Black Magic
Black Magic is a type of magic usually defined as magic being used for selfish or evil purposes which can often involve using magic for crimes like murder, theft or torture or to harm other people for fun or for pleasure. or for abusing its powers to give yourself untold amounts of wealth or luxuries for selfish purposes at the cost of others.
Black Magic's opposite could be considered White Magic but some argue in real-life and in-universe that good magic doesn't exist and that Magic itself is inherently evil, depending on the story that could be true.
the Magic doesn't need to be inherently evil it could also just be Magic of any kind in the wrong hands being abused, but sometimes in a story, the magic itself is only cable of evil or the Black Magic is a different type of magic than the good version of the magic
Basically, The Dark Arts are any science, discipline, magic or martial combat style note that is deemed by society in general and the establishment in particular as a bad idea.
In other words, if there are Things Man Was Not Meant to Know, you can expect someone to have thought it would be cool to make an easy to read a how-to book on it. The "Dark" Art might not necessarily be evil or dangerous, but there's always at least some cause to consider these powers/skills potent and not to be left open for everyone to learn.
So, just who practices the Dark Arts in spite of all these dangers? Lots of people/things. If it is magical, then an evil sorcerer, if it is a science then a mad scientist of course, and if it's a martial art then the Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy is likely to know it. Expect them to learn their craft in the Academy of Evil. If any kind of magic/science is considered to be the Dark Arts, you have Magic Is Evil or Science Is Bad.
Even though the only crime in art is bad taste, the Mad Artist usually knows how to drive viewers mad (in a bad way) with their art. A hero might be able to "redeem" the Dark Arts, or at least use them without becoming damned/addicted when the Godzilla Threshold is crossed.
Gallery
NOTE: The limit is for 20 pictures only
Trivia
- Black Magic is usually seen as a crime in fiction due to it being real, and in the past when people thought black magic was real. but nowadays it isn't considered a crime mostly because it doesn't exist
- Black Magic is ofter associated with Witchcraft