Updated Articles and Resources

By Wayne Kawamoto, About.com Guide since 2005

How to Make a Dog Balloon Animal Created: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 19, 2013
Here's how to twist a dog animal balloon. The dog balloon is a fundamental sculpture in the art of balloon twisting and balloon animals. Many animals balloons such as the deer and giraffe are varia...
Easy Trick: Teleporting Cards Created: Monday, February 27, 2006 Updated: Tuesday, May 14, 2013
An effect in our library of easy tricks: "Simple Monte 2" is a "gotcha" effect. You show a spectator some cards and remove one, and the spectator tries to guess what's left and is always wrong. Thi...
Review of The Cardwarp Tour by Jeff Pierce Created: Wednesday, May 08, 2013 Updated: Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Jeff Pierce's "The Cardwarp Tour" offers a comprehensive look at the Roy Walton classic. In the book you'll find themes and patter, variations, gimmicked versions and more. If you'd like to improve...
Interview with Joe Tyler Gold and Tammy Caplan of "Desperate Acts of Magic" Created: Thursday, May 09, 2013 Updated: Thursday, May 09, 2013
Joe Tyler Gold and Tammy Caplan, co-producers of "Desperate Acts of Magic," recently took time out to talk with Magic.About.com about making a movie about magic. What was their inspiration? What we...
Review of Desperate Acts of Magic Created: Thursday, May 02, 2013 Updated: Thursday, May 09, 2013
"Desperate Acts of Magic" is a romantic comedy that's set in the world of magicians and magic conventions. It's not a great movie, but it's an honest effort to showcase magic in a movie.
How to Make Balloon Animals Created: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
On this page, you'll learn how to twist a variety of animal balloons.
How to Make Balloon Swords Created: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Want to learn how to make a balloon sword? Here are a collection of balloon swords that you can make. And we teach all of the techniques that you'll need to know.
How to Make a Super Sword Balloon Created: Wednesday, May 08, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Here's a big, colorful balloon sword that the kids will go crazy over. Being made of two balloons, it features vivid colors (depending on the balloons that you choose to use), and a hefty feel. It'...
Review of Packs Small Plays Massive by Jamie Allen - Vol 1 Created: Wednesday, April 10, 2013 Updated: Thursday, May 02, 2013
As the title implies, Jamie Allen's "Packs Small Plays Massive" offers advice on performing magic for large audiences, including close-up effects that are projected onto a screen. It's a thorough t...
Review of Packs Small Plays Massive Vol. 2 by Jamie Allen Created: Wednesday, May 01, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 01, 2013
In Vol. 2, Jamie Allen continues his instruction on using projectors to perform close-up effects on stage. This is the second volume in a two-disc set.
Review of Inscrutable by Joseph Barry Created: Thursday, April 11, 2013 Updated: Thursday, April 11, 2013
It's fun to encounter card magic that is as different as it is bewildering. "Inscrutable," by Joseph Barry, features material that will fry laymen as well as magicians.
Magicians Penn and Teller Created: Saturday, November 25, 2006 Updated: Monday, April 08, 2013
Penn & Teller are among the most successful magicians in show business. Once known as the "bad boys of magic," the pair is probably best known for exposing magic secrets. But Penn & Teller (P&T) al...
Profile of Steve Cohen, "Millionaires' Magician" Created: Sunday, August 22, 2010 Updated: Thursday, April 04, 2013
Steve Cohen, "the Millionaires' Magician," regularly presents his critically acclaimed evening of magic and mind reading at New York’s exclusive Waldorf Towers. In his show, "Chamber Magic," ...
Interview with Wes Iseli: "Charitable Magician" Created: Thursday, April 04, 2013 Updated: Thursday, April 04, 2013
Wes Iseli is a Virginia-based magician who often performs for charitable causes. In this interview, Iseli talks about his "24 Hours of Magic" project and more.
Case to Playing Cards and Cards to Case - Freedom Deck and Mash Pack Created: Monday, January 03, 2011 Updated: Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Magicians have long enjoyed bringing out a deck of playing cards and after applying a short shuffle, immediately showing that the cards are actually still in their box. And a logical variation woul...
Tales From the Tables: The Worn Out Cup Created: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 Updated: Monday, March 25, 2013
Some years back, I came up with the way to use a restaurant's own "to-go" cups in a trick at my regular gigs. I never thought that the cup would almost be thrown away because it looked too innocent...
