The Omni family: how the clear-deck idea evolved
The Online Magic Store ·
TL;DR: The Omni family began with the Omni Deck, credited to Jerry Andrus and Danny Korem, where a deck of cards becomes a solid block of clear plastic. Later makers applied the same ending to everyday objects such as pens, coins, phones and credit cards. The newest designs add a second surprise inside the clear object. Knowing the family tree helps you pick the one prop that suits your act instead of collecting clear things.
Why does the Omni family matter?
Few magic ideas spread as widely as “the real thing turns clear.” Once one prop did it well, makers kept asking the same question about other objects: what if the pen, the coin or the phone did it too? The result is a whole branch of close-up magic with one shared ending.
That is useful to know as a buyer. Every Omni prop is built on the same moment, so owning several does not give you several different tricks. It gives you the same trick in different shapes. Understanding where the idea came from, and how it has changed, helps you choose well.
What does “Omni” mean in magic?
In everyday magic talk, an “Omni” prop is a solid, see-through version of an ordinary object, and the effect is that the real object seems to change into it. The name comes from the original, the Omni Deck, and it is now used loosely for any clear-object transformation.
Not every “Omni” name is a real product. Some are nicknames magicians use for a style of effect, so search by the effect and read the listing rather than trusting the label.
How did the design evolve?
Every Omni prop shares the same principle as its makers describe it: a gimmick-based finish where the climax object is a precisely made clear copy of something ordinary. How the real object seems to change is the secret of each product, and we leave that with the people who sell it. The design story is in which objects were chosen and why.
Stage one: the deck. The Omni Deck is credited to Jerry Andrus and Danny Korem and sold as an Ambitious Card routine with a surprise ending. A signed card keeps rising to the top, and finally the deck in the spectator’s hands becomes solid clear plastic. Several dealers sell versions under the name. We could not confirm the year it first appeared from two independent sources, so we leave the date out.
Stage two: everyday objects. Later makers took the ending to other things people carry. A 2020 MagicShow.Tips article lists Omni pens, cellphones, coins and credit cards. The Omni Pen is a clear marker made to match a Sharpie, often used as a second beat after the deck turns clear. The Omni Coin turns an ordinary-looking coin transparent. The appeal of these objects is that they are personal and familiar, so a clear one is instantly strange.
Stage three: a second surprise. The same 2020 article criticised the trend, arguing that in many Omni props the whole trick is just that the object turns clear. Newer designs answer that. Omni Butterfly by Hyde Ren and Bacon Magic keeps the classic deck-to-block ending, then gives the spectator a second discovery: a butterfly apparently preserved inside the crystal block.
| Prop | What the audience sees | Best role |
|---|---|---|
| Omni Deck | A deck becomes a solid clear block | Closer for a card set |
| Omni Pen | The marker used in the trick turns clear | Second beat after a clear deck |
| Omni Coin | A coin becomes transparent | End of a short coin routine |
| Omni Butterfly | Deck becomes a clear block with a butterfly inside | Closer plus keepsake |
When should you use an Omni prop?
All of these are close-up endings. They work best when one spectator is holding or watching the object at arm’s length, and when nothing needs to follow straight after with the same object. Pick one Omni ending per set. If you combine them, as some Omni Pen routines do with the deck, treat them as one climax with two beats rather than two separate tricks.
They are not stage effects. A clear coin or pen is invisible from the back of a room, and even a clear deck needs to be close to read.
How do you learn this family of tricks?
The skills carry over from one prop to the next, which is good news. Honest difficulty: the clear object does the visual work, but every version depends on the audience being sure the object was ordinary a moment earlier. That means clean basic handling, good timing and a script.
- Start with the original idea. A deck-based version teaches you the structure: build-up, focus on something else, then the change.
- Learn the basics of the object. Card routines need a solid Ambitious Card phase; coin versions need relaxed coin handling.
- Follow the maker’s instructions first. Each product teaches its own handling. Learn it as taught before you adapt it.
- Write the story. Decide why the object changes. The answer can be silly, but it should exist.
Our guide to how to practise magic has a simple routine for rehearsing an ending like this.
Which products help?
- Omni Butterfly by Hyde Ren and Bacon Magic: the classic Omni Deck ending with a second surprise. It works with poker-size decks, including standard Bicycle-size cards, comes with a plastic butterfly model, and is designed to double as a display piece. A real specimen is not included, but the block is unsealed so you can add one.
- Ambitious Card Omnibus by Daryl and Stephen Minch: a book on the Ambitious Card plot, the build-up the original Omni Deck is sold as, including material from its original 1987 printing plus a bonus chapter.
What are the common mistakes?
- Collecting instead of performing. Three clear props are still one trick.
- Letting the object be the whole effect. A thing that turns clear with no story feels like a novelty.
- Trusting the name. “Omni” gets attached to many products and nicknames. Read what the listing says it does.
- Stacking endings. Two clear-object finishes back to back weaken each other.
- Skipping the build-up. The change only works if the object was clearly real before it.
Sources: Tannen’s Magic, Omni Deck listing; MagicShow.Tips, “Lazy Creativity…” (2020); Martin’s Magic, Korem Without Limits listing; Omni Butterfly product page.
Frequently asked questions
Who created the first Omni prop?
The original is the Omni Deck, which magic dealers credit to Jerry Andrus and Danny Korem. We could not confirm its release year from two independent sources.
What Omni props exist?
Besides the Omni Deck, magicians have sold Omni-style pens, coins, phones and credit cards. Some names are nicknames for a style of effect rather than a specific product, so read each listing.
Which Omni prop should I start with?
A deck-based version teaches the structure the whole family relies on: a strong build-up and then the change. Omni Butterfly is a modern deck version that adds a second surprise.
