Custom cards in mentalism?

[PepsiTwist]

I'll start us off then!
What do people think of custom cards in mentalism?
Whether it's the latest Ellusionist decks or a cool Babylon 5 one you got off eBay, or spooky themed ones with skulls or pentagrams or whatever looks mentalist-y, do they still invite audiences to think they're trick decks, or does it just show that you like playing cards, or does it add some kind of atmosphere?
(I know it's about props really instead of mentalism techniques but of course all the little details are what makes mentalism!)

[thehypnotainer]

I do wonder about using cards in Mentalism.

[Craig]

I think playing cards can be an invaluable tool for a mentalist. However, like any other tool you may be using (i.e. billets, notepads, etc) you don't want to draw attention to them. If the deck looks odd, but its appearance has a purpose (your example of skull decks perhaps for more bizarre mental effects or for a Halloween show) then you should be fine.

That said, this could be much ado about the nothing. Spectators probably don't think about these things as much as we do. If you don't think the card designs are important, the spectators will likely follow suit (pun intended).

[E.E.]

Personally I don't use PLAYING cards in mentalism. People have been trained to think of "trick" when they see a performer using playing cards.

I don't see a problem when using other type of cards such as Zener or Tarot or any other custumized cards. As long as they're certainly not playing cards.


It doesn't matter how much you dress it up (Using playing cards with a Casino theme) people will think of trick.

Just my thoughts,
Ever

[Craig]

Honestly, I believe a laymen's first thought with a pack of cards is introduced is poker or card games. We think tricks because of our background in legerdemain. I could be wrong, but with the likes of Max Maven, Richard Osterlind, and Bob Cassidy all using playing cards in their repertoire, its safe to assume that it can be done; so long as the effects are consistent with ones character.

[E.E.]

May 3, 2016 10:05:01 GMT -5 Craig said:

so long as the effects are consistent with ones character.

I couldn't have said it better, Craig. If your character is a conman, or a very intelligent person that uses his intelligence to make money in casinos, or something like that, the use of playing cards then is justified.
But if you present as a magician, and you take out a pack of playing cards... I THINK, people will always think of trick.

But you are right, Max Maven, Richard Osterlind and Bob Cassidy approves it's use.

But then again, there are some other big names that don't. Such as Marc Salem, or Banachek.



Best,
Ever

[murshid]

May 3, 2016 10:11:10 GMT -5 E.E. said:

But you are right, Max Maven, Richard Osterlind and Bob Cassidy approves it's use.

But then again, there are some other big names that don't. Such as Marc Salem, or Banachek.

I think that has more to do with individual styles and preferences than anything about playing cards.

[tom]

It is the performer that the audience accepts (or does not). If the audience accepts the performer, it doesn't matter what tools he or she uses to mystifying and entertain.

[Ben Blau]

To me, it doesn't matter if an audience associates playing cards with card tricks. Even if I say, "Would you like to see a card trick?", I don't think it diminishes the effect at all. Some of the strongest and most realistic mentalism I've ever seen is done with playing cards. If the effect is sufficiently miraculous (can you modify "miraculous"?), and your performance strong enough, an audience will experience the true power of mentalism PRECISELY because of its contrast to any magic tricks they might have seen.

[Roy McBrayer]

Stuart Palm has an interesting playing card deck for mystery performers or mentalists.

[stefanalexxis]

Playing cards are certainly workable in mentalism, but the effects and presentations require far more care than playing cards in magic. The effects must truly look as if they're done with the mind and not the fingers, and they need to be used sparingly. Do one to three carefully selected and themed effects and it looks like mentalism. Do a bunch and it looks like card tricks. Even Max Maven has fallen victim to that principle.

However, you were asking about CUSTOM card decks, and that's another kettle of fish. In that case, I suspect that it's usually (there are always exceptions) critical that the deck NOT look like playing cards. The previously mentioned Zenner decks and Tarot decks are fine. A deck of special images is fine, but the less it seems like "a deck of cards" rather than something more neutral like "a bunch of index cards with pictures on them," the better. Even if your effect involves classic card techniques. I'd have no qualms about doing an effect with commercially available children's flash cards, f'rinstance. And perhaps you could come up with something brilliant using cards depicting 30 different constellations. But if you're having the later manufactuired, DON'T have them made with bicycle backs. Then it looks like a trick deck. The same goes for standard playing cards with novelty backs.

[dwm]

I am a firm believer that one's props should not limit what they can do. I believe the props one uses are secondary in any performance of mentalism or magic. Sure, nice props or custom cards in this case, can enhance a performance, but the props should not be the star of the performance. In my mind, the presentation is everything and that's where the real mystery and effect comes from.