 2007
1,610
14
64
Northampton, MA - USA
Look up PSI GRAPHICO, it's in the Bascom Jones MAGICK publications and you should be able to purchase it on line; it's a very proven Q&A routine that Tony Razzano (former president of the PEA) swears by, he's probably been doing it longer than just about anyone in the biz.

John Riggs has a Pitch Book that goes with Graphology, I can't recall the name of it (and I actually have sold it... arrrgh). a Pitch Book btw, is a product that you can put your name on that was written by someone else but you present it as your own book. I tend to give most of the thinner Pitch Books away but you can sell them (as most do), especially if you work the home PSI Party market. . . which is perfect for Graphology.

REMEMBER: there is a huge difference between being a Reader and doing a short demo in your act. But there is likewise a problem when it comes to the demo/routine, such as you seem to be inquiring on; if you do it from the stage your audience members will want to take time with you to do a longer, more personalized Reading. If you aren't willing to do that then don't do Readings from the stage or as part of your act; there's a reason why it's called the Psychic Entertainers Association after all.
 
Graphology is commonly used to look into an individual's personality. Each handwriting trait is analyzed and a personality profile is created that describes how the person thinks and acts, the way they handle relationships, their strong points and weak ones, their best career choices, and a host of other characteristics. The handwriting samples of two or more people can be compared to see how they might get along as marital partners, co-workers, etc.

Similarly to personnel selection, the more handwriting samples or the bigger a particular handwriting sample, the more personality detail can be exacted from the handwriting. Both text and signature should always be analyzed for personality profiles, as they reflect different information about the writer.
 
Oct 4, 2012
17
0
I read a book on graphology quite some time ago and as I recall the book said that to do a full graphology analysis you needed a full page of text on unlined paper. So it would seemed to be a little on the hard side to get a large enough sample on stage but you could get a glimpse of some traits to use to tailor your response in a warm reading style.
 
Dec 18, 2007
1,610
14
64
Northampton, MA - USA
I read a book on graphology quite some time ago and as I recall the book said that to do a full graphology analysis you needed a full page of text on unlined paper. So it would seemed to be a little on the hard side to get a large enough sample on stage but you could get a glimpse of some traits to use to tailor your response in a warm reading style.

You're over complicating things.

Yes, if you are going to do an "official report" on an individual based on their handwriting, you do need a large sample so you can find the habits of writing style; how they dot i's and use certain types of loops, the lean of letters in certain types of words and so much more; graphology is a very in-depth forensic skill & science that requires years of near perpetual study. On stage however, one need but know the basics just as one need but know the rudimentary details about Astrology, Numerology, the Tarot, etc.

An actual graphologist, such as those that work for law enforcement groups, can tell a lot about a person just by looking at their signature however. Many an old charlatan type Readers used to deliberately encourage payment by check so they could use that very technique.

Sadly, the art of proper penmanship has died out with today's addiction to texting and typing type modes of communication. There was a time when the study of handwriting was a true joy, not so with the atrocious habits of so many in today's world however.
 
Oct 4, 2012
17
0
Sadly, the art of proper penmanship has died out with today's addiction to texting and typing type modes of communication. There was a time when the study of handwriting was a true joy, not so with the atrocious habits of so many in today's world however.

I don't know that I'd blame technology for the lack of proper penmanship. Computers and texting didn't hit until the end of my High School years. But after teaching cursive in third grade penmanship never came up for the rest of my schooling.
 
Dec 18, 2007
1,610
14
64
Northampton, MA - USA
End of you high school years?

You graduated in the mid-80s? That would put you close to being an old fart like me (give or take a decade)

"Cursive" has been a standard for centuries and a form of communication that revealed one's level of education as well as social status. Now, and specifically due to the tech situation, educators in the U.S. are looking at discarding it as part of the curriculum, which will change the whole handwriting analysis practice significantly.
 
Oct 4, 2012
17
0
I graduated in the early 2000's which I feel is when technology hit it's stride especially in schools, in elementary all we had were old macs running from the command line with 5" floppies, we used those only one time to type letters to pen pals. In middle school we had two computer labs one lab was for learning typing and basic skills, and the other lab was for learning proper document formatting. The only other time we used them was for some school wide get kids reading program, they tested every kid in school to find their reading level, then you read books in your level and took tests on them to earn points for rewards. (the test did not work worth a darn or something cause they gave me a 3rd grade reading level which was the school average by the way and then retested me when I started blowing throw their 3rd grade level books too fast.) Then in high school is where we finally had access to the internet and papers were beginning to be required turned in typed. And about my 2nd year there is when cell phones started making an appearance but they weren't prevalent till my last year and even then there weren't that many it being the rural south and cell phones for kids were a needless luxury.

If I were going to blame something for a lack of skills I'd blame lazyness, the same thing I blame for the fact that the reading level of my 8th grade class was that of a third grade class.

If you want to complain about something they want to take out of school complain about them trying to remove algebra because "It's holding students back and has no use once out of high school."
 

Bizzaro

Elite Member
Sep 1, 2007
464
10
Vegas
www.smappdooda.com
A friend and I had developed a routine in which he used graphology to determine and item that was secretly shown to the audience. Now he actually knew graphology as well so he made it a half comedy, half serious routine and at the end told them what they had shown everyone.

We had developed a handful of tricks and visual gags using the concept but never went anywhere with it really.
 
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