Despite what you may think, magicians are really nothing like Arrested Development’s Gob Bluth. They don’t insist you use the word “illusion” instead of “trick.” They don’t really like “The Final Countdown” that much. They take their art very seriously…except for when they don’t. Hakan Berg‘s “King of Birds” act, shown here from an appearance on …

Kickstarter Cards with Carter is our daily column about playing card Kickstarter campaigns. Remember, Kickstarter pledges are not pre-orders and results are not guaranteed. Today’s Kickstarter Cards with Carter features fine art, teeny tiny bits of waterproof plastic, and a deck I’m told is, “built in an esoteric realm full of mysteries.” Which is Belgium, …

Dutch magician Hans Klok has come up with a clever spin on some classic tricks by cramming as magic as possible into five minutes. He bills himself as “The World’s Fastest Illusionist,” and though some of his theatrics are eyeroll-worthy (the lion roar, stop, just stop), you have to respect the well-oiled machine that pulled …

It appears bidding was fierce at this year’s Potter & Potter Magic Memorabilia Auction if the prices fetched by two Houdini-related lots are anything to go by.  Note: All of the following figures include the action house’s 20% buyer’s premium.  A two-volume scrapbook on spiritualism kept by Harry Houdini himself was expected to sell for between …

Las Vegas is a hotspot for live entertainment and magicians, but it’s also the home of the Consumer Electronics Show. CES shows up at the Las Vegas Convention Center every year in January to host the likes of Samsung, Sony, and more as they show off the latest televisions and strange gadgets for the 21st …

When a magician gives a presentation at TED or its independently-organized offshoot TEDx, they usually incorporate tricks as a way to segue into an unrelated inspirational or philosophical message. Scottish illusionist Elliot Bibby drops the pretense from his TEDx talk at Edinburgh Napier University in April 2017, and focuses strictly on magic and what it …

Words like “fake” and “fakery” are reactionary words to magicians. The former word, whether it’s used as a noun or a verb, is warming to deceptionists of every stripe. How alluring are decks of cards called Fako-o? Don’t we love to “fake out” spectators? Don’t we routinely simulate, pretend, and dissimulate? Don’t we conceal and …

Like all great art forms, magic’s foundation is based on an array of basic skills that are a great starting point for anyone looking to learn the craft. In this video, Matt Wayne (whose site no longer seems active) demonstrates two different ways to palm a coin, a building block of countless tricks. Of course, you …

Remember how the idea for those beautiful Pink Madison Rounders playing cards we covered earlier in the month came from a photoshopped image made for April Fools’ Day? No? Well the idea came from a photoshopped image made for April Fools’ Day. Ellusionist is celebrating that moment of creative inspiration by encouraging even more photo-editing tomfoolery.  The magic …

Magic has an incredible power to delight and amaze audiences. A recent showcase event in the UK hopes that magic can also transform in both mental and physical ways. Healthy Horizons is a UK-based effort to assist military veterans. One of its campaigns includes a pop-up space where different arts and performance professionals lead sessions …