I have wide hands, long skinny fingers, and really bad windows. If I close my windows then my hands looks like a rats paw after it ate strychnine. It looks really unnatural. Is there any way to fatten up your fingers. Exercise wont do it because Ive played guitar for over 14 yrs, I used to draw so my hands always stayed busy.

If you were to tilt your hands, the windows become less noticeable.

It the angle of four fingers is perpindicular to the sight-line, the viewer can see through the windows but when you tilt your fingers at 10 degrees then the flesh of one finger covers the opening, either above that finger or below that finger, depending on weather you are tilted forward or backward.

I can only imagine that fattening your fingers would also fatten every other part of your body. Weight gain and high blood pressure both do this... from personal experience, I would not recommend either.

It sounds like genetics have dealt you this hand (all puns intended). No doubt that others have face the same problem. Maybe someone else can advise from their own experience.

I will assume that you are concerned about card manipulation, as that is the most likely need for closed windows. Have you considered another route? You might try using one BA card that will be closest to your hand. If you work in front of an appropriate backdrop, that may be all you'd need to render the entire stack of cards invisible.

Well I cant palm cards cause the windows are too big, it affects my coin magic when I use my silver morgans cause the silvers shines bright right through em so I have to squeeze my knuckle together really hard which makes my hands look unnatural. My left hand has a more natural look because my fingers on left hand is a bit fatter. This affect my some card tricks, a lot of coin tricks, and now I'm getting hell practicing cups and balls. I have been practicing the same sleight for the past week and I just got to a point to get it where my windows don't destroy it but my hands looking so uncomfortable gives a impression, they sometimes give me away when I preform routines I do really well

Try using manipulation cards with a skin color back on them. And try bridge size. Lance Burton's cards or norm Nielsen would work
-Elliott

Sounds like mymagician is talking about close-up magic. This is the stage section, but I had a magician friend with the same problem. The only think I can suggest is to make or buy the 3 sided close-up mirror when you practice. What your hands in the mirror and you will get a better view of what the spectators may see.

Just get 3 pieces of mirror and tape them together, then angle the two sides. They use to sell a close-up practice mirror, don't know if they are still available or not.

See how this person made his mirror setup.

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=41

If you tilt your hand. that will solve the problem as best as possible.

Cardini also had long skinny fingers and bad windows. He also wished he had heavier fingers but somehow managed fine with what he had.

Try david roths palming ... he fist

Just to go back to the part of the question about making the fingers fatter, Mr. Baker makes a good point. If you start gaining weight to try to get the fingers fatter, there's no telling where that fat is going to accumulate. You could wind up with a big gut, or flabby arms, or a few extra chins... and the same finger size. One thing's for sure, you'll have worse health.

I cracked my knuckles a lot as a kid which I believe contributes to my windows. When using finger palm, try staggering the fingers instead of trying to squeeze them tightly together. Put up a mirror like Bill suggested, place, say, a morgan into fingerpalm. Shine a desk lamp with directional light at your hand. Catch sight of the flash through the window.

Let's say you have a window between the index finger and middle finger. Stagger the middle finger -- extend it a milimeter or so closer to the audience or closer to you. Etc. Do the same with any and all other fingers if need be. Keep staggering the fingers until you close the windows and the hand looks as natural as posible. Practice getting into that position over and over and over and it will start to feel normal to you.

I hope this helps. Windows are no fun.

Are you concerned about "windows" when doing a classic palm (e.g. for card in the wallet) or the b*ckp*lm (for card fan productions)?
In the case of the former, the misdirection should be such that the audience isn't even looking at the hands. In the case if the latter, the windows would be no more a problem than the corners of the cards, in which case keeping the hand in motion should solve the problem.

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez

I agree with Anatole. Magicians worry about windows and small hands until they start doing tricks that need palming. I stopped worrying about those things after I started performing the cups and balls. After dealing with lemons cards seem tiny.

My friend who had very severe windows dropped sleights and went into comedy magic. He was good!

I just never hand the heart to tell him I see the card through his fingers.