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I'm not sure that Magic and Showmanship would be that helpful -- much of it is a reflection of the time in which it was written. The answers to your question depend on whether you are doing close-up or parlor/stage magic and the type of audience you are performing for. Close-up magic is a...

Luis: The effect is Gypsy Balloon by Tony Clark. You can find it on tonyclarkmagic.com and at most magic dealers. Tony's website offers the string separately, so you may want to order the effect and the string together if you are going to perform it often.

That makes sense. You are showing rather than telliing. I think asking them if they want to shuffle is overkill. If you've shown them that the cards are lost in the deck, there is no reason to add an additional procedure into the routine. I'm also not a big fan of giving spectators...

Resources for the Bottom Deal: Marlo's Revolutionary Card Technique (chapters 8, 9 and 10) Card College Volume 4 / Volume 5 Carneycopia The Card Magic of LePaul (Simplified Method) Books of Wonder, Volume 1 (Small Packet Bottom Deal) Expert at the Card Table Expert Card Technique Dear Mr...

He lost me at the Ziplock bag after he spouted smoke and then regurgitated the card. I'm with Edward and Rev on this one... it seems too much like "look at all the things I can do."

I didn't infer that you intended either impression. Rather, I was taking your critiques of another magician and elaborating on what I thought was wrong with that magican's performance and what is wrong with the performance of many magicians. Simply put, many magicians inadvertantly do many...

Edward: The magician shuffling is necessary because Bryan is using Sub Rosa to locate the cards. I'll have to look at the Carneycopia to see which effect you are talking about... its been a while since I've looked at that book and I love to have a reason to pick up any book again. Bryan: I...

Josh: Why do you ask the spectator that question? If they believe the cards are lost, having them say it doesn't make them believe it any more. However, it does, by negative implication, suggest a method -- "what if the cards aren't lost in the deck?" If they don't believe the cards are lost...

In large part, I think that the focus of "fooling" the audience is part of the problem. It is what Darwin Ortiz talks about as challenge magic (although I disagree with Ortiz's comments about Slydini, I generally agree with his thoughts on this topic). Much of what I see performed as magic...

My list of the parlor magic classics would include linking rings, billiard balls, miser's dream, coins across or maybe Scotch and Soda, sponge balls, bill in lemon, cups and balls, zombie ball, professor's nightmare, 21st Century Silks or silk blendo and egg bag. If I went though my magic...

Three words: Go. Out. Perform.

A great biography with a lot of great effects / routines is Wayne Dobson's WD-40.

1. What Rev said about Hiding the Elephant and The Last Greatest Magician (the book about Thurston). 2. I'm jealous that Rev has Hiding the Elephant autographed in person. 3. At least I have an autographed copy of Steinmeyer's Technique and Understanding 4. Get The Magician's Elephant and...

For French Kiss, you don't have to have them put the card in their mouth -- they can hold it in their hand, over their head, behind their back, under their armpit or they can even sit on it. That solves two problems -- the first is the whole cleanliness thing (sticking things in mouths) and the...

Wyatt -- The candy that appears is real... I was joking that it really doesn't turn the sugar into candy, but rather makes the illusion of turning the sugar into candy. I actually like the method and the fake -- kind of ingenious. I used to use this a lot in kids shows -- when you produce a...

I hang around here and at Ellusionist where I"m a moderator. Both of these forums are a lot quieter than when I joined back in 2009. I suspect because a lot of forum traffic is now directed toward Facebook (hence the fewer what is your favorite trick/deck/move threads). I have enough posts at...

It doesn't really make candy... it is all just a trick.

I love strippers. Wait, that didn't sound right. Let's try again. I love to use stripper decks in magic performances. They are a great tool with many uses. That being said, some laypeople know the secret, so I wouldn't let a spectator examine it, but if the deck is made well, there is no reason...

Out of the three, I think that the cups and balls has the most potential but is limited to a smaller audience (say maximum of 50 people). The first effect is too quick -- to make it work you need it to be part of something else. Dresscode is similar -- it looks like a stunt that doesn't draw...