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Angelo Carbone V.I.P. 1475 Posts |
Ok so here is a game you can do to force yourself to be creative and think in an unusual way. Think of this exercise as something similar to those Nintendo DS Brain Training games. If you do this everyday you can train they way you think when creating magic.
You will need several blank slips of paper. Alternatively you could use an old deck of cards which you don't mind writing on. On one batch of slips write down various objects (one word per slip) such as: 1. Pen 2. Glass 3. Book 4. Phone 5. Bracelet 6. Fork 7. Hat 8. Gloves 9. Key 10. Tie 11. Ring 12. Watch etc... On another batch write down plots: 1. Vanish 2. Production 3. Transposition 4. Penetration 5. Transformation 6. Transposition 7. Restoration 8. Levitation 9. Suspension 10. Mentalism 11. Prediction 12. Animation etc... On a final batch of slips, write methods or principles: 1. Black Art 2. Magnetism 3. Switch 4. Thread 5. Elastic 6. Topit 7. Shell 8. Stooge 9. Servante 10. Steal 11. Duplicate 12. Well etc... You can write more than 10 if you want - the more the better. Next shuffle the slips keeping each category together and select one slip from each category and try to force yourself to think how you would come up with a trick with the information you have been given. Eg: Pen, Transposition and Shell. Gloves, Penetration and Black Art. Book, Production and Thread. Now you may not be able to come up with anything or you may need to utilise an additional slip - method or object, to make your trick work. Whatever you do, do not put one slip back and choose another if you are stuck. Just keep trying. You could have the slips in three glasses and choose a slip every day to work with. This is just a fun exercise to force you to come up with a potential idea with the most unlikely combination of items. If you wish let's try this together. What would you do with the following: Coat hanger Penetration Black Art Finally please throw some challenges to me with three random items and I will see what I can come up with.
The Gift: Trick of the Year 2017
My YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/themagicinventor |
magicjoe Special user 758 Posts |
How about a portable coat rack on the stage. A black suite bag, and other articles of clothing hanging on the rack. Also five or six coat hangers. Straighten out the coat hangers and penetrate the suite bag. Pull out the hangers, Un zip the bag to drop out large piece of metal. (I’m thinking along the lines of industrial revolution) Not sure for the black art, don’t know enough about it and don't do a lot of stage.
For my three: Paper animate shell |
Bob_Hummer Special user 842 Posts |
Hey Angelo,
Do you find yourself thinking more in terms of 'here's an unusual method/principle - how can I turn it into a trick?' or do you think more along the lines of 'here's a trick I want to create - what is the best method?' I always imagined that creative people such as yourself (along with Lubor Fiedler and Gaetan Bloom) started with an unusual method first before trying to shape it into an effect. So - I just wanted to check with you. You have spoken before about how you will doodle on a blank paper and ask yourself questions about what the images might be if you look at them from different perspectives. So - maybe my question above doesn't really apply. Still - in case it does - do you generally think in terms of method and then the effect. Or the other way around? Cheers! Joe PS On a separate point. Where do you look for inspiration? Is it through studying the work of creators you admire. Or is it by studying other creative fields such as optical illusions and scientific gadgets (for instance)? |
Bob_Hummer Special user 842 Posts |
I should add as well that this video imagining what MC Escher's workspace might have looked like has being inspiring me for the past few weeks.
It is beautiful... http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/290256/detail/ Joe |
Magiguy Inner circle Seattle, WA 5467 Posts |
Great exercise, Angelo! Thanks!
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Danny The Idiot Regular user London, UK 170 Posts |
Excellent exercise - thanks for posting.
Also Bob, thanks for posting the Escher studio - an inspiring video! |
John Raff M Loyal user Republic of Ireland 233 Posts |
This is ingenious! Very creative.
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whiteoakcanyon Special user 899 Posts |
This is a fantastic suggestion. Thanks
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Angelo Carbone V.I.P. 1475 Posts |
Good work magicjoe. The good thing about this exercise is there is no right or wrong answer/solution. It is just a way to force ourselves to think.
So you suggested paper, animate and shell. Ok... well you could make a paper shell of a heavy object so it could be light enough to animate with invisible thread. If it is a shell, you would need to ditch/lap the real object. See this is a good example where we need to utilise other elements (eg (switch, well, servante, thread etc). It is not a bad thing, unless you would have to cheat and eliminate one of the existing three selections because you get stuck. Don't - keep trying. Try a new selection everyday and log your ideas.
The Gift: Trick of the Year 2017
My YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/themagicinventor |
Angelo Carbone V.I.P. 1475 Posts |
Hey Joe!
It really varies and depends. Sometimes it can be the method first and sometimes it can be the effect. I would say though it is probably 75% effect first and then 25% method. As for inspiration, I certainly admire the creative magical genius' out there but I don't want to copy them so always look for inspiration from other sources such as gadget shops, hardware stores, optical illusions (as you say), online, science etc. As for the doodling on blank sheet, I will start a new post on that to go into more detail. BTW thanks for the video link. I love it! Angelo
The Gift: Trick of the Year 2017
My YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/themagicinventor |
Angelo Carbone V.I.P. 1475 Posts |
Thanks guys! Glad you like. It is just a bit of fun as I say like Brain Training. Try it every day. You never know what you might come up with
The Gift: Trick of the Year 2017
My YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/themagicinventor |
CesaralM Loyal user 275 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-03-28 22:01, Bob_Hummer wrote: This is also a good source of inspiration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkGeOWYOFoA Beauty is everywhere...find it! Cesar ALonso (Cesaral Magic) |
MField2000 Special user Hastings, East Sussex, England 590 Posts |
Tip of the hat to Fitzkee's "The Trick Brain" Angelo, yes?
Matt Field |
Angelo Carbone V.I.P. 1475 Posts |
I have never read The Trick Brain. Bad I know. Tip of the hat???
Angelo
The Gift: Trick of the Year 2017
My YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/themagicinventor |
MField2000 Special user Hastings, East Sussex, England 590 Posts |
"Tip of the hat" = "with thanks to".
Check it out in The Magic Circle Library on Monday. Matt |
wandmgc8 Regular user Tennessee 140 Posts |
Yes, it reminded me also of a good method of devising effects and methods from Fitzkee's "The Trick Brain". Looks like great brains still thin alike! Very good to be reminded of this, and, seems more of a fun way of doing it...a "drawing" as it were.
Michael |
Angelo Carbone V.I.P. 1475 Posts |
Ah looks like I must read this book now. Thanks for the heads up.
The Gift: Trick of the Year 2017
My YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/themagicinventor |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The March 2012 entrée: Angelo Carbone » » A Creativity exercise for all of us to try » » TOPIC IS LOCKED (0 Likes) |
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