Review of "A Taste of Chaos" by Loki Kross Created: Friday, March 22, 2013 Updated: Friday, March 22, 2013
"A Taste of Chaos" by Loki Kross offers instructions on two torn and restored playing card routines. The first is a traditional one where the card is torn into quarters and restored, piece by piece...
Commentary: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone Created: Saturday, March 16, 2013 Updated: Tuesday, March 19, 2013
"The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" which stars Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Jim Carrey, and Olivia Wilde, offers a parody of the Las Vegas magic scene. Is it good for magic? Will it change or reinfo...
Magician Criss Angel Created: Monday, November 06, 2006 Updated: Saturday, March 16, 2013
Criss Angel is best known as the creator and star of "Criss Angel Mindfreak," a television series on A&E, which has attracted a youthful audience and A&E's largest ratings ever. Angel is also the s...
Review of Variance by Kevin Schaller Created: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 Updated: Tuesday, March 05, 2013
More of a collection of gimmicks than involving routines, Variance offers some clever ideas. You may find something to incorporate in your own routines.
Interview with David Minkin, "Magic Outlaw" Created: Friday, March 01, 2013 Updated: Friday, March 01, 2013
David Minkin, along with Chris Korn and Ben Seidman, are starring in a new magic series called "Magic Outlaws" that will air on the Travel Channel. Minkin took time out from his busy schedule to ta...
Review of "The Art of Presenting Magic to Children" by Danny Orleans Created: Friday, March 01, 2013 Updated: Friday, March 01, 2013
Noted performer Danny Orleans
Review of Pinky Swear by Doug Conn Created: Monday, February 25, 2013 Updated: Monday, February 25, 2013
A great instructional DVD and it teaches the useful "pinky count," "Pinky Swear" by Doug Conn is excellent. And for $15, you'll not only master the "pinky count," you can learn and perform some fir...
Review of Dusheck's Diminishing Cards by Steve Dusheck Created: Monday, February 25, 2013 Updated: Monday, February 25, 2013
Dusheck's Diminishing Cards offers a three-phase diminishing fan of cards effect. The gimmick is well made and will work with lots of poker-sized decks. The overall effect is visual and convincing.
Review of Urban Underground by J.C Sum Created: Monday, February 25, 2013 Updated: Monday, February 25, 2013
Urban Underground teaches J C Sum's entire 30-minute formal close-up show. The act is varied, baffling and entertaining but relies on lots of hardware that will probably require a significant finan...
Online Magic Tricks: The Love Compatibility Test Created: Sunday, January 13, 2008 Updated: Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Just for Valentine's day or any romantic endeavor. Here's a fun "love compatibility test." Actually, it's completely rigged. No matter which number your interested party chooses, and it is a free c...
Review of DVS by Mark Calabrese Created: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 Updated: Tuesday, February 12, 2013
"DVS" (say it a few times and you'll get the play on words) offers a system for marking cards in a manner that you can later identify a freely chosen card by feel. In fact, you can even be blindfol...
Review of More iCandy Volume 2 by Lee Smith and Gary Jones Created: Sunday, February 03, 2013 Updated: Sunday, February 03, 2013
"More iCandy Volume 2" follows on the heels of "More iCandy Volume 1." Unlike it's predecessor, Volume 2 lacks the commercial and professional material but teaches a cool color-changing water effect.
More iCandy Volume 1 by Lee Smith and Gary Jones Created: Sunday, February 03, 2013 Updated: Sunday, February 03, 2013
Here's a team effort that results in a great instructional DVD. With routines by Lee Smith, Gary Jones, and James Brown, "More iCandy Volume 1" offers some intriguing new ideas and teaches strong v...
Review of Let's Go Dutch by Fritz Alkemade Created: Saturday, February 02, 2013 Updated: Saturday, February 02, 2013
This was a pleasant surprise. I had never before heard of Amsterdam-based Fritz Alkemade, but his "Let's Go Dutch" DVD is filled with first rate card magic. This one is definitely worth the look.
Review of Salt and Silver by Giovanni Livera Created: Friday, February 01, 2013 Updated: Friday, February 01, 2013
With this DVD, Giovanni Livera teaches his "Salt and Silver" routine. Here, silver dollars vanish, appear from nowhere and salt, move to the top of and underneath a salt shaker that's resting on th...
Magic Tricks for Kids: The Rubber Pencil Created: Sunday, August 10, 2008 Updated: Thursday, January 31, 2013
Here's a super easy magic trick for kids that's really an optical illusion. You wave a normal pencil and it appears to bend, just as if it were made of rubber.

Magic & Illusion