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Hey guys.

I'm just wondering... How do you guys create your own tricks? Do you like think of something that would amaze someone, then find of a way? Do you find alternative methods of doing an already known trick? Et cetera...

Just wondering because I've been thinking of a few ideas, but I can't think of any ways of doing these "miracles".

Steve

I have Jay Sankey's "Create Your Own Magic" and I LOVE everything about it. The tips he gives you, everything. I have a notebook FULL of ideas. I just haven't gotten to the method yet... But yes, I think of something that would flat out amaze even me if I could do it. Then I ponder sleights and movements until I can get it down and smooth.

PMed you Stevebo

stevebo wrote:I'm just wondering... How do you guys create your own tricks? Do you like think of something that would amaze someone, then find of a way? Do you find alternative methods of doing an already known trick? Et cetera...

I think most people would agree that unless you have an interesting mechanism that just needs a use finding for it, it's usually best to start with the effect and try to find a way of dong it.

I never actually sit down to think up a new trick, they usually just come to me when I'm playing around with something.

One example was the other night, I was playing around and found a great way to vanish a coin from a spectators open hand.

If I am going to sit down and attempt to create, I usually look at my favorite tricks, or popular tricks that are getting old. I look at each part and ask myself, how could i achieve the same effect with a method that disproves the current method. Then I do it.

Or I look at a trick and ask myself, "what outcome hasn't been done with this before?" and find a way to produce it.

With these methods, I generally create something that would be suit to show magicians.

For laymen I just think of an effect that suits who I am, and a way to create it. Then I think of tricks that would support it, and create them. Then I often put my own tricks through the above methods.

It would seem there's a spate of people trying to create tricks purely for financial gain currently.

This has two distractions: firstly, the effects coming out aren't at all strong.

Secondly, the knock-on effect is that someone sees how easy it is to 'make a couple of bucks' from an effect, and tries the same.

I think if you are *trying* seriously to express your magic creativity, you will always feed off your knowledge. The ideas should flow from either the premise of solving a problem, or you literally just apply mechanics to a situation. Having a sound background of sleights, mechanics, materials, and magic history, you will find it far easier to create.

Examples:
1. You want to create 'the ultimate Ace transpo' effect. You will study the existing effects, and reason how you can improve upon them or how you can re-invent the method. This is a good example of problem solving, as you're setting yourself a task. This is a pro-active method of creating magic, as you are setting out to do it and consciously focussing on the problem and a solution.

2. You are practicing your top-palm and you suddenly realise that you can utilise this move to place the top card anywhere on your person. So you then feed off this mechanical solution to find a way to incorporate it into a performance. In other words, you've developed something dynamic by pure chance, and the creative process is then to find an application for it. I consider this to be a passive creation process at it's onset, as you didn't set out to invent something, but merely stumbled upon an idea, which you then develop.

3. Whilst performing a simple vanishing hanky routine, you load your TT inside your pocket and find that somehow a spongeball has found it's way in there. Eek.
But hang on, you suddenly realise that you can take advantage of this and switch them. You do, and suddenly the audience experience a hanky becoming a spongeball.
This is what I would consider to be accidental creation. And oddly, most inventions are pure accidents. Discoveries when you least expect them. And usually, these can be some of the strongest effects possible.


I've studied the 'masters' of magic for many years, and I'm astounded at the sheer volume of creativity from some of these guys: Lorrayne, Marlo, Duffie, Tamariz, Vernon, Buckley, Braue, Hugard, etc.

However, I believe that these are truly outstanding individuals, for whom their passion for magic simply fuels their creative process into overdrive, and the resultant output is of a quality way beyond what we are seeing over the past few years.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to relax. You cannot FORCE creativity.

Stevebo—at the start of the thread you explain you're in need of solutions?

The greatest advice which can be given is to read, watch and absorb. From the ideas around you, research, and application of logic, you'll find that somehow the answers will just find their way to you. Don't try and force it, write down your ideas, and re-visit them often.

You may find that the more you learn and discover, the more the solutions to your 'problems' are staring you in the face, and that you can finally—after xxx months or years—realise the answers which you couldn't find at the onset.

DO NOT be driven by capitalism. DO NOT throw away ideas if at first you can't find a way round them. DO NOT consider yourself 'educated'.

Every day is a schoolday. The more we learn, the more we know. The more we know, the more we can do.

All very logical.

And remember... nobody wants to see the next 'Blaine' or the next 'Garcia' or the next 'Angel'.

We all want to see the next YOU.

I find just scouring through the video's at PenguinMagic get my creative juices flowing. By seeing lots of different effects using different principles, you spark up and join bits together. Its quite an easy way to thinking about effects of your own.

for me, it's a storyline...something that's wrapped up in some kind of emotional context...plus if you're telling a story you gain more eye contact...

other than that - it could just be a phrase that gets me thinking, or just a certain wierd thing i would like to try and achieve...all framed by "how" i do it...

hypnosis/mind reading/influence/premonitions then from there on in, it's just working the damn thing out with my hands...

i started a topic like this a couple of months ago now.
from the advice i was given. think of the outcome, and then retrace your footsteps. like alot of authors. they know the ending before the adventure begins.

i often ask people what they would like to see as well. that often works.

A lot of things that I invent come on the spur of the moment. I will often improvise some magic using the skills I already have, a common theme being a selected card that continuously reappears again and again, a la ambitious card, or just a simple classic force at a moment of relaxed attention, which is often very effective in the right company (I wouldn't recommend this approach at any formal events!). I found a particularly good effect that I have now started to use, as the reactions I have got have been extremely good. During a bit of off the cuff I noticed that the deck I was using was actually misprinted, making it one way. I used a 'jumping pulse' presentation to lose and find a card again in a very fair manner. This is most definitely not anything new, but the presentation was such that the reaction was exceptional - I even had one spec comment on a tingling sensation in their hand just as they passed over their card (perhaps that was just me gripping their hand too tightly....)!

The best advice i could give is if you cant find the answers dont try to find them they will find you when there ready. This what i found anyway when i first started out in magic i was trying to create magic just so i could say i did this or this is my effect but i couldnt find any answers. Nowadays thoe i go in a shop and it just clicks ill be in the shop studying this item and the missus usually says what the hell are you doing and ill say something like im just looking and shell say its just a bloody hair dryer or something but as soon as i set my eyes on this certain item something clicks and think yeah i can use this ideas just keep flooding in its quite extrordinary.