What's the name of the trick (Stage trick) where someone who's sitting on a chair has a curtain draped over them (not a curtain. A sheet of some description) and when it's removed they vanish? The one where the sheet stays in their shape until it is pulled away. And where can I learn this?
Chair Vanish. Thing.
- Thread starter JoshuaGillespie
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I don't NEED it by any definition. But I've been wanting to get ino stage magic for a whole and am looking for a place to start...
Making a DeKolta chair can be maddening because of the many hinges, etc. that go to it and secondly, it requires a stage trap to do properly. My suggestion being to get a copy of Gary Darwin's "Inexpensive Illusions" book; he has a very practical variation that does not need a ton of mechanicals. Memory serving, both Lance Burton & Sigfried have used this method.
NOTE: There is a version out of Europe, it may be a one man exclusive, but both the chair and the person vanish. It's beautiful!
The Mark Wilson & Tarbell Courses in Magic will give you a foundation when it comes to the basics. From there you want to get ALL of the Paul Osborne plan books followed by Stinemeyer, Rand Woodbury . . . here's the standard recommended list;
Basic Building Plans & Methods
Complete Course in Magic - Mark Wilson
Tarbell Course of Magic
Victory Carton Illusions - UF Grant
Darwin’s Inexpensive Illusions - Gary Darwin
The Great Illusion of Magic (2 -books) - Byron G. Wells
. . . and of course, the other titles I've noted above.
Feel free to tap me on the shoulder any time when it comes to this topic
Also keep in mind that like Craig was saying...sometimes illusions that are being built by "novices" can be quite difficult with the amount of hinges and such. If you are off on your wood or cuts etc....it can negatively affect your entire illusion. Basically there isn't much wiggle room for messing up with illusion plans. We had a gentleman in our club try to custom build a zig zag and completely screwed it up after dumping over 2000 grand into it. Yikes!
Ouch! $2k into a ZZ? If that didn't include cases that's nuts, even in today's economy.
I remember hearing about this kid that used to drive a truck for Mark Wilson working his way through trade school. He got pretty good at it and started building some things for Mark, like this nifty little Choo Choo Train. . . his name was John Gaughan. But John studied how to make magic with legendary builders of the 50s & 60s.
My point being that one really needs to know the skills of a high end cabinet craftsman as well as engineering, welding, auto body work and mold making before they become a part of the magic making market and on top of all that they need to understand the art of genuine deception based on theatrical setting, the use of fabrics, paint/finishing work and so much more.
But we all have to start somewhere, so take your time, listen to those with greater experience than you when it comes to making cuts, hiding hinge work, etc. Magic can be amazingly crude and still work, trust me.
I remember hearing about this kid that used to drive a truck for Mark Wilson working his way through trade school. He got pretty good at it and started building some things for Mark, like this nifty little Choo Choo Train. . . his name was John Gaughan. But John studied how to make magic with legendary builders of the 50s & 60s.
My point being that one really needs to know the skills of a high end cabinet craftsman as well as engineering, welding, auto body work and mold making before they become a part of the magic making market and on top of all that they need to understand the art of genuine deception based on theatrical setting, the use of fabrics, paint/finishing work and so much more.
But we all have to start somewhere, so take your time, listen to those with greater experience than you when it comes to making cuts, hiding hinge work, etc. Magic can be amazingly crude and still work, trust me.
Do you also get some books to study about these magics?
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