Smoke and Mirrors: The Art of Advanced Deception

Chapter 7: Advanced Illusion Techniques

By now, you should have a solid grasp of the basics of smoke and mirrors. It's time to take your skills to the next level with these advanced techniques.

1. The Vanishing Act

Make objects appear to disappear by using cleverly placed shadows and angles.

			/* Example code for the Vanishing Act */
			div.hidden {
				opacity: 0.5;
				background-image: url('https://example.com/vanishing_act.jpg');
				background-size: 100px 100px;
				background-position: -100px -100px;
				width: 100px;
				height: 100px;
			}
			
		

This technique uses an image as a background to make objects appear to disappear. The key is to place the object slightly off-center, creating an optical illusion.

Try it out in our Lab Experiments page to see it in action.

2. The Reflective Surface

Make objects appear to be reflected in shiny surfaces to create a sense of depth and dimension.

			/* Example code for the Reflective Surface */
			div.reflective {
				background-image: url('https://example.com/reflective_surface.png');
				background-size: 100% 100%;
				background-position: 0 0;
				width: 200px;
				height: 200px;
				border: 4px solid black;
			}
			
		

This technique uses a reflective surface to create a sense of depth and dimension. Try it out in our Real World Applications page to see it in action.

That's it for today's chapter. Stay tuned for the next one, where we'll cover even more advanced techniques for creating advanced illusions.

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