Sleight of hand

[johntheplamf]

How does this work?, Bought a dvd on the subject, but just can't get my big sausage fingers to do what they are meant to?

[captainhaz]

Years of practice.

[magicbeatle]

Size of hands have no bearing on sleight of hand ability. It depends on what you want to learn. If your into cards, the best options are either 'The royal road to card magic' as a single work on the subject for about �13.00 or the more expensive 'Card College' 5 vol set. (about �30.00 each) Then there is the 'Encyclopedia of card slieghts' 8 Dvd/Video set. All of these are excellent works, and it depends on your preference. If your into coin magic, i would recommend the 'David Stone 2 DVD/Video set.  A copy of J.B. Bobo's excellent book 'Modern Coin Magic' is also worthwhile, although i would go with the video's personally. If you are into other type of sleight of hand try anything by Jeff Mcbride (one of the best sleight of hand artists in the world). If you are just getting into magic my best recommendation is 'Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic'. This is an excellent  A4 size book with nearly 500 pages and over 300 tricks that gives you a good solid grounding in the basic principles of Magic. It covers loads of stuff including Cards, Coins, Mentalism, Cups and Balls, ropes, Sponge Balls and lots more. This is how i and many others started. Also, it is very inexpensive (www.play.com sell it for �11.49) The only drawback is that with so many tricks you are tempted to rush through it in an attemt to learn it all and therefore call yourself a magician. Once you start this very bad habit it is very hard to get rid off (it took me six years). Much better to go to a magic shop, buy a couple of really good tricks you like the look off (you can watch them being performed) and perfect them at home (Make up your own patter), go out in the world and gain confidence and power through performance. Once you have learned to discipline yourself like this, then a book like Mark Wilson's will turn you into a very good amateur, with the right practice. Good Luck!