Well , I have a problem..
I'm begining in the world of silk magic , and I was wondering to buy the Rice's Encyclopedia. They are the best books to begin in silk magic?

What books you recommend for a man that wants to start in silk magic?
Another thing...
Magic with silks is impossible in close-up magic? The majority of the silk effects (in Rice's too) are for stage? They are impossible in close-up?
Sorry for so many questions, but I must to know that.

Thank you very much.

Hugo

Hi, Hugo! I'm sure there are many others who can provide a great deal more of advice than I can but, nevertheless, I will share some of my thoughts since I too love silk magic. If you purchase all four volumes then you will be able to spend much time not just learning about silk magic routines but also about presentation. I have all four volumes of the Encyclopedia of Silk Magic set. Note that the last volume was not written by Harold Rice but by Mark Trimble --- however, it does follow the same format, has many wondeful routines, and has an index of everything to be found on all four volumes. Volume One would serve you quite well as an introduction to silk magic because it covers everything from the story of silk to dyeing your own silks to folding silks to producing single silks (with and without apparatus) to producing quantity productions (with and without apparatus to vanishes, changes, and transpositions.

I would also recommend you get some videos by Duane Laflin and Pavel. They have some wonderful routines with silks. You may want to get the following videos (by Duane) to start:
http://www.laflinmagic.com/cgi-bin/web_s......match=on
or
http://www.laflinmagic.com/cgi-bin/web_s......match=on

Wish you lots of fun with your adventure into silk magic!

Jimmy

Posted: May 31, 2004 5:41pm

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One more thing, Hugo. One can certainly do close-up silk magic. You can find some routines in books (e.g., silk from a dollar bill, etc.) and here at the Magic Café using the old, reliable thumb tip. Other routines include but are not limited to flash appearance of a silk, card through silk, coins from/through silk. Brian Geer (Heavy Hitters DVD) has a routine I like in which a silk that is signed by a spectator disappears and is found inside of a potato that is peeled right in front of spectators in a close-up format. There are many possibilities for using silks in close-up work.

Jimmy

Hugo,

Jimmy is a great help. There are perhaps as many close up tricks as stage tricks with silks. The Rice books are outstanding and will give you more to do than you can imagine. Once you take the techniques and allow your imagination to help, you will have loads of orginal tricks too.

Enjoy your silk magic.

Bob
The Amazed Wiz

The stage magic videos by Jeff McBride have some great silk magic in them. Duane Laflin has at least two or three very good videos on silk magic. A book that has not been mentioned is the new book on Jack Chanin which has a very good section on silks.

The Jack Chanin book as I understands contains his original silk book which I have. This is not beginning material. In fact to do the act, Chanin recommended that you learn in small pieces and then put it together.

Get the Silk Encyclopedias. They are the standard reference on silks. Tarbell has some very good stuff in it also and you should have that complete set for your libary. Duane Laflins's videos are great if you learn best by video. Anyone of these three sources will give you a lifetime of good magic to use.

While the size and color of silks lend them more to stand-up than close up, silks can be used very effectively in close-up work. Carl Coultier often uses a silk for close-up vanishes. Silks in and out of a TT is very effective done close-up. I think you just need to make the use of silks in close-up work 'make sense.' Most close-up work is done with 'ordinary' stuff, like coins, pens, dollar bills, cards, etc. Silks aren't the sort of things average guys carry around; perhaps this is why they're not used as much in close-up work. Still, a silk in the pocket simulates a handkerchief, which is a logical starting point for its use.
Paul

My intro for using silks in closeup is just another bit in itself. I take out an envelope marked shopping list. When I open it and take out different colored silks, I give them grocery list names (grapes, lemons, apples, oranges, etc.) Lucy has learned that I won't read it if it is just words. It helps set the mood for this is fun time. There are also fun things you can do with these fruits and veggies that just aren't available if they stay just silk squares. (Don't be a sour grape! Now that is some tomato! Now it is a seedless orange! I'll put this one here; it's a navel orange! Hold it right there; it's an Adam's apple!)

Bob
The Amazed Wiz