Lately I've been focusing on using an art theme for my magic. My first hobby was drawing. I loved it. It was my favourite subject in high school. However, once I got into magic, (amongst other reasons) my art has been neglected. I feel now is the time to rekindle my interest in drawing and art in general. I thought that a fantastic way to do this is perform and/or create magic tricks that have an art theme to it. So far, this is my list:

Blown-up Balloon Business Card Trick (currently in the tricks submission queue)
Magnet Card (Jay Sankey)
Oil and Water
Colorise (Jay Sankey)

I know of a couple others that I am considering getting, such as Cardtoon. But I need more suggestions and recommendations. Can anyone help?

There are several stage effects that involve drawing/art such as:
Martin Lewis' Cardiographic
Kevin James' Bowl-A-Rama
Sean Bogunia's Note Pad Surprise and Manual Ultimate Sketch Pad
Axtell's Magic Drawing Board, Mini-Magic Drawing Board, Remote Control Magic Drawing Board and Special Effects Board

There are also mentalism effects that involve the duplication of drawings.

It's a really cool idea. Here's a suggestion that you might find useful...if you haven't already thought of it!

Consider the various Effects possible in magic. Vanishes, Appearances/Productions, Transformations, Predictions, Transpositions, etc.

Now, attempt to come up with an Art themed routine for each distinct Effect possible. It seems to me that generally Art effects seem to cluster around Productions of one kind or another or vanishes. It would go a long way to establish your magic as unique if you diverted onto some of the lesser used effect structures, etc. Good luck,

MDew,
Like you I too enjoy drawing, painting and other artsy works and considered combining art with magic.However, I never did.

The above recommendations are really good!

I forgot to mention that Arthur Trace does a manipulation routine involving a painting. I believe he won the IBM stage competition and won 3rd at FISM for manipulation with the routine.

You can combine art (drawing) with the shadow box illusion that can be very effective.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Gentlemen, thanks for your suggestions! I will look into them.

Are there any tricks that are more suitable for close-up though?

There is a version of Martin Lewis' Cardiographic that uses business cards. I can't remember the exact name but it was put out as a single effect DVD. There is a business card trick called the Multi-colored pen which I guess is in a way related to art. It is taught on Greg Wilson's In Action DVDs but I think he credits it to Daryl. If you are familiar with the out to lunch concept then you should be able to create another art related things.

Jeremy,

I have indeed created one effect with the out to lunch concept and I love it.

Have you ever seen How to Chalk Talk by Tarbell? Not exactly magic, definitely entertainment and something not seen too often these days. I used to see this sometimes when I was a kid, and I loved it.

See this link:
http://www.lybrary.com/chalk-talk-p-460.html

--Sruli

When I was a school librarian, I sometimes adapted chalk talk bits to use with an overhead projector and a transparency. The original figure would already be on the transparency in permanent transparency ink. Then I would use a non-permanent (i.e. eraseable) marker to alter the picture into the final image. I took Tarbell's idea of a rabbit in a hat becoming a magician and simplified it by drawing a top hat with two rabbit ears sticking out the opening. The ears became the magician's eyes and I finished the drawing, turning the picture upside down to show the magician full-face. Tarbell's magician had been a profile version. Since the starting image was permanent marker, I could wipe off the finished picture with a damp paper towel and be ready for my next performance.

I think the first chalk talker I ever saw was Roy Williams on the old Mickey Mouse Club. Roy adapted the chalk talk to a pad of paper and what I guess was a grease pencil since Magic Markers(tm) probably came out a little after the MMC was on the air. I borrowed the newsprint pad and marker idea when I was a teacher of German and narrated the talk with German patter for my students.

I can't think of any specific examples off-hand, but I think there have been chalk-talk-ish applications on the web in the form of animated gifs.

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez
P.S. For magicians who love unusual children's picture books, take a look at David McPhail's _The Magical Drawings of Mooney B. Finch. Mooney has a magic drawing pad and pencil and when he finishes a drawing, he touches the picture and whatever he drew jump off the paper and becomes real. Some very funny bits occur when Mooney is in a predicament and instead of using his magic pencil, he uses his magic eraser...

"Cardtoon" Dan Harlan.
"Osterlind Design Duplication System" Richard Osterlind.
"Ron Jaxon's Visual Card Rise" Ron Jaxon.

"The Pothole Trick" Michael Close.
"The Frog Prince" Michael Close.

Arthur Trace does a manipulation routine called, I believe, Postmodern Art. It is the best example I can think of to combine art with magic. I had the pleasure of seeing it live - a fabulous routine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REN-rdP2nU0

Cardtoon isn't going to allow you to express anything artist because the "art" is already on the cards. And few would call stick figures "art." However, you could create your own Cardtoon effects and use your art skills to come up with new animations and routines using the same concept as Cardtoon.

There is an effect called "Stained Glass" by Adam Grace that might fit youy close-up needs

Bold Business by Patrick Kuffs. One of the best effects I do.

Psss... performing magic is "art"

You would like to combine drawing with magic to enchance both arts


Consider this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOhf3OvRXKg

Then Arthur Trace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=897tk9D4jxk

Both of these are amazing pieces to draw inspiration from


I've thought of doing something like was done in the movie "The Illusionist"
Or how to make the paint come "alive" from a dormant black and white state

P.s. look not to what "magicians" do but to the larger world of art

That will keep you from looking like any other magician


Think first of the effect (what you want to do).....

Then build the method