Before I list off my tips, I just want to include a very important piece of info! Something I learned when styling wigs is that once you accomplish your first super challenging wig…you feel like you can almost do any wig you put your heart into. Skills you get in one wig can easily be transferred into another wig. Many wigs have similar methods that you can re-use over and over again. All it takes is a little bit of confidence c:
1- Get the idea that “styling extreme wigs is like styling a real person’s hair” out of your system. You can use products like: super glue, clear caulking, hot glue, foam, fabric dye or whatever your creativity wants you to use. Look at a wig like you would look at building a prop. Envisioning a wig to be a craft project can make insane looking hairstyles seem much more possible.
2- Watch/read tutorials EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT DOING THE SAME CHARACTER THE TUTORIAL DEMONSTRATES. The info that a tutorial can provide can transferable to your own personal project or just to add to mental list of wig styling methods. Here’s a great list of tutorials:
http://arda-wigs.com/pages/tutorials-articles
http://students.washington.edu/costume/wordpress/tutorials/the-basics-
of-wig-styling/
http://cosplaytutorial.com/list.php#wigs
3- Learn to proportion. The character’s hair spike is about as long as their face? How long is my face? 9 inches? Ok then I am making the spike 9 inches. Oh wait. That’s too unrealistically long, I’ll re-proportion it to half the size of my face and do the same with the rest of the spikes.
Done.
4- Tools of trade? A basic starting wig styling kit should include:
-Wig head
-Comb(s)
-Got2be glued gel
-Got2be glued hair spray
-Thinning shears
-Regular shears
-Alligator clips
-Small elastic hair ties
-Foam curlers
-Blow dryer
-Straightener
(can be purchased at Sally’s beauty supply store, Walmart, online wig shops)
5- USE A MALE WIG HEAD FOR YOUR STYLING. Why? They are much more similar to the size of an actual human head.
6- Understand the differences between wig wefts, wig fibers, and lace fronts vs non lace fronts.
Here’s a good guide.
7- Do not underestimate the power of a hair blow dryer. (Especially if you work with Arda wig’s fibers). Just like a heat gun is to Worbla. You can shape, add volume, and set/dry gel with a blow dryer.
8- Familiarize yourself with wig styling lingo
What does it mean to ventilate a lace front? What is stubbing?!
A simple google search can open so many doors.
If this list helped you, feel free to reblog to share with your followers~ c:
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