Magic is considered to be either an art form or a form of entertainment by most, but both require skill and a good amount of flair to perform. As an art form, a magic performance requires skill and a lot of practice in order to get every trick done perfectly while still making the move smooth and enticing to viewers. Magic as a form of entertainment is a skill that cannot be practiced, and most magicians are either natural performers who are able to get through shows with ease, or they have to work very hard to keep crowds entertained. When magic is performed with practiced skill that is engaging for the crowd, everyone forgets about the magician and becomes focused on the magic.



At a young age children generally show an interest in magic and might even dabble in the performing art themselves with a basic magic kit. There are very few though that go on to make a career out of the act and continue to work as magicians. Some even consider the career path to be less serious than other forms of work, even though it requires dedication and the brains, marketing and business know how that goes into every other business venture. For this reason, there are very few magicians who have become widely recognised and have a reputation for great magic.

One of the most recognised magicians in history is Harry Houdini, who was largely responsible for putting magic on the map as a reputable trade and introduced the form of entertainment to massive crowds on a very public scale. Houdini even when so far as to open a magic theatre where he could put on regular shows to perform in front of large crowds. Since Houdini's time, there have been several magicians that have wowed crowds and gained widespread popularity, but none have made such a mark on history quite like the favourite magician and escape artist.

In recent years, magic has experienced growth as it has spread into popular culture and been cultivated as both a form of entertainment for adults as well as entertainment for children. The two types of magic greatly differ and magicians in both groups view the work they do very differently. While both see magic as an art form as well as a business, they have very different ideas of how it should be used. Magicians that perform acts for the benefit of children, stick very close to the basic principles of magic that have been used for centuries. Magicians who have performed for large crowds also use the basic principles of magic, but are able to use them to create new tricks that are daring and require a lot of work and clever manipulations to achieve.

The art of magic has been practiced for as long as people can remember, and it shows no signs of becoming a lost art form. For now, it appears that magic will continue to entertain the masses and magicians will continue to advance their craft and create new tricks that people can attempt to understand.