Learning card sleights

[RecodingExistence]

Hey, first post here, be gentle

So, as a kid, i used Royal Road to learn card magic. As an adult, I've lately decided I'd like to get back into it, and picked up a copy of it again. (Randomly, is it just me, or can anyone else remember a blue and a red cover of this book? :S ).

I've got a few other books sitting on the burner, namely: Expert Card Technique, Expert at the Card Table, and Card College.

Now my question is this; I'm very much interested in the highly visual side of card magic, things like colour changes, productions, vanishes, translocation (not sure if that's a correct term, but i'm using it haha!). In working through the above books, will I pick up the skills required to manage this kind of card magic, or is it mostly going to be focused on pick a card/find a card material?

I look forward to hearing any thoughts/suggestions on this, thanks guys!

 

[kennethcmerrill]

I'm also a beginner, but from what I understand, Expert at the Card Table is mostly focused on gaming sleights (false shuffles, cuts, deals, ways of positioning cards in the deck). Not sure how much material it has for the more "flashy" stuff you want to learn. Card College covers just about everything, I think, but it's also very expensive to buy the whole set. I don't know anything about Expert Card Technique.

 

[Hakaari]

with the false shuffles/cuts and stuff you pick up from Expert at the card table you can do ALOT of different varieties (I highly recommend learning atleast 1x false shuffle and 1x false cut)..alot of my routines start out with me "shuffling and cutting the the deck, then I can go into 4 ace productions, pick a card..any card...color changes..you name it.
however as Kenneth points out, EATCT is mostly focused on Gaming sleights, so if you want stuff like top changes, double lifts and generally "magic sleights" you may wanna look into other material

edit: oh, and welcome to the forums

 

[RealityOne]

I'm very much interested in the highly visual side of card magic, things like colour changes, productions, vanishes, translocation (not sure if that's a correct term, but i'm using it haha!). In working through the above books, will I pick up the skills required to manage this kind of card magic, or is it mostly going to be focused on pick a card/find a card material?

To get to the visual part of magic, you need to master the fundamentals, such as grips, shuffling and controls, and then move on to intermediate skills such as lifts, palming, color changes, packet counts, etc. Royal Road / Expert Card Technique and/or Card College has all that. The effects taught in any of those books are more than pick-a-card / find-a-card.

Expert Card Technique is focused in part on gambling sleights (which are generally useful in magic) and magic (e.g. the Houdini / Erdnase change). However, the book is a bit more difficult to learn from than the others.

Once you have the fundamentals and intermediate skills, then you can branch out to other books that have material you are interested. I think that books by John Bannon, John Gustaferro, Paul Harris, Tom Stone and others have the visual type magic you are looking for.

 

[RecodingExistence]

I'm also a beginner, but from what I understand, Expert at the Card Table is mostly focused on gaming sleights (false shuffles, cuts, deals, ways of positioning cards in the deck). Not sure how much material it has for the more "flashy" stuff you want to learn. Card College covers just about everything, I think, but it's also very expensive to buy the whole set. I don't know anything about Expert Card Technique.

Thanks for your reply! I'm in no rush really, so i don't mind pickin up material here and there overtime.

 

[RecodingExistence]

with the false shuffles/cuts and stuff you pick up from Expert at the card table you can do ALOT of different varieties (I highly recommend learning atleast 1x false shuffle and 1x false cut)..alot of my routines start out with me "shuffling and cutting the the deck, then I can go into 4 ace productions, pick a card..any card...color changes..you name it.
however as Kenneth points out, EATCT is mostly focused on Gaming sleights, so if you want stuff like top changes, double lifts and generally "magic sleights" you may wanna look into other material

edit: oh, and welcome to the forums

Heh, thanks for the welcome Been kinda lurking for a while. Yup, i have a few false shuffles and cuts under my belt (far from mastered, but hey, it would be rather boring if it was already!) - i've combined this with a few cardistry techniques and working on making the sybil cut smooth.

I'll keep my eyes open for more material, thanks for the advice!

 

[RecodingExistence]

To get to the visual part of magic, you need to master the fundamentals, such as grips, shuffling and controls, and then move on to intermediate skills such as lifts, palming, color changes, packet counts, etc. Royal Road / Expert Card Technique and/or Card College has all that. The effects taught in any of those books are more than pick-a-card / find-a-card.

Expert Card Technique is focused in part on gambling sleights (which are generally useful in magic) and magic (e.g. the Houdini / Erdnase change). However, the book is a bit more difficult to learn from than the others.

Once you have the fundamentals and intermediate skills, then you can branch out to other books that have material you are interested. I think that books by John Bannon, John Gustaferro, Paul Harris, Tom Stone and others have the visual type magic you are looking for.

