talkmagic.co.uk

so where should I begin on my road to becoming an illusionist?

I've searched for free tricks but I can't find anything good.

Where can I learn something like the card warp or the card spin?

Or are those too advanced for a muggle?

Card warp is available from any magic shop for about £2.50. You need some skill to do card warp properly, but with some practice, you should be able to do it in a week or so. The hummer card is more expensive and requires a bit more skill than card warp to get it right. There is also a pile of great books on card tricks to get your started. You will need to learn the basic sleights and then a few effects. PM me for a list of good books!

Personally I prefer DVD's over books when it comes to learning. As a wise magician said to me some time ago "Magic is a visual art - it should be taught visually". Which is a very valid point and explains why I have an ever increasing selection of magic DVD's but hardly any books.

I would not advise buying single tricks, that's way too expensive. Buy a book or a DVD that teaches the basics. It will allow you to show many tricks. Have a look here:

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic7085.php

Here's my post on how did I started and what I recommend now:
http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/sutra71302.p ... ght=#71302

I really enjoyed the dvds I got at the first place (Crash Course 1&2) but I recommend getting the Royal Road to Card Magic with it. Also if you like you can get new Royal Road to Card Magic Companion Dvd set (published from L&L) or just get the gomagicgo podcast (free!). They will help you A LOT with the dvds.

I'll second (or third...) the "Royal Road to Card Magic" advice...it tells you all of the basic (and some not so basic) sleights...not seen the DVD companion but can't imagine this'll hurt either. Once you've got to grips with such things as multiple-lifts and the pass (to name but a couple) then your sleight-of-hand repertoire will start to snowball.
Things like the Card Warp and Card Spin are both very strong effects, but it's best to become handy with a pack of cards in general before going into such territories.
Hope this helps...

Brucemoon wrote:Or are those too advanced for a muggle?

Is it me being thick but whats a bl##dy Muggle?

Wow, someone who hasn't read JK Rowling...

It's a non-wizard...

Anyway, I will step in (as always) with my recommendation for Born to Perform - it's a card magic beginners DVD that will teach you everything you need to know to perform proper card magic. It even comes with four (brilliant) routines. Follow the link below.

Kati

God damn it Kati, we've been waiting for you to get here. I'm gonna have a word with Oz about this. You're slipping!

And if you want a book, Check out The Royal Road to Card magic. You can find it on Amazon.

Paul Zenon’s Street Magic
Mark Wilson’s Cyclopedia of Magic
Royal Road to Card Magic
Bobo’s Modern Coin Magic
Pure Effect by Derren Brown.
Expert at the Card Table

If you buy and read those books in that order, practicing heavily as you go and applying everything you learn then you’ll be a better magician than anyone here or possibly anywhere.

Adding to that list, if you're serious about cards then there is no better investment than the card college series.

How about something other than cards? In one of the Harry Potter books, card magic is reffered to as "muggle magic"

Brucemoon - i'd recommend that you get hold of Mark Wilson's Complete course in magic - it'll give you a good start with a number of different genre's as well as how to build some of your own effects etc. It covers cards, coins, sponge balls, illusions and some mental magic. You might even find a copy in a public library.

The Encyclopedia of Card Sleights by Daryl

I would also recommend anything else on that page once you have learned the basics!

I would also suggest you go for a book or DVD. You really do not want to depend on gimmicks all the time. Good luck with your learning