Theatrical Wigs Making- An Inspiring Career Option

A wig is generally used for various reasons, including for the purpose of covering baldness, for making style statements and even for sacred or religious reasons. Another significant field of life where a person makes use of a wig is in the field of theatre. All actors make use of theatrical wigs in their day-to-day professional life.

The theatrical wigs prove to be useful for both the performer and the makeup artists. Most makeup artists suggest wigs for the theatre artists as this saves them a lot of time in setting up the hair. For the artists it saves them from the worry of using loads of hair gels and sprays to set the hair every time they perform. The wigs give the artists a chance to be in the character totally and not worry about their hairstyle. They just need to be sure that that their wig is properly affixed.

The art of making theatrical wigs is picking up fast and most hair stylists are taking this as a serious profession. If you also wish to try your hands at theatrical wigs making just follow these simple steps:

1. The actor’s head is to be measured accurately, by fixing his/her natural hair against the head. Adhesive tape and plastic wrap is generally used by the makeup artists and hair stylists to measure the natural hairline.

2. Thereafter, a ‘block’, matching the measurements of the actor’s head, is made, which is basically a stuffed shape of wood or cork. Then it is important to nail the ribbons perfectly near the measurements mark.

3. The lace is then wet and shaped over the block of wig. It is best to sew the lace to the ribbons.

4. Sometimes, the designers even use skin color material (usually silk or synthetic) as base for the wigs. This further adds on to the natural effect and it appears that the hair is actually coming out from the scalp.

5. Human or animal hair of desired quality is then selected and carefully sorted out to ensure a correct arrangement of all hair from root to root.

6. The construction of the wig starts from the neck. To make a perfect loop the washed and clean hair are folded at the root. For the safety double-knot the hair securely. Continue fastening hair from the back to the front securely.

7. The artists sometimes even use chemicals on the wig hair to bleach or dye them to achieve the desired color of hair.

8. The wig is then, stylized and customized to suit the actor’s head and finally fitted on to it.

The level of technicalities involved in making wigs is often compared to those involved in rug-making. One has to ensure proper amount of hair ventilation and setting of artificial hair. This makes it a respectable and very responsible job profile. With a little creativity and precision you are sure to excel in this highly paid profession. There are many online stores that cater to the needs of theatrical wigs worldwide.