Hi Reality, thanks for the response. So working through the fundamentals should be a good basis for mastering more visual magic? Don't get me wrong, i'll probably get so far down that line and end up thinking "i should bulk this out a bit with variety".

But, i'll definitely continue working away at Royal Road for now, and come back when i feel a bit smoother.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Building the fundamentals is the basis for everything.

 

[Al e Cat Dabra]

Laymen like and enjoy displays of skill, such as the Sybil Cut, pressure fans, springing, spread and turnover flourishes, Faro Shuffles, coin roll, coin star, etc. However, these are spices which helps make the magic tasty and delicious, but the main course is the performance of the tricks and routines themselves which should be presented with an entertaining script or a good story, and should be fascinating, humorous, uplifting and/or inspiring, and should often involve the spectators. While they can be beautiful, flourishes are not in and of themselves magic. So (in my opinion) just like sight gags, flourishes should be used tastefully and with restraint, and go in betwixt and between the performance of magic. The artistry lies in the creative combination of all of these elements.

 

[Biz]

I've compiled a small list of some of the color changes featured on my project that I've discovered over the years. Give them a watch, it might be what you are looking for. If they strike you as interesting, hit me up at bcardician@yahoo.com (I don't mind posting my business address here) and I will share these goodies with you. No cash or anything.

EDIT: It seems I cannot link the playlist here. Just click on the video instead, go to my youtube page, click on all videos then search just for color changes.

I strongly believe in everything that the other guys have said. I myself have read all of Erdnase and then went on to read Vernon and Marlo.

BUT, having a few moves which bring you joy, which are fun to perform or which push your mechanical skills even further, is good.

At the same time, be it for you to realize it now or later, but forget not of Cardistry. Pick up a few moves and learn them. They will train the muscles of your hands much better than most card sleights (notice how a 4 packet card cut uses your muscles in comparison to a color change, or a palm, or a switch, force, etc.) which will make it easier for you to master magic sleights.

This is my two cents.

Much love

 

[RecodingExistence]

Hi, thanks for the posts and responses.

I'm *definitely* interested in developing my skills properly and then using them to work on my interest in card production, colour changes etc. I think nothing is quite as striking for the layman as these type of things. Of course, I do enjoy other card routines, and i'm working with several books at the moment, but sometimes creativity needs inspiration!

Further to my OP, i just got myself a brand new bicycle deck (standard blue), as i was using a very cheap £1 set of cards from morrisons to practice. Hopefully i'm not going to destroy these cards too soon lol.

 

[ChrisJGJ]

Understanding your audience and who you are performing for should dictate what type of magic you do. Flashy magic is just eye candy. It doesn't do anything for a spectator except get a quick, "oooh ahhh". That doesn't mean that is bad. Like I said, it depends on who you are performing for. When I tried busking, quick flashy magic was the way to go for me. It transcends any cultural/intellectual boundaries, since it doesn't use a lot of language.

But if you really want to create a magical moment, or something that someone will remember, the magic has to be more than just flashy.

 

[Tadeumagalhaesbg]

Hey, first post here, be gentle

So, as a kid, i used Royal Road to learn card magic. As an adult, I've lately decided I'd like to get back into it, and picked up a copy of it again. (Randomly, is it just me, or can anyone else remember a blue and a red cover of this book? :S ).

I've got a few other books sitting on the burner, namely: Expert Card Technique, Expert at the Card Table, and Card College.

Now my question is this; I'm very much interested in the highly visual side of card magic, things like colour changes, productions, vanishes, translocation (not sure if that's a correct term, but i'm using it haha!). In working through the above books, will I pick up the skills required to manage this kind of card magic, or is it mostly going to be focused on pick a card/find a card material?

I look forward to hearing any thoughts/suggestions on this, thanks guys!

Sounds to me you’re into French magic style! I’d start taking a close look at French magicians... if you like visual stuff with cards then tony Chang, Patrick kun, yoann, bebel and Eric jones are good inspirations! Best of luck!!!

 

[Tadeumagalhaesbg]

To get to the visual part of magic, you need to master the fundamentals, such as grips, shuffling and controls, and then move on to intermediate skills such as lifts, palming, color changes, packet counts, etc. Royal Road / Expert Card Technique and/or Card College has all that. The effects taught in any of those books are more than pick-a-card / find-a-card.

Expert Card Technique is focused in part on gambling sleights (which are generally useful in magic) and magic (e.g. the Houdini / Erdnase change). However, the book is a bit more difficult to learn from than the others.

Once you have the fundamentals and intermediate skills, then you can branch out to other books that have material you are interested. I think that books by John Bannon, John Gustaferro, Paul Harris, Tom Stone and others have the visual type magic you are looking for.

I love you’re advice! That’s very good sir!!!!