I'm looking to buy a 'Magic Colouring Book' (which I had a long time ago but got rid of...stupid me!) and now there's quite a few on the market and I'd like to know what you think is the best colouring book.

(Some url's would help so that I can see what you're talking about)

Thanks,

Martin

I don't think it matters what coloring book you pick. I like the 8.5 x 11 size book, But they all work the same.

I like the 5 way coloring book. That way if a kid yells out I know that one, you can do the "look what you did now the pictures are all wrong" thing.

http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php......0&page=1

If one is going to use a colouring book, which IMHO isn't very creative or magical, then I would take the time to personalize the cover so that it looks like something different.

I once watched a performer (a decent one as well)use the magic colouring book and the kids at the back were explaining it to each other...the two parents didn't understand what they were saying and were fooled. Funny huh?

jeff

Smartini like so many other things it depends on the routine and who is doing it. Granted it is used often which is why I like the 5 way. My coloring book routine involves painter costumes for two kids, a magic wand that looks like a paint brush, or is it the other way around, and lots of laughs etc. I do like your idea of personalizing the cover. I am going to have to give that one some thought. I have one I use for small, shy children in my restaurant work that is often the only thing that brings them out. They love it.

It certainly does matter on the routine and who's presenting it. It sounds like your version is quite well thought out and fun. I just have an aversion to props that are starting to appear in joke and novelty shops particularly if the book that one uses is the same one the kids have. If I'm a parent and my child is interested in magic, hence your presence at his birthday party, then I may have already purchased some basic magic tricks including the exact same colouring book. I think it doesn't look good if you're using the same props that a 7 or 8 year old has.

I would personalize the book and as well personalize the inside so that the pictures themselves are unique. You can do this quite easily with Paint type programs which have a colouring book tool which removes all of the colour and leaves you with just the black outlines. These same images can be printed off as colouring sheets and given out as freebies which also just happen to carry your contact info. Perhaps the pages match your business card artwork. So now you have a more unique/personalized prop and something that you can use as an inexpensive promotional tool. Do a colouring contest at each of your shows and periodically draw a name of someone who wins a free birthday party. You get yourself a whole list of contacts along with when the child is born. Send an informational mailing out to your birthday contest entries client list from time to time along with a photo from who one your free promotional show. You could also offer a 10% discount to help them make the decision. I'm sure that there are many other great things one can do with the colouring book.

jeff

The Wiz Kids have been buying up coloring books from the local Dollar Stores to make their own versions of Jim Gerrish's Coloring Book routine, from his Kid Magic Section on my site.

http://www.magicnook.com/kidmagic/kidshow.htm#Coloring

When Wiz Kid practice is over and they are watching TV and socializing, they color in the books, or trim the edges of the pages. That way they are using real coloring books colored (or scribbled on) with real crayons. The finale of Jim Gerrish's routine is when all the color is removed and the child helper is given an ordinary uncolored version of the book and a box of the crayons which reappeared, hence the need to buy them in quantities, but the advertising payoff is enormous for them.

They also have begun to combine the Coloring Book with Jim's "Torn and Restored Comic/Coloring Book Pages" from the same site.

http://www.magicnook.com/kidmagic/tornComic.htm

This immediately shuts up the kids who think they are going to just see a coloring book trick that they think they know. The T&R is strong by itself, but to be able to segue into the coloring portion is an added bonus and you are doing it before anyone realizes, but by then the helper from the audience has been holding the uncolored book for some time so it just CAN'T work that way...can it?

I don't want my act to be full of CREATIVE effects!

I want it to be COMMERCIAL so people will pay to watch it!

Take a look at all the top magicians...they mostly perform standard magic but they've added a twist to its presentation!

And that is exactly what you can do with the magic colouring book.

Take Sylvester the Jester (I'm using just this mans act as an example because it was the first one that came to mind, it's not a criticism of his act)...his act is full of 'creative' effects...but is he a household name?...NO!

Just my opinion!

Whatever coloring book you get (I like the Mother Goose one because little kids identify, and if the majority are over 6 or 7 I don't do the routine), it's the routine that matters. For some good ideas, check out the Chris Capehart DVDs, or Cody Fisher's Coloring Book Monte. There are a lot of "vanilla" coloring book routines; the trick is to devise your own or add tidbits to one done by others.

