Wig Making and Styling

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W ig Making and Styling

01-FM-9780240813202.indd i 12/30/09 4:48:57 PM 01-FM-9780240813202.indd ii 12/30/09 4:48:57 PM Wig Making and Styling

A Complete Guide for Theatre & Film

Martha Ruskai Allison Lowery

AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON

NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO

SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO

Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

01-FM-9780240813202.indd iii 12/30/09 4:48:57 PM Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1GB, UK © 2010 Martha Ruskai and Allison Lowery. Published by ELSEVIER Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions . This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein). Main cover photograph by Akin Abayomi, Dreadheadphoto.com. Model: Kelly Jackson Notices Knowledge and best practice in this ﬁ eld are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ruskai, Martha. Wig making and styling: a complete guide for theatre and ﬁ lm/Martha Ruskai, Allison Lowery. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 978-0-240-81320-2 1. Theatrical wigs. I. Lowery, Allison. II. Title. PN2069.R97 2010 792.02’6—dc22 2009042441 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: 978-0-240-81320-2

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10 11 12 13 14 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in China

01-FM-9780240813202.indd iv 12/30/09 4:48:58 PM This book is dedicated with gratitude to Lenna Kaleva

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Acknowledgments ix Chapter 3 Taking Accurate Measurements 35 Variation 2 78 Proper Head Measurements 35 Variation 3 78 Chapter 1 Wig-Making Terms, Tools, and Mini Fronts 79 Techniques 1 Transferring Head Measurements to a Block 39 Silk Blenders 79 Glossary of Wig and Hair Terms 1 Plastic-Wrap Head Tracings 41 Nape Lace 81 Wig-M aking Tool Kit 8 Padding Out a Block with a Plastic Tracing 44 Piecing Together Wigs 83 Wig Styling Tool Kit 10 Hairpins and Clips 11 Chapter 4 Facial Hair 47 Chapter 6 Building a Wig from Scratch 87 Rollers/Curlers 12 Types of Foundations 88 A Well-Equipped Wig Area 12 Creating the Pattern for the Facial Hair Building a Circumference-Band Handling a Wig 15 Piece 47 Foundation 89 Blocking a Wig 15 Adding Texture to the Hair 49 Vegetable Net & Caul Net/Circumference Blocking Hard-Front Wigs 15 Individual Hairpiece Characteristics 53 Band/Right-Side-Out/Hand Sewn 89 Blocking Lace-Front Wigs 16 Eyebrows 53 Variations on Circumference Band Basic Hand Sewing Stitches 17 Mustaches 54 Sideburns 55 Foundations 93 Beards and Goatees 56 Variations on Nape-Piece Foundations 98 Chapter 2 Wig-Making Basics: Learning to Cutting and Styling the Facial Hair 58 Variations on One-Piece Foundations 102 Ventilate 19 Applying the Facial Hair 61 Notes About Adding Hair 102 Parts, Crown Swirls, and Cowlicks 103 Ventilating Needles and Holders 19 Removing the Facial Hair 62 Miscellaneous Foundations 104 Loading Your Needle 20 Balding Wigs 105 Wig-Making Laces and Nets 20 Chapter 5 Fronting and Other Adaptations of Fringes 107 Fronting Laces 20 Commercial Wigs 63 Summary 108 Back/Foundation Laces 21 Types of Fronts 63 Other Wig-Making Materials 22 The Human Hairline 65 The Direction and Stretch of the Lace 23 Changing the Hairline 68 Chapter 7 Partial Wigs, Toupees, and Types of Hair 23 Building the Fronts 68 Hairpieces 109 Basic Wig-Knotting/Ventilating Variation 1 69 Toupee 109 Technique 24 Variation 2 69 G raying Temple Pieces 110 Double Knotting 27 Variation 3 69 Pull-Throughs 110 Ventilating Positions 28 Truing the Hairline 69 Falls 111 Hair Density and Ventilating Lace Direction and Hair Growth Type 1 111 Patterns 29 Direction 70 Type 2 112 Ventilating Direction 30 Quick Front: A Step-by-Step Example 74 Type 3 112 Untying Knots 30 Standard Front 75 Type 4 113 Color Blending 31 Deep Fronts 78 Switches 113 Sewing with Invisible Thread 32 Deep Front Variation 1 78 Kabuki-Inspired Lion Wig 114 vii

