How to Create an Illusion

Creating an illusion to impress people is almost always about sleight-of-hand, unless you have the massive budget of a top magician to make or purchase special props such as the ‘saw-the-woman-in-half’ box. Illusions can range from making a coin ‘disappear’ to ‘unlocking’ two permanently linked metal rings.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Decide on the illusion you wish to create and gather the appropriate materials.
2. Start small at first, to build your confidence and improve your technique; no one levitates off the ground on their first try!
3. Learn as much as you can about the details of the illusion, through an appropriate book, website, or even a magic set sold in many toy and novelty shops.
4. Practice endlessly in front of a mirror, eventually finding a friend or family member you can practice the illusion on.
5. Once you’ve learned one good trick, you’ll find that others are picked up pretty easily. Many illusions employ the same types of prestidigitation (sleight of hand).
6. Impress your friends and loved ones!

Tips & Warnings

• Don’t get frustrated—any decent illusion will take months if not longer to truly be impressive.