1.
Production
Making someone or something appear. Examples are Appearing Cane, Appearing Candle, etc.
2.
Vanish
Making someone or something disappear. Examples are Vanishing Cane, Vanishing Candle, etc.
3.
Transposition
Making someone or something move magically to a different location. A variation of this can involve two objects exchanging places. This movement is normally invisible or covered from the audience's view (An object moving by itself visibly would be a different effect). Examples are Card to Wallet, Ambitious Card, etc.
4.
Transformation
Making someone or something to change appearance. This can be further divided into different variations, for example a color change would be something only changing color but still maintaining its shape (Color-changing Candle), whereas a sponge ball turning into a sponge square would be something changing shape but still maintaining its material. Lastly, an object can change entirely into another object, for example an apple changing to an orange.
5.
Multiplication
Making someone or something appear repeatedly in succession. This is essentially a production but I consider this a separate effect because I think the repeated nature of this has quite a different effect on an audience as compared to a standard production routine where different things are being produced from a space that is too small to hold them. Some examples of this are Multiplying Billiard Balls, Multiplying Bottles, etc.
6.
Penetration
Making someone or something pass through another person or object. Examples are all the solid through solid tricks.
7.
Restoration
Restoring someone or something to the original condition after being cut or broken apart. Examples are Torn and Restored Newspaper, Sawing Through A Woman and most of the large stage illusions.
8.
Suspension
Making someone or something remain suspended impossibly in mid-air. This can be perceived as a kind of magical balancing act as in the case of the Chair Suspension where the girl's body still rests partially on the chair. Another variation is the Floating Carpet where the girl seems to be floating on a carpet entirely free of any support.
9.
Levitation
Making someone or something float and move impossibly in mid-air. This looks quite similar to the Suspension effect, however I distinguish this as having a lot of independent movement and not just remaining in one spot in the air. Examples are The Floating Rose, Asrah Levitation, etc.
10.
Mentalism
I use this as a catch-all category for all effects that seem to be performed by mind power, for example mind-reading, prediction, telekinesis and others. I will discuss this category further in another article.
Source:
10 Basic Magic Effects
Trevor