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Full-Bottom Wigs 115 Chapter 10 Creating a Hairstyle 151 Combining Hair and Non-Hair Materials 182 Making Custom Weft 115 Break the Hairstyle Down into Sections 151 Example of the Step-by-Step Process of Understand the Hairstyle 152 Creating an Unusually Shaped Wig 183 Chapter 8 Wig Application and Removal 119 Interpreting Research 152 Gallery of Non-Hair/Fantasy Wigs 186 Hair Prep 119 Draw Your Setting Pattern 154 Chapter 13 How to Get a Show into Long Hair 119 Set Your Wig 155 Production 189 Short Hair 121 Comb Out the Set 155 How to Hold and Put on a Lace-Front Wig 123 Teasing and Stufﬁ ng 156 Analyzing and Understanding the Play 189 Applying Hard-Front Wigs and Falls 125 Wire Frames 157 F orms of Drama 190 Removing Wigs After a Performance 126 Styling Men’s Wigs 159 Basic Plot Structure 190 A Word About Quick Changes and Tap Wig Setting and Styling Tips 160 Scene Breakdowns 191 Dancing 127 From Set to Style: Examples 162 Organizing Your Show Notebook 193 Example 1: Cosette in Les Miserables 163 Character Design 194 Chapter 9 Wig Styling Techniques 129 Example 2: 1930s Hollywood Movie-Star Group Relationships 195 Look 164 Designing an Overall Look for a Elements of a Hairstyle 129 Production 196 Straight Hair 130 Chapter 11 Choosing, Cutting, Coloring, and Budgeting for a Production 197 Wetting and Drying 130 Perming the Hair 165 Wig Jobs and How to Get Them 198 Flat-Ironing and Roller Setting 130 Charging for Your Work 200 Steaming the Hair 131 Dyeing Wigs and Wig Fibers 167 Universal Hair Color Systems 167 Wavy Hair 132 Chapter 14 Care and Maintenance of Wigs 201 Finger Waves/Water Waves 132 American Cosmetology Hair Level Marcel Waves 134 System 167 Cleaning Wig Laces 201 Pin curls 136 Types of Hair Color Products 167 Cleaning Facial Hair 203 Waving and Crimping Irons 138 Dyeing Protein Fibers 169 Touching up a Wig 204 Curly Hair 139 Using Fabric Dyes 169 Washing Wigs 205 Roller Setting 139 Preparing Hair Bundles for Dye 170 Washing the Wig off the Block 206 Roller Setting: Ringlets/Sausage Curls 142 Dyeing Synthetic Fibers 171 Washing the Wig on the Block 208 Roller Setting: Spiral Rolling Perming Wigs and Wig Fibers 172 Storing Your Wigs 209 Techniques 143 Cutting Wigs 173 Storage Systems 210 Medusa Set 145 Braids 146 Chapter 12 Hair that Isn’t Hair: Wigs Made from Subject Index 213 The Standard Basic Braid 147 Other Materials 175 French Braids 148 Bases and Foundations 176 Reverse French Braid 148 F osshape™ Bases 178 Rope Braids 148 Other Types of Bases 179 Herringbone Braids 149 Covering the Cap 180 Dreadlocks 149 Building a Structural Support Frame 180

03-TOC-9780240813202.indd viii 12/30/09 10:37:18 PM Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments go out to: Caitlyn Thomson, Kevin McCullom, and the the Wednesday Whistling Women; and most Producing Ofﬁ ce for West Side Story ; Opera importantly, the students and alumni who Stephanie Williams Caillabet; the University Carolina; Bradley M. Look; Amanda French; continue to inspire us and teach us, of Texas Department of Theatre and Dance; photographers Mark Rutkowski, Will Willner, especially Tammy Potts-Merritt, Tera Willis, Texas Performing Arts, especially the Amitava Sarkar, Lee A. Butz, Ken Grant, and Kara Meche, Christina Grant, Anna Fugate, costume shop; Fletcher Opera Institute; the Akin Abayomi; Susan Mickey; James Glavan; Kaylan Paisley, Scott Darby, Sarah Baloche University of North Carolina School of the Kelly Yurko; Christina Tollefson; Frederic Redding, Sarah Lankenau, Jessica Arts, especially the Dance Costume Burleigh; Bill Brewer; Cheryl Thomas; Rita Gambardella, Elisa Solomon, Jessica Mills, Department; the Blanton Museum of Art; Freimanis; James Allbritten; Sam Flemming; Chelsea Bunn, Jenny Valentine, Beauty the Alabama Shakespeare Festival; Patricia Mueller; Casey Gallagher; Lisa Thibodeau, Nichole Annis, Sarah Shade, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and Higgins, Nancy Dickson; Laura Horowitz; Adam Ulrich, Heather Koslov, Tiffany Knight, deSales University; Parkway United Church Patricia Wesp; Darren Jinks; all of the Carrie Lynn Rohm, Amanda Ramirez, of Christ; Wake Forest University Baptist performers and models who generously Ming-yen Ho, Joshua Conyers, Natalie Medical Center; Linda Pisano, Lara allowed us to use their images and wore Maynard, Michael Ferguson, and Renee Southerland Berich, Robbie Stanton, Mark their wigs with such panache; Ray, Martha, Horner. Rampmeyer, Jennifer Mooney Bullock, and Scott Lowery; Lois Melina; Beth Ruskai;

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