Magic can be classified into three major categories, that is
1. Close-up magic
2. Conjuring
3. and Illusions.
Close-up magic is the form of magic performed at very close surrounding with some of the members of the audience seated near to the magician. This type of magic may involve sleight of hand or very small props or magic accessories such as deck of card, coins, cup & balls and other small items. Close-up magic can be performed at any informal gatherings or as impromptu audience.

Conjuring magic is the form of magic can be performs for medium-sized and it can be indoor or outdoor. In the Conjuring form of magic the magician uses few props that can be easily moved around or can be carried on a person. Some of the props are the Changing bag, Egg bag, ropes and other such items. You need knowledge of body loading, misdirection and load stealing and may require some practice. Conjuring magic is sometimes called as Stage Magic or Parlor magic.

Illusions are the form of magic in which the magician performs for larger audiences using large props. Normally Illussion need planning, rehearsing & good presentation including assisstance.Some of the famous Illusions are that of vanishing the Statue of Liberty, sawing a lady into half and other such effects.
A beginner should begins with Close-up magic, then move on onto Conjuring magic and then finally into Illusions.

If u want to add in feel free too..

Hmmm....where are you getting these definitions and categories from?

The best way for beginner to learn magic is to do tricks that do not require any sleight of hand and are very easy to perform, just by reading the instructions. You can perform anywhere you like. These tricks are also very visual and very appealing to the audience. Some of the tricks I learn when I am still a beginner and still am are -
crazy tube
restore newspaper
mobious ring
vanishing knots
break-away fan
changing bag
color changing silk
t.t.
ball & vase
egg bag
coloring book
milk pitcher
foo can
hindu vase
and others

thats a way to classify types of magic by the performance stage

closeup can be sub-divided into performance situations
1. walkaround
2. seated at table
3. table hopping

conjuring magic can also be called standup magic or platform magic.

another way to classify the genres of magic is through the type of magic done.
1. illusions
2. cards
3. coins
4. ropes
5. the list goes on...

i thought conjuring means making magic itself rite?any form of magic is conjuring wad.. rite? correct me if im wrong...

i think you are right B)

I think if everybody tries to list the way they categories magic we will end up with many definitions.
Like for me magic is either categorised by crowd size and distance:

-Close up
-Parlour
-Stage

Or by genre or type:

-Coin
-Cards
-Rope
-Escape
-Mentalism
-etc etc, this genre list can really go on forever

So for someone like me, "street magic" is just taking Close Up magic to strangers and not considered a category by itself :)
And to me, "illusions" are just sub-category genre of Stage Magic and not a main category by itself either B)

But i think i'm considered old fashioned with this way of identification nowadays. B)
The way magic is being categorised is evolving and changing and I dun think we can come up with a way to list them that's universally acceptable.

I always thought the 3 classes were:

1. "Oh wow I saw how you did that" magic
2. "Erm, okaaay...." magic, and;
3. *drops on knees with hands flailing* "PLEASE ACCEPT MY WORSHIP O MIGHTY ONE" magic.

LOL... agree with you MakanMonkey!!!! We need more of those #3 type magicians! :P

its due to historical reasons.

in the past, before magic was done in trade fairs, on the streets and in theatres (popularised by robert houdin). it was not yet brought to a closeup stage and by then, magic was also known as conjuring. even now, when we think of a conjuror, we think stage. then again, many think magic as stage too!

hmm...this is probably pointless but i couldn't resist.

Magic probably started in closeup and street settings before going on stage, instead of the other way round.
Most would recall the painting in so many magic books depicting cups and balls as one of the oldest magic tricks. The one where someone is doing a cups and balls and someone is picking pockets.
It was a street parlour performance. So magic probably started as common street art in the marketplace as a side show.

So historically, "conjuring" probably refers to close up and parlour magic. B)

nope, when i said street, i meant the parlour kinda street, not the closeup kinda street.

magic started as parlour (in streets and trade fair and stuff), and u are correct in saying that it later became stage (robert houdin popularised the theatre works and invented many illusions), but using magic to entertain closeup (usually at a table) to a much smaller group of people is a relatively new idea ( i think around the turn of the 20th century).

so historically, conjuring refers to parlour magic.