Back in the dim and distant past (or about 1995 for those with long memories) I planned to make a video with a modular approach to magic with a pen and a ball (and then a coin). Like so many of my projects, it never happened, and life went on. It's probably for the best, because then came Rune Klan and Rick Merrill, both of whom took giant leaps forward with the premise.

Now, I really don't have to finish the project, because Tom Crosbie has pretty much done it for me. The Marvellous Pencyclopedia is a DVD covering many different moves with a Sharpie pen (although, obviously, all of the moves are transferable to most types of pen, or even a very short chopstick. Or, with some practice, spaghetti). The bulk of the moves are based on Flip's Stick - most magi will be familiar with this, which will make it a bunch easier to learn the moves.

There are the normal vanishes and productions, some very visual changes and some very pretty moves with a coin and your knee (honestly). Probably not everything for someone, but something for everyone - if that makes sense...

The teaching is the increasingly popular 'text on a picture' method; I'm not a fan of this, but I recognise that this is a personal thing, and the teaching is very clear for this style. At no point did I have to reverse the video, or pause to understand something.

At the end of the tape is a conversation with Matt Wright about pen flourishes, which serves as a good place for credits and acknowledgements. At the end, ostensibly as a bonus, Matt teaches his routine. It's obvious that he gets a lot of good reactions from it, and some people may find a use, but it's not something that I'd ever do (and that's from someone who nearly got binned from a restaurant gig for doing blockhead at the tables...)

I'm fairly sure that it will be available from the usual suspects; I bought my copy direct from Tom (and yes, I paid for it...)

All in all, I think this is a very worthwhile effort. Almost every working magician carries a Sharpie or similar with them to gigs; now you can have a few things to do with it.