i use my bird arm illusion as part of both stage and walk around gigs. on stage, i have the hand either holding a prop that the bird will use, (mirror, empty bag, etc) and during walk around, i set the hand to hold a lesh to the birds feet. this way i don't get asked to move the fingers (as much).
I have both a right and a left hand arm and will sometimes switch off during a show just to keep the audience guessing! I always use the opossite glove just to keep things a mystery. a bonus there is i can work woth both of the regular gloves when doing somthing like the magic drawing board before or after. it just keeps the audience guessing.
play with the arm. you will learn how to move it so that it looks and acts natural, that helps alot! i have even been able to manuver it,(with the fingers preset ofcourse) to reach over and pick up something! that really helps!
I found this idea posted by "njventguy" on a seprate post.
"Just a mention on how I do the bird arm illusion. After using the glove on my other arm for a while I thought it seemed out of place(no real reason to have it on). So this is what I do: I come out on stage with out the bird and no gloves on. I explain I'm going to bring out my friend the toucan and while I'm putting on the one glove I explain I need it because his claws are sharp. Then I go back stage and quickly take it off and put on the illusion and come back out with the bird on. I've gotten pretty fast at switching them. It gives an exuse for wearing the glove and then I don't need to wear the other one! It works for me anyway."
After long days of waiting, my Vinyl Vern and Bird Arm Illusion came TODAY! They are the most amazing puppets in the WORLD! (no exaderation) I can't wait to submit my video to the contest! Thanks, Ax, for creating a great puppet!
We will have another Axtell Puppet Video Contest in late August. I have not announced it yet officially but there is another thread in this group on it.
