Hi guys,

I know this might sound silly, but how do you spread cards (in your hands) to make them look nice and even? I know there's a tutorial in Card College Vol.1, but I'm still unsure on how to make my spread to not clump up in my hands. When I do the pulling action with my right middle, ring, and index fingers, they clump up too fast. Also, should I follow Giobbi's advice on putting my little fingers under the cards in order to keep them from falling, or should I follow the pictures in RRTCM when it shows the spread without the little fingers under the cards?

Thanks for the advice,

Michael,

Are you talking about a spread or a fan? A spread is linear, a fan is circular. Both take practice and you will clump up cards a lot at first. If you are talking about a fan, start with good quality new cards, you have to practice to find that right combination of finger thumb pressure in the hand that holds the deck and that circular motion and pressure with a finger or thumb as you spread the fan. The other major fan is a pressure fan, this is much like springing cards in a cascade from one hand to the other. You Spring the cards from your holding hand into the receiving hand. Again practice. Most don't get it right away, it may take you a few days. If you still have trouble consult something like Jeff McBride's videos that gives you video teaching on it, or try to find a local magic club or magic store and see if someone there can teach you.

All I an say is, it took me many years. Don't give up, keep practicing and when it happens you are going to feel great! Hang in there, it will happen.

I'm talking about a spread, but thanks for the input on fans. I can do fans pretty well now, but I don't like the pressure fan because it bends the cards.

Michael,

Well I learned it at first from RRTCM and had also a lot of trouble with it.
after a while I got Giobbi's Card College and followed the description there. the descriptions are good in both books and just like Justin Style said, it will come with time.
good luck!

-Matt

It is also important to make sure you have a deck of cards that is not plastic coated. These will stick to each other and clump awfully. Try Bicycle or another brand that says air cusion finish on the box. And Practice!

I'm also struggling a bit with this. What I'm starting to get ok results with now, when spreading from my left hand into the right with as long a strip of cards in "mid air" as possible, is this:

I put the pad of my thumb right on the just bellow middle left side of the pack, half the thumb inside, half outside. I then press the thumb down over the edge and to the right. Then just as the cards come apart, a little more down pressure.

I will then push out more cards with my left thumb and squeeze up with my left fingers underneath. This while squeeze-pushing with my right fingers underneath. These latest actions occurr when the cards are already some distance apart. The fingers underneath both help to spread a little more and to give support to the "bride construction".

This is not nearly as complicated as the explanation. Just trying to account for what my hands are actually doing. Keep in mind that I'm no expert at this at all. I just recently noticed that it sort of felt good when I spread cards with that thumb pressure. It is a pleasing thing to do somehow. Odd how some card things just feel nice to do. That's why I think I'm on the right track as far as the method is concerned. But I need more time to improve.

The great thing about something like spreading cards is that you can still spread cards perfectly functionally even though it still doesn't look as nice as it will in a year from now. So we will get better while already doing it. Free practice.

That LePaul Spread thing however... now that's whichcraft.