OK, So I Cheated a Little

The one-book version of my
Learn Magic instant author kit
in black and white with a color cover
which also includes 9 extra color covers.

I developed an instant author kit, called Learn Magic, which I sell to other magicians. It's a pre-written instruction book for young magicians that has blank sections on each of the 44 pages and cover.

When purchased, the buyer has full re-sale rights which means they can add their name and contact info to the pages and cover, then print them and sell them as their own magic book. Of course, they can't sell them as an instant author kit, just as a buyer of a clip art collection can't turn around and sell that collection as clip art.

These are popular to sell after shows, as a BORS item. BORS - Back Of Room sales. Many magicians often double their fees by setting up a "souvenir stand" and selling items after the shows. This is a good way to make money from clients looking for a free show to be donated. Agree to do the show but only if you can sell stuff afterward.

When I originally designed this book, I used color photos. This took a lot of time, and I learned a lot about photography in the process. So far so good. The hands you see in the photographs are mine, since they were readily available and I knew the tricks I was teaching.

My friend Ken Scott (one of the best children's entertainers in the country) bought a copy of Learn Magic and had great success selling them after his shows. One day at a convention, I think KIDabra, he related a funny story where a child, having just bought a copy, asked Ken why his arms weren't hairy like the pictures in the book. Funny, but it got me to thinking... The kid's got a point. If a magician wants to sell this book as their own, color photos of my hands and arms won't always match theirs. The magician may be a woman, or African American, or non-hairy. I had a problem...




I decided to convert all the photos to line drawings. I first contacted various illustrators, and got quotes. It quickly turned out that I would not be able to afford it considering the large number of photos that needed converting. So, I took on the job myself. However, I'm not that skilled at illustration, especially hands.

Then I realized, I don't have to draw the hands, I can cheat a little. I just have to trace them. Perfect! I opened the image in Photoshop, added an empty layer above it, then using the graphics tablet my wife bought me (thanks honey) I traced each photo. Whatever prop I was holding did not need to be traced, so I left it alone. A bit more digital wizardry, change to black and white, and viola! An accurate line drawing!

Turns out the black and white version of my books have become more popular than the color ones. Cool!

If you'd like to purchase a set, they are available as instant downloads on my website www.MisterGreggy.com/shopping. There are three different versions, to fit any budget.