Beginner's Guide to Mentalism (Part - 2 end)

Nail Writer/Swami/Pocket Writing

At this point you should decide whether you want to work with nail writers or pocket writing.  The choice is largely a matter of personal taste.  Though I will say that pocket writing should be attempted only when you plan to regularly wear outfits that have roomy enough pockets.  Slacks, hoodies, sport jackets, that sort of thing are all better suited to pocket writing than your jeans.  If you wear dressy and casual about as often, dabble in both and see which one works better for you.

An Actor Prepares

This was the original text codifying the craft of acting in the modern era and to this day it is still one of the fundamentals.  I've heard a lot of magicians and mentalists alike recite that Robert-Houdin quote about all magicians being actors.  It's like a reflex to them, they've got the syllables down to muscle memory.  But surprisingly few of them know how to act.  Don't make the same mistake.  You've got your material, your performance theory, your utilities, now learn how to really sell it to an audience.

Okay, we have these essential fundamentals, but there are different branches of mentalism based on the nature of effects.  The following items are all optional based on specializations.

Psychokinetic Silverware/PSI Series

When it comes to PK effects, it's hard to do better than Banachek.  These DVDs will give you the essential work on metal bending.  There are a lot of good books and DVDs on the subject now of course, but this remains the best place to start bar none.

Peek Wallet

If you're going to work on mind reading, having one of these is essential.  Many would recommend the Sight Unseen Case, but this has sadly been discontinued.  I made my own peek wallet using the SUC principle and it works very well.  Barring that however, the peek wallets from Outlaw Effects are high quality and effective.

Invisible Elastic Thread/Loops and the Loops Trilogy and The Cloak

Yigal Mesika's invisible elastic thread is incredible as a resource, but tying your own loops is a pain.  You can purchase loops pre-tied, so if you question your own fine dexterity and don't want to spend the time learning to handle the finicky material, it's a good way to go.  Thread and loops both are excellent PK utilities with a huge number of effects and applications.  Justin Miller's Cloak is a great thread setup and the Ellusionist Loops trilogy provides plenty of effects and inspirations.

Quick and Effective Cold Reading

I'm just going to come out and say it.  You will be hard pressed to find a better teacher for cold reading than Richard Webster.  There are other great books on the subject by such giants as Herb Dewie and Bob Cassidy, but Richard is an indisputable master.  If you're not comfortable making the transition into cold reading just yet, instead pick up Richard's Cold Reading for the Magician booklet first to give you a primer into the basic concepts of cold reading.

So there you have it.  A straightforward beginner's guide to starting your education in mentalism.  Among the vast ocean of books, DVDs and gimmicks available, I hope this simplifies things and gives you a stable jumping point.  Truthfully, the material here is enough to last you for a long time to come. 

Thanks for Read : Beginner's Guide to Mentalism (Part - 2 end)