PLASTIC-WRAP HEAD TRACINGS
Chapter 3
FRONTOFTHEEARONEACHSIDEOFTHE HEAD/NCEYOUHAVETHETOPOFTHE EARANDTHEFRONTOFTHEEARMARKED GOAHEADANDSKETCHINANEARSHAPE THATYOUCANUSEASAREFERENCE4HIS EARSKETCHSHOULDBEINSIDETHE MEASUREMENTSYOUHAVEMARKED 2ETURNTOMEASUREMENT(WIDTH OFSIDEBURN ANDMARKITONEITHER SIDEOFTHEHEADINFRONTOFTHE EAR$ONOTFORGETTOACCOUNTFORTHE BAREPATCHOFSKININFRONTOF EACHEAR 'OBACKTOTHECENTERFRONTOFTHE HAIRLINE&ROMTHElRSTPOINTYOU MARKEDINSTEP MEASUREDOWNTHE FOREHEADTOTHENUMBERTHATYOU HAVEFORMEASUREMENT+BRIDGEOF NOSETOHAIRLINE -ARKTHEBRIDGEOF THENOSE&ROMTHISPOINT ANGLETHE TAPEMEASUREOUTATA DEGREE ANGLETOMARKTHERECEDINGPOINTON EACHSIDEMEASUREMENT, 5SETHESAMEPOINTWHERETHEEAR ATTACHESTOTHEHEADTHATYOU MARKEDINSTEP-EASUREDOWN FROMTHISPOINTTOWHEREYOUMARKED MEASUREMENT'ACROSSTHENAPE 4HISNUMBERSHOULDBEEQUALTO MEASUREMENT-EARTONAPE $O THISONBOTHSIDESOFTHEHEAD &ROMTHETEMPLE MEASUREDOWNTO THESIDEBURN4HISNUMBERSHOULDBE EQUALTOMEASUREMENT.TEMPLETO SIDEBURN /NCEYOUHAVEMARKEDALLOFTHESE MANYPOINTS ITISTIMETOCONNECT THEDOTS"EGINATTHECENTEROFTHE
W
Taking Accurate Measurements
41
FOREHEADANDSKETCHINTHEHAIRLINE ONEACHSIDE GOINGUPTOTHE RECEDINGPOINT DOWNTOTHETEMPLE AROUNDWHERETHEEARATTACHES AND AROUNDTHENAPEOFTHENECKTOMEET ATTHECENTEROFTHENAPE#ONSTANTLY REFERTOYOURPHOTOGRAPHSTOCOPY ANYSHAPESORQUIRKSTHATYOUR PERFORMERSHAIRLINEHAS$ONTBE AFRAIDTOERASEANDREDRAWIFTHE MEASUREMENTSARENOTQUITEWORKING OUT5SEYOURPHOTOGRAPHSANDYOUR GOODJUDGMENTTOBESTMATCHTHE SHAPEOFTHEHAIRLINEYOUARETRYING TORECREATE #ONGRATULATIONSYOUHAVETRANSFERRED YOURHAIRLINETOTHEBLOCKUSING MEASUREMENTS
PLASTIC-WRAP HEAD TRACINGS !NOTHERWAYTOCOPYAPERFORMERS HAIRLINEISTOCREATEAPLASTIC WRAP TRACINGOFTHEIRHEAD4HISTRACINGWILLBE ANEXACTCOPYOFYOURPERFORMERSHEAD THATYOUCANWORKFROMTOCREATEWIGS 4OCREATETHISTRACING YOUWILLNEED PLASTICWRAP INVISIBLETAPE ANDA PERMANENTMARKER3OMEPEOPLE SUBSTITUTECLEARPLASTICBAGSFORTHE PLASTICWRAP BECAUSETHEYAREALREADY ROUNDINSHAPE4HISISlNE ASLONGAS YOUCANSEETHROUGHTHEBAGANDYOUDO NOTLETTHEBAGSLIPOVERTHEPERSONS FACE!LSO DONOTUSECLEARPACKINGTAPE INPLACEOFTHEINVISIBLETAPEMANY
Figure 3-16 A sample plastic head tracing.
