| When a magician is constructing a magic performance | | | | previously shown empty. |
| routine, what can he do besides searching magic | | | | Again, the magician apparently might catch something |
| books, shops and videos? The ultimate method of | | | | on the end of some object he may be holding, such |
| adding the desired effect is to decide what to use | | | | as a wand, a fish line, or a net. A particularly |
| and to invent a method of accomplishing it. This, of | | | | impressive appearance is that during which an object |
| course, occurs seldom. It is a tiresome, tedious, | | | | or a person seems to materialize gradually from thin |
| arduous mental process. And most magicians do not | | | | air, becoming first a nebulous outline which slowly |
| care for mental processes, even those of minor | | | | takes on more and more opaque substance. Close to |
| difficulty. | | | | this type of production is the one where a nucleus is |
| This type of invention is largely hit or miss. It relies to | | | | seen to develop into the object finally produced. |
| a great extent upon luck and inspiration. But if this | | | | Right at the start, in discussing appearances let it be |
| inventor had ever tried marshaling all of the possible | | | | clearly realized that no magician can create anything. |
| methods, his difficulties would have been simplified | | | | Therefore, the subject of the eventual production |
| considerably. Really, there are not many basic ways | | | | must be hidden somewhere. The problem, then, |
| of accomplishing a magical appearance. | | | | becomes one of arranging a suitable hiding place and |
| Generally, a production, or an appearance, is an | | | | devising a method of getting the subject from that |
| effect in which the aspect to the spectator is the | | | | place of concealment to the place of production in |
| materialization of something or someone. This | | | | such a manner that the subject will seem to be |
| appearance may be either gradual or instantaneous. It | | | | produced magically. It is a matter of concealing the |
| may take place out in the open, uncovered, or back | | | | subject in a hiding place incorporated in the place of |
| of, or within or beneath something. It is essential, of | | | | production, or concealing its acquirement and |
| course that the effect be accomplished without | | | | conveyance from a more or less removed place of |
| apparent reasonable physical causation. As it appears | | | | concealment. Practically all of these productions are |
| to the spectator, the performer may just be | | | | accomplished through one or a combination or a |
| standing in sight and suddenly he may be seen | | | | variation of a comparative few basic principles. The |
| holding something, something which was not visible a | | | | most elemental of all production methods comes to |
| moment before. Or an object may become visible at | | | | mind instantly. Concealed within the clothing worn by |
| a place removed from the magician. Or the | | | | the performer is the object to be produced. |
| entertainer may take something from a place | | | | |
