Make Your Own Freaky Optical Illusions

Like magic? Try out some freaky optical illusions!

Freaky Optical Illusions - Balducci Levitation

This trick works best with just a few people in the audience. If you have too many people, you may not be able to control the crowd. The distance and angle between you and your audience are keys to a successful performance.

In order for this trick to work, you will need to be wearing long pants. The long pants help prevent your audience from seeing what you are doing with your feet.

Walk away from your spectators. Keeping your back to the audience, turn so that you are at about a 45 degree angle  to the people who are watching you. Keep your feet close together.

The trick is to lift up the foot the closest to your audience from the ground while you go up on your toes with the other foot. Hold and then slowly go back down to the floor.

This sounds easy, but it requires a lot of practice. Use mirrors or a friend to help you until you master the levitation.

Freaky Optical Illusions - Anti-Gravity Condiment Trick

This trick is less of an optical illusion and more of just, well, a trick. But, when done correctly, it looks like you can make a small packet of condiments float through water at your will. People will think that you are doing an optical illusion, which is even more impressive than the real "trick" behind the trick.

Don't tell them the truth!

You will need a clear plastic bottle and a small packet of catsup or mustard like you get at fast food restaurants. Fill the bottle with cold water until it is almost filled. Make sure, however, that you don't fill the bottle completely. Put in the packet. Or, have a participant put in the condiments packet. Then, put the lid back on the bottle. The packet will float at the top of the water.

Hold the bottle at the base. Wave your other hand up and down as the packet rises and falls.

The trick is that you are applying pressure on the bottom of the bottle as you are holding the bottle. When you squeeze, the condiment will float down through the water. When you squeeze less, the packet will float up. The misdirect is your hand "moving" the packet as well as your patter. These will keep people from realizing that you are squeezing the bottom of the bottle.

After practicing, you should be able to get the condiment to stop in the middle of the bottle. Yikes!