Martin,

I've just woken up and have only had about half a cup of coffee so if you could post in a way that doesn't sound like you're yelling at me with all of the !!! marks I'd be most grateful.LOL I'd like to clarify a couple of things...first of all I agree with your point about wanting your show to be "commercial" so people will pay to watch it. In order for a program to be "commercial" it should be probably do two things. First, be magical and second it should be presented in an entertaining fashion. I'd be interested to find out what you mean when you say "commercial". Do you mean an effect that's easy to perform, has a simple method or?

When I say that I think our shows should be creative and magical what I mean is that the presentations are uniquely ours and that the effect performed actually fools people. IMHO the standard "magic" colouring book isn't at all magical and the only person being "fooled" is the magician who presents it. Check out most toy stores and you'll find magic colouring books offered for sale. Is this really the professional prop that you want to use and present in your shows? What do you think people might think of you and your show if you pull out an $8.99 prop? You might also do a survey of the magicians in your area and find out how many use the magic colouring book. Probably quite a few and so I would ask why would you want to do something that everyone else is doing?

You mention all of the top magicians performing standard magic but they've added a twist. Which top magicians are you referring to? I've been to Las Vegas twice in the past couple of months and went to most of the shows (Jeff McBride, Mac King, Penna and Teller, Criss Angel, Lance Burton)and don't recall any "standard" magic. You also mention Dan Sylvester as someone who is highly creative and then ask/answer your own question about whether he is he a household name. Those who watched him on television a few years back winning the Magician of the Year award as presented by the Princess of Monaco might consider him to be famous if not a household name. Dan Sylvester's act should also be considered commercial since he's booked nearly all of the time. By contrast I'm pretty sure that you won't find very many magicians who are household names that use a colouring book.

The real bottom line is that too many magicians want to do effects that are cheap and easy to do. They want to do "magic" that requires no skill or practice. They buy magic and when they get it home and find out that there is any work to be done it ends up being left in a drawer. I particularly enjoy magicians who perform magic badly and then instead of placing the responsibility where it really belongs, with them, they blame it on a bad or non-responsive audience.

I say that we should have a magic book burning and it should include every magic colouring book. Who's with me?LOL

jeff

Mr Smartini,

I do appologise if it seemed like I was shouting at you...written grammar is most definitely not my strong point.

Please don't take offence as none was meant, I was only putting across my point of view.

I'll reply in full to your post when I've got time to do so. (I've only read the first sentence.)

In the meantime, please accept my appologies.

Warmest regards,

Martin

I just purchased a new one. It is a four way. It is like the 3 way but has a page for scribble scrabble too.

Martin,

No worries I was only kidding!!LOL I'm happy to discuss/argue points back and forth and it won't hurt my feelings if we don't agree. I like coming to the Café to share what works for me. My way of thinking isn't the right way but the right way for me. I think that coming to the Café is a good way to share your magical thinking and to hear from others who also share their experiences. Hopefully through the process, if we really listen to each other, we will grow in our understanding of the art of magic.

jeff

The Best Coloring Book is one that Features YOU! Each year for the last 5 years I've had a local artist do 3 coloring Pages of the critter's and myself. I now have 15 of them. I made my own coloring book: Blank, Drawing, Messed Up Colors all over the page, Correct, Half-blank (ie - not erased all the way, very splotchy). Let's me keep repeating my name for retention purposes.
"What did you do to Aragorn NOW!" "You're supposed to get the colors INSIDE the lines". And "Gee, you need to think a little harder to get ALL the colors to disappear".
Yours,
Aragorn

For those of you looking for an alternative (not something that all the magicians n the area are performing, and not a cheap prop!) you may wish to consider the "Happy Birthday Waistcoat" - a black and white picture of the birthday cake appears on a plain white vest, then this becomes coloured and finally the cnadles on the cake light up!

This was reviewed in magic Magazine this month - and the price was quoted $100.00 less than on my website!
If you are interested I am able to honour the price in Magic Magazine - please contact by PM or email.

All the best for the season.

I like the MOther Goose version....... lends itself to many presentations

Yes. Many Magicians do it. However, the Magic colouring book is a prop. What you do with it is the most important part. Present it like nobody else.
Create an original presentation. This is one of my favourite Magic effects! Cheers!

I open every kid's show with the coloring book and it gets a great reaction. I once worried about it being over used but I built that into my presentation and never have any problem with kids saying they've seen it.

The new coloring books from Murphys are very good.

Vijay