BRANDSALLOWTHEPERMANENTMARKERTO BERUBBEDRIGHTOFF (EREARETHESTEPS TOFOLLOW 0REPAREYOURWEARERSHAIRTHEWAYIT WILLBEWORNUNDERTHEWIG#OVERIT WITHAWIGCAP MAKINGSURETHATTHE SHAPEOFTHEIRHAIRLINEISVISIBLEALL THEWAYAROUND 4EAROFFAPIECEOFPLASTICWRAPTHAT ISABOUTINCHESLONG-AKESURE THATITDOESNOTSTICKTOITSELF 3OMETIMESTHISISTRICKYTHIS PRODUCTISDESIGNEDTOSTICKTO
42 W
Wig Making and Styling: A Complete Guide for Theatre and Film
ITSELF 3MOOTHTHEPLASTICWRAP OVERTHEIRFOREHEADANDDOWNOVER THEIREARS0LACEAPIECEOFTHE INVISIBLETAPEACROSSTHEFOREHEAD TOSECURETHESHAPE!SKTHE PERFORMERTOHOLDTHEPLASTICWRAP INPLACEINFRONTOFHISORHEREARS &IGURE
7RAPTHERESTOFTHEPLASTICWRAP AROUNDTHEBACKOFTHEHEAD4UCKIT ANDSMOOTHITSOITlTSTHEHEAD SNUGLY WITHNOLUMPSORWADS &IGURE 5SEACOUPLEOFSMALL PIECESOFTAPETOHOLDTHESHAPEIN PLACE
5SETHEINVISIBLETAPETOHOLDTHE PLASTICWRAPINTHESHAPEOFTHE HEAD-AKESURETHETAPEISNOTTOO SHINY3OMECLEARTAPESALLOW PERMANENTMARKERTOBEWIPEDOFFOF THEMBECAUSETHEYARESOSLICK4HIS ISNOTWHATYOUWANT 0LACETHE lRSTPIECESOFTAPEACROSSTHE FOREHEAD
Figure 3-18 Smoothing and tucking the plastic wrap in the back of the head. Figure 3-19 The tape being placed across the forehead of student Chelsea Bunn.
Figure 3-17 University of Texas students Natalie Maynard and Scott Darby demonstrate how to make a plastic-wrap head tracing. Natalie holds the plastic wrap in place while Scott smoothes the shape.
)FTHEREISSTILLASECTIONOFHAIRORWIG CAPNOTCOVEREDWITHTHEPLASTIC WRAP TEAROFFASECOND SMALLERPIECE OFPLASTICWRAPANDUSEITTOCOVER THERESTOFHAIR3MOOTHITANDTUCKIT TOBLENDINWITHTHElRSTPIECEOF PLASTICWRAP-AKESUREYOURPLASTIC WRAPCOVERSALLOFTHEHAIRLINE AROUNDTHEHEADCHECKINFRONTOF THEEARS ATTHESIDEBURNS ANDATTHE NAPEOFTHENECK
#ONTINUEPLACINGLONGPIECESOFTAPE ACROSSTHEFOREHEADUNTILYOUGETTO THEEARS/NCEYOUAREATTHEEARS SWITCHDIRECTIONANDSTARTPLACING THETAPEVERTICALLY#ONTINUE COVERINGTHEPLASTICWRAPWITHTAPE UNTILTHEENTIREHAIRLINEANDHEADIS COVERED"ECAREFULDONOTCOVER THEPERSONSFACEWITHPLASTICWRAP ANDTAPE9OUSHOULDALSONOTTAPE
Chapter 3
DIRECTLYTOYOURPERFORMERSHAIR$O NOTLAYERYOURPIECESOFTAPETOO MUCHYOUWANTTOBEABLETOSEE THROUGHTHETAPETOTHEHAIRLINE UNDERNEATH
W
Taking Accurate Measurements
43
ITISTIMETOCOPYTHEHAIRLINE5SE YOURPERMANENTMARKERDONOTSTART MARKINGWITHABLACKMARKERUSEA LIGHTERCOLORMARKERSUCHASREDOR ORANGE TOSTARTMARKINGINTHE HAIRLINE-ARKTHEHAIRLINEWITHA SERIESOFMARKSTHATMIMICTHE DIRECTIONSANDDENSITYOFHAIR GROWTH-AKESURETOMARKTHE LOCATIONOFTHEEARS
Figure 3-22 A sample of marking the hairline’s growth direction and density.
Figure 3-20 The plastic wrap should be completely covered with invisible tape.
/NCETHEHEADISlRMLYCOVEREDYOU SHOULDNOTBEABLETOSLIPINMORE THANONElNGERINTOEACHSIDEOFTHE TRACING WITHPLASTICWRAPANDTAPE
Figure 3-21 Marking the hairline.
7HENYOUHAVElNISHEDMARKING EASETHEPLASTICTRACINGOFFOFYOUR PERFORMERSHEAD$OTHISSLOWLYSO ASNOTTOCAUSEYOURPERFORMERPAIN 7IGGLETHETRACINGGENTLYUPWARD UNTILITSLIDESOFFOFTHEHEAD)FYOUR TRACINGCOMESOFFREALLYEASILY ITMAY MEANTHATYOUDIDNOTPLACEYOUR TAPEANDPLASTICWRAPTIGHTENOUGH $OUBLE CHECKTHIS
44 W
Wig Making and Styling: A Complete Guide for Theatre and Film
9OURPLASTICTRACINGISlNISHED4HE PLASTICWRAPANDTAPECREATEAPERFECT COPYOFYOURPERFORMERSHEAD9OUCAN ALSOUSETHISTECHNIQUEWITHTHEPLASTIC WRAPANDCLEARTAPETOMAKEPLASTIC TRACINGSFORFACIALHAIR&ORMORE DETAILEDINSTRUCTIONSONMAKINGAFACIAL HAIRTRACING PLEASESEE#HAPTER 3IMPLYLAYTHEPLASTICWRAPOVERTHE CHIN UPPERLIP SIDEBURNAREA OR WHATEVERAREAYOUWANTTORECREATE AGAIN DONOTCOVERTHENOSE #OVERIT WITHTAPEANDUSETHEPERMANENT MARKERTOCREATETHEFACIALHAIRSHAPE YOUWISHTOMAKE7ORKQUICKLYWITH THEMARKERUNDERTHENOSEPERMANENT MARKERSMELLCANFASTBECOME OVERWHELMING /NCEYOUHAVESENT YOURPERFORMERONTHEIRWAY YOUWILL USETHETRACINGTOCREATEACUSTOMHEAD BLOCK
5SElVEORSIXSTRAIGHTPINSTOHOLD YOURPLASTICTRACINGINTHEPROPER PLACEONYOURBLOCK 5SEINVISIBLETAPETOTAPEDOWNTHE ENTIREHAIRLINE4HISSHAPEWILLBE SOMEWHATDIAGONAL9OUCANTAPE RIGHTOVERTHESTRAIGHTPINS-AKE SURETHATYOUCOVERALLOFYOUR MARKERLINESWITHTAPE4HISWILL PREVENTTHEMARKERINKFROM TRANSFERRINGTOYOURWIGLACELATERIN THEWIGMAKINGPROCESS
5SEASEAMRIPPERORAPAIROFSMALL SHARPSCISSORSTOCUTAHORIZONTALSLIT ABOUTINCHESWIDEINTHETOPOF YOURPLASTICTRACING4HISSLITSHOULD BERIGHTONTHEVERYTOPOFTHEHEAD
PADDING OUT A BLOCK WITH A PLASTIC TRACING 4RYYOURPLASTICWRAPHEADTRACINGONA VARIETYOFCANVASBLOCKS9OUARELOOKING FORTHEBLOCKTHATlTSTHEHAIRLINESNUGLY ALLTHEWAYAROUNDTHEHEAD4HIS INCLUDESTHEHAIRLINEBEHINDTHEEARS ANDATTHENAPEOFTHENECK /NCEYOU HAVEFOUNDABLOCKWHERETHEHAIRLINE lTSPROPERLY YOUWILLNEEDTOlLLINTHE GAPSBETWEENTHECANVASBLOCKANDYOUR PLASTICHEADTRACING
Figure 3-24 Cut a slit into the top of the tracing.
Figure 3-23 Secure the hairline to the wig block with invisible tape.
"EGINSTUFlNGYOURTRACING9OUCAN USEPIECESOFTORNPAPERTOWEL NEWSPAPER ORTISSUETOlLLINTHE SHAPE!NOTHERFREQUENTLYUSED STUFlNGMATERIALIS%ASTERGRASS THE
FRONTOFTHEEARONEACHSIDEOFTHE HEAD/NCEYOUHAVETHETOPOFTHE EARANDTHEFRONTOFTHEEARMARKED GOAHEADANDSKETCHINANEARSHAPE THATYOUCANUSEASAREFERENCE4HIS EARSKETCHSHOULDBEINSIDETHE MEASUREMENTSYOUHAVEMARKED 2ETURNTOMEASUREMENT(WIDTH OFSIDEBURN ANDMARKITONEITHER SIDEOFTHEHEADINFRONTOFTHE EAR$ONOTFORGETTOACCOUNTFORTHE BAREPATCHOFSKININFRONTOF EACHEAR 'OBACKTOTHECENTERFRONTOFTHE HAIRLINE&ROMTHElRSTPOINTYOU MARKEDINSTEP MEASUREDOWNTHE FOREHEADTOTHENUMBERTHATYOU HAVEFORMEASUREMENT+BRIDGEOF NOSETOHAIRLINE -ARKTHEBRIDGEOF THENOSE&ROMTHISPOINT ANGLETHE TAPEMEASUREOUTATA DEGREE ANGLETOMARKTHERECEDINGPOINTON EACHSIDEMEASUREMENT, 5SETHESAMEPOINTWHERETHEEAR ATTACHESTOTHEHEADTHATYOU MARKEDINSTEP-EASUREDOWN FROMTHISPOINTTOWHEREYOUMARKED MEASUREMENT'ACROSSTHENAPE 4HISNUMBERSHOULDBEEQUALTO MEASUREMENT-EARTONAPE $O THISONBOTHSIDESOFTHEHEAD &ROMTHETEMPLE MEASUREDOWNTO THESIDEBURN4HISNUMBERSHOULDBE EQUALTOMEASUREMENT.TEMPLETO SIDEBURN /NCEYOUHAVEMARKEDALLOFTHESE MANYPOINTS ITISTIMETOCONNECT THEDOTS"EGINATTHECENTEROFTHE
W
Taking Accurate Measurements
41
FOREHEADANDSKETCHINTHEHAIRLINE ONEACHSIDE GOINGUPTOTHE RECEDINGPOINT DOWNTOTHETEMPLE AROUNDWHERETHEEARATTACHES AND AROUNDTHENAPEOFTHENECKTOMEET ATTHECENTEROFTHENAPE#ONSTANTLY REFERTOYOURPHOTOGRAPHSTOCOPY ANYSHAPESORQUIRKSTHATYOUR PERFORMERSHAIRLINEHAS$ONTBE AFRAIDTOERASEANDREDRAWIFTHE MEASUREMENTSARENOTQUITEWORKING OUT5SEYOURPHOTOGRAPHSANDYOUR GOODJUDGMENTTOBESTMATCHTHE SHAPEOFTHEHAIRLINEYOUARETRYING TORECREATE #ONGRATULATIONSYOUHAVETRANSFERRED YOURHAIRLINETOTHEBLOCKUSING MEASUREMENTS
PLASTIC-WRAP HEAD TRACINGS !NOTHERWAYTOCOPYAPERFORMERS HAIRLINEISTOCREATEAPLASTIC WRAP TRACINGOFTHEIRHEAD4HISTRACINGWILLBE ANEXACTCOPYOFYOURPERFORMERSHEAD THATYOUCANWORKFROMTOCREATEWIGS 4OCREATETHISTRACING YOUWILLNEED PLASTICWRAP INVISIBLETAPE ANDA PERMANENTMARKER3OMEPEOPLE SUBSTITUTECLEARPLASTICBAGSFORTHE PLASTICWRAP BECAUSETHEYAREALREADY ROUNDINSHAPE4HISISlNE ASLONGAS YOUCANSEETHROUGHTHEBAGANDYOUDO NOTLETTHEBAGSLIPOVERTHEPERSONS FACE!LSO DONOTUSECLEARPACKINGTAPE INPLACEOFTHEINVISIBLETAPEMANY
Figure 3-16 A sample plastic head tracing.
BRANDSALLOWTHEPERMANENTMARKERTO BERUBBEDRIGHTOFF (EREARETHESTEPS TOFOLLOW 0REPAREYOURWEARERSHAIRTHEWAYIT WILLBEWORNUNDERTHEWIG#OVERIT WITHAWIGCAP MAKINGSURETHATTHE SHAPEOFTHEIRHAIRLINEISVISIBLEALL THEWAYAROUND 4EAROFFAPIECEOFPLASTICWRAPTHAT ISABOUTINCHESLONG-AKESURE THATITDOESNOTSTICKTOITSELF 3OMETIMESTHISISTRICKYTHIS PRODUCTISDESIGNEDTOSTICKTO
42 W
Wig Making and Styling: A Complete Guide for Theatre and Film
ITSELF 3MOOTHTHEPLASTICWRAP OVERTHEIRFOREHEADANDDOWNOVER THEIREARS0LACEAPIECEOFTHE INVISIBLETAPEACROSSTHEFOREHEAD TOSECURETHESHAPE!SKTHE PERFORMERTOHOLDTHEPLASTICWRAP INPLACEINFRONTOFHISORHEREARS &IGURE
7RAPTHERESTOFTHEPLASTICWRAP AROUNDTHEBACKOFTHEHEAD4UCKIT ANDSMOOTHITSOITlTSTHEHEAD SNUGLY WITHNOLUMPSORWADS &IGURE 5SEACOUPLEOFSMALL PIECESOFTAPETOHOLDTHESHAPEIN PLACE
5SETHEINVISIBLETAPETOHOLDTHE PLASTICWRAPINTHESHAPEOFTHE HEAