Nowadays there are many options when it comes to learning magic. You can buy different products from different magic retailers. There are thousands of great magic creators, releasing effects for all tastes. From self-working to advanced, for street magic, for stage… The combinations are endless it is a world for you to discover.
We do advise that when starting out you keep it simple. You should get the foundations because even if you chose material (which is hard to do even for a proficient magician) later you will find you lack knowledge. The foundations will provide with the tools to advance your magic education in the fastest and most efficient way.
The tasks becomes a little bit easier because there are a few (almost) undisputed choices.
There is a wide variety of objects that you can use to perform magic on a number of venues such as street, parlour, table and stage. In an attempt to simplify what is rather complex we have divided the subjects in a few of the most common categories there are. These are in no way the only categories that exist but simply a few of the best for someone starting out. We have divided in card magic, coin magic, mentalism and “general magic”.
Card Magic is the probably the most popular and will serve the purpose if you want something practical, that you can keep in your pocket at all times and start performing very soon. There is material for you to start performing tomorrow but in 10 years you will still feel you have barely scratched the surface.
Coin Magic is also very practical and there is a lot of very good material teaching it. It might take a little bit to get the basics down but you will be performing amazing visual magic after some work.
Mentalism requires some knowledge and practice and is a little bit rarer than coin and card magic. Many times it requires nothing but your brain while others you will use ingenious gimmicks. it is very powerful when performed correctly.
“General Magic” includes magic a wide range of effects and will make you a very versatile magician. You will many times be able to perform with regular and even borrowed objects.
There are many more branches besides this few, ranging from ring magic to dove magic. These four are only an example and great place to start. The How to Learn section applies to any of the area’s. We will try to bring you articles on different kinds of magic and how to start learning them.
There are also many ways to approach magic, regarding how you connect to the audience. Are you funny? More theatrical? Serious? Only you can define what kind of performer you will be and it will be a journey of self discovery as you learn and perform more. Try to be original, your persona as a magician doesn’t have to be the same as you are as a person (but it can also be). Watch many performances from different artists, pick bit from here, bit from there. Discovering yourself is a never ending road.
We recommend that you pick up a few books or DVD’s on magic theory. If you want to further developed this side this will help you better understand why some effects work, why some don’t and how you should create original magic. Drama or books on self-presentation presentation are also very useful since your development as a person or artist is always to the benefit of your art.
With time you will understand how to amplify the effect of everything you perform.