What got you into magic?

[towcheeze]

The title says it all. How did you get your start in magic? Where has it taken you?

For me, seeing my friend perform Crazy Man's Handcuffs was mind blowing. Of course I had seen many magic tricks beforehand, but seeing my friend perform it made it seem doable, and achievable. For some reason seeing him do it did not have the same effect as seeing an adult perform magic.

Not knowing what to expect, I typed in "rubber band trick" on google, and the tutorial for it was the first thing that popped up (yeah, yeah, I know). I can't exactly remember how I did this, but I accidentally discovered Ellusionist (right about when the Daniel Garcia Projects 4, 5, and 6 were released, if that gives you a clue). After that I found theory11, Penguin magic, and so forth.

Now I've been in magic for about a year now, and I'm now seriously studying this wonderful craft. I've been practicing and performing for hours on end, and am excited to see where this hobby is going to take me.

 

[kendonaga]

For me, my dad's friend got him into magic and then following my dad to the market stall where he bought his tricks enticed me. I started buying those little 1-2 pound packet tricks. This was right at the time David Blaine released his first program, watching that hooked me and encouraged me into getting a real deck of cards which led to the addiction and just always holding a deck. Later discovered the Buck Twins which made things even worse (for the addiction that is!).

But I recently have been on and off, but this time I've picked the cards back up I hope not o put them down again, pretty motivated again now

 

[formula]

I got started after a friend showed me a french drop in school years ago.

Where has it taken me? So far, across the UK and Vegas but I have also performed around Europe while on holidays, which has given me and my friends access to clubs when they were "full" as well as various other treats. It has enabled me to meet many great people.

 

[Craig Browning]

1963 The Magic Land of Alakazam followed by what my mother still claims to be her biggest mistake. . . buying me a magic kit for Christmas that year.

I was hooked on Magic & Puppets from that time to present and have even chewed Mark Wilson out for getting so many young minds addicted to this stuff so long ago

 

[ReservoirRed]

No one's gonna say it? Alright ill be the first.

David blaine got me into magic. Really he got me BACK into magic, but i wouldn't be doing this now if it wasn't for him. I had always loved magic, i had a number of magic kitt's when i was young and always loved them. But this was before internet was in every house everywhere. When i outgrew the magic sets i went to my local library, which is about the size of a large walk in wardrobe, and they had one book, which was very hard to read, it was largely about silk and coin magic and featured black and white dotted photographs of a pair of hands with gloves on. As a 12 year old i wasn't willing to look into it. After that magic and I parted ways slowly but steadily. Until one day as an 18 year old in college i youtubed david blaine as i remembered enjoying the tv show's alot. I couldn't figure out how he was doing it, and to be honest i didn't think to search for tutorials. Instead i left the college library and walked into town on that blustery wet night on the coast, and i went to a newsagent, where i bought two decks of bridge sized cards. I got home and though i didn't know how he was doing it, i started making my own ways of doing the tricks using duplicates, little did i realise thats exactly how many effects are achieved. I haven't looked back since, though the quality of card i use has improved alot, as have I.

 

[James555]

It was pretty much my best friend who got me into magic, I just love the feeling of seeing a spectators reaction and knowing that I've just made their day just a little bit better.

 

[renome]

A very enthusiastic friend got me into magic a few years back, showing me some card plots such as the ACR, Sandwich and Haunted Deck. Just like most of the "new generation" of magicians, I discovered Ellusionist, bought some DVDs, one thing lead to another, I found myself buying more material than I could handle, I amazed people, I messed up, somewhere in the meantime I discovered the world of card manipulation, I created, I destroyed, had my ups and downs and after a few years, all I can say is that I loved every second of it and wouldn't trade the experience and skills I got so far for anything!

 

[Aaron.Williams]

A few years ago, like when I was around 8 years old, my family went to Wisconsin Dells (If you don't know what that is, it's like the Gatlinburg of the north). And we saw this one magic show. I was completely blown away. Different tricks, left and right, just hitting me without warning, and that was the spark that ignited the fire that burned for magic inside of me.
Later that summer, I was at summer camp, and one of the counselors asked if I wanted to see a magic trick. Of course, I said yes. He did one of those simple, self working tricks, but my mind was blown. Then he asked if I wanted to learn it. And the rest, as they say, is history...

(Taken from my wire page )