From Phill Smith:

::THE DECK::

Sometimes when you are working on a creative project you will hit a mental block – betrayed by your brain you end up staring a blank page or empty screen thinking… now what?!

Time for a Creative Solution. Shuffle the deck, take out a card and instantly you have a new approach to try out, a new angle to attack the problem from – the Creative Solutions deck is a sledgehammer that lets you smash through creative block like it was, I dunno, Ryvita? Something you can smash pretty easily anyway…

OK, I’m going to level with you...The creative solutions deck is an intersection of my passions. I am a designer by day and by night… a magician. And the Creative Solutions deck is a bit of both. Let me explain:

I love card magic – a deck of normal playing cards is compact and easy to understand but it contains thousands of powerful jaw dropping effects. When I perform though usually it is as a mind reader, and in that context a deck of cards has got too much baggage. When I read an audience member’s mind I want them just to be amazed. I don’t want them to think ‘hey cool magic trick!’, but sometimes that’s what a deck of cards communicates to them. I wanted a way to experiment with performing some of the brilliant card routines I have learnt and give them a context that steps away from the ‘magic’ associations of a normal deck of playing cards.

That’s why I came up with this: the Creative Solutions deck. Masquerading as a deck bought at a design store for creative problem solving, each card has a simple aphorism on the face of it in clear black text. Highlighted in a large bold font on each card is a single word – each word is a powerful archetype that will resonate with punters. Love. War. Violence. Sex. To an audience it is a legitimate product, easy to understand and innocent. There is a little more going on than meets the eye however…

The Secrets
Each deck contains two identical sets of 26 cards, with key words on the cards permitting an alphabet stack twice through. (I include details of a pangram stack to further hide this secret order should you choose to use it.) So straight away you can perform a whole load of tricks using this hidden feature… maybe that’s not enough though. So I designed in a unique marking system that easily lets you see from the back of any card what is on the front. It works in a dark club, it works from across the room, it works with a quick peek, it is very powerful and unique to this deck.

If you don’t know it’s there, the marking system is invisible.
If you do know it’s there and what it is, it is super clear and easy to read.

The deck is printed on poker sized airflow stock by Ivory Graphics in the UK. It handles nicely and will feel instantly familiar in your hands. The stock is professional in look, feel and finish and it is robust and supports even the most inappropriate flourishes. The deck consists of 52 standard cards, 2 double backers and a single blank faced card. The box is heavyweight card stock, process printed and designed to support the Creative Solutions disguise. The box back also has a simple crib to help you out whilst you are still learning the deck and stack. Every deck comes with a sheet explaining how to use the deck and the unique marking system.

For Magicians:
Looking to experiment with some mental effects without starting from scratch? Thinking about how to choke the maximum impact from some of the card tricks you already know?

If you are like me you already know millions of card tricks, and you have probably got a half dozen that you keep ready to roll. I love cards, but don’t you sometimes dream of something else? Don’t worry! You don’t have to start from scratch, and you don’t have to grow a pointy beard just to try out mentalism. I made the Creative Solutions deck just for you.

For Mentalists:
Looking to add something high impact, flexible and super-commercial to your walk around set? Thinking of adding something that packs small and plays HUGE to your cabaret act?

The Creative Solutions deck is a worker’s dream – the effects it permits are pure mentalism, and you get to use all of the awesome principles of card magic but without the trappings of conjuring. The Creative Solutions deck is an innocent looking and practical prop and it will make audiences say “Wow!” again and again. I made the Creative Solutions deck just for you.

::The eBook::

The supporting ebook for the Creative Solutions deck, 90+ pages filled with great ideas on bringing the deck to life and putting it to work. My approach to introducing the deck to spectators, using it in different contexts, and creating powerful effects with its array of unique features.

Here’s exactly what you’ll find between its virtual covers:

Instructions
Expansion and variations of the 3 effects included in the instructions that come with the deck.

Coinkidink
You reproduce the illusion of mind reading by creating a jaw-dropping coincidence. This hands-off effect will sink even people who know the secrets of the deck.

Many Tinkle
My guide to using a different setup for the deck to create something really weird.

Office space
an informal piece that can pop blocked coworkers out of their creative block.

Before and After
my thinking on using the Creative Solutions deck for p**-s**w – you know what I mean.

CCCCOMBO
Using the Creative Solutions deck as *part* of a larger performance piece.

Concept deck
The original Concept Deck effects from Mokele, updated, upgraded and rebuilt to take into account the unique features of the Creative Solutions deck. (The full original Concept Deck text from Mokele is included for context)

There you go, the ebook is available as an unlocked pdf for you to download and enjoy on any device you desire. Enjoy!

A crash course in using the Creative Solutions Deck to its full potential, this 90 page pdf ebook contains 10 great effects, as well as essays dissecting the deck and explaining how to use it to create genuine brain breaking miracles.