In magic, theater, and mentalism, forced perspective is harnessed to create effects that defy logic, such as making a performer or object seem to shrink, grow, or vanish. The illusion is constructed by placing one object closer to the spectator or camera and another farther away, so their relative sizes appear distorted.  In performance, magicians may use forced perspective to make props or assistants appear to change size or location, leveraging the audience’s limited viewpoint for maximum deception.

The efficacy of forced perspective depends on the lack of stereoscopic vision from a single vantage point, which is why it excels in stage magic.