The Color Change: When is it Appropriate?

[TobinJohnson]

Hey guys, I've been spending a lot of time in magic working on color changes, but I never use them in performance. I was wondering what is an appropriate time to use a color change, and are there any good ways to truly routine them? Don't get me wrong, I love color changes, but I just don't use them, and I would like to change that. Another question I also had following this same line of thought is, to a spectator, is visual always better? I mean if you did two card monte and changed the cards, is that better than, say V2F by G (I'm not talking about the effects themselves, just the change aspect of it all)?

Thanks in advance guys,
TJ

 

[Jacob L]

An effect like "Joker's Wild" where the color changes are justified works well. The Avenue by Dorian Rhodell teaches a cardini-like change that he uses in several of the effects taught on there. Hope that helps!

 

[Skeleto]

I use color changes for small time effects that i perform for friends. ( To reveal there selected card). If your a professional performer then u should resort to texts or vids by professionals that use changes. Such as Jacob's post The Avenue By Dorian Rhodell.

 

[D@n]

In my opinion, visual is not always better for an audience. There is an effect called Fourced Outcome by Chris Ballinger that illustrates this perfectly. Basically the routine goes that an audience member selects a card, which you push into the center of the deck. You then state you will have their card pop to the top, but you fail to do so, so you lay the card (the one that was shown not to be theirs) facedown on a table, floor, or in their hands. Then you try and fail again, then again, then again. Now you have four cards facedown in front of them and you ask them to point to one. From this point there are two endings, the visual and the psychological ending. The visual ending is you show all four cards have turned into their card. The other ending is you remove every card except the one they pointed to, showing them its not theirs each time, then having them turn over the card they pointed to and it is their card. I've found that the psychological ending, them turning over the card they pointed to and finding it as theirs, is equally, if not more powerful then the visual changing of all the cards into theirs ending. Just my thoughts.
Dan

 

[Chris W]

In Chris Kenner's InTENcity, there is a point when the red tens turn to black tens. I usually do a Top Shot and then an Erdnase Color Change to make it more visual. I also do a part in my ACR where it's suppose to come to the top but doesn't. Iin reality, it is on the top but I do a DL and then color change. Obviously, this is nothing new but just a couple of examples where I use them. Hope this helps.

I do think people practice them way too much at times and don't really use them. Sometimes they fit, and sometimes they don't.

 

[YRAMagicMan]

Sometimes, if I'm performing for kids I'll just do a series of color changes for the sake of showing the kids some magic. They understand that something changed, even if they won't understand any other card tricks. I also use a color change every so often in my ACR, but other than that I don't do color changes very often.

 

[Josh Burch]

I know it's popular but I would almost never use a color change as a stand alone effect.
I use it at the climax of my triumph routine, to show that the cards have straightened themselves out.

You might force a 2 of hearts and at the reveal "erase" the center pip of a 3 with the color change.

 

[nobee]

very nice sharing by you. thanks for give awareness. i did't know about this before your written. you are going rock on. this the the work .nice work done. great appreciation by me

 

[Zachy]

Find the motivation for the change, and see where it fits.