Previously, on my Substack I looked at a few choice YouTube channels for learning magic for free. This week, we’ll look at other resources for how to learn magic for free.
Time to Read
As you were reading my previous post about YouTube channels you might be thinking, “I’m here to read, not watch videos!”, and to that I say “I got you covered” with the following places to learn magic via reading.
The Library
Ah yes, the old school answer and once upon a time the haven of all knowledge, now overtaken by digital technology.
But if you go into these mysterious buildings filled with all manner of books, you should go to section 793.8 for all your magical needs. The books here range from beginner to surprisingly good results and if you like the touch of a book and learning in a tactile manner, a book is a great way to go.
Or easier yet, browse your local library online and reserve the book so it’s available for you to collect!
Beyond the Library
Online, there’s a website called Archive.org that has a bunch of magic books available in public domain to learn from.
There are a lot of great beginner resources here to peruse from and if you dig deep enough you’ll find things that would easily fool other magicians, especially if they don’t read books. It might be a bit clunky reading scans of a book but if you only care about the content, you’ll discover gold.
Here’s a Reddit thread on the notable ones to check out at Archive and other public domain websites.
If you are into magic that is performed in social and casual settings, where time is not a limiting factor, my favourite magic blog The Jerx is all about being an amateur and focuses on social magic. The blog content is great, and comes with a strong language warning but he looks at magic is such a different way compared to what is considered normal in the magic community.
Magic Sites
There are a few online magic shops out there that have some free magic to entice potential customers, here are their offerings.
Vanishing Inc
Founded by magicians Joshua Jay and Andi Gladwin, this magic site has a lot of free magic which is usually parts of other releases.
Sometimes it’s a compilation of lecture material or a preview of a magician’s book or video tutorial release. But it’s a great way to see what type of magic a magician does and if you enjoy it and want to explore more you can then purchase that magician’s full release.
There’s even a free card magic course on offer that will get your started in a great way.
Penguin Magic
One of the original magic websites on the scene that has a website stuck in the past and in need of an upgrade Penguin Magic is still going strong.
My highlights with Penguin Magic were when they were doing weekly live lectures with the best magicians around the world, there was so much magic content to keep anyone busy for a lifetime, but I digress. Penguin Magic have a lot of free magic on their site, some are from other creators but there are a good number of in-house productions that they’ve given out for free, often beginner related material to get you confident and learning.
Theory 11
You might have seen special decks of cards with themes such as Batman, Avengers, James Bond, Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings or The Beatles just to name a few, but did you know these were produced by Theory11, who also specialise in magic?
Before the lucrative venture that is franchise playing cards boomed for Theory11, they produced many magic tricks for release. Alongside that they launched a community created service called The Wire, where anyone can put up their own magic creations for sale at any price they choose. Here you can filter down to free tricks and see what is on offer. There are also a lot of cardistry tutorials as well, so if you’re into that artform there’s lots of resources there to get started.
How Do You Learn?
So there are a few more places to learn magic for free, hopefully you’ll find something that suits you and from there discover magicians that you like and enjoy.
But how do you prefer to take in information?
Great sources Ds I'd! I live your graphics! 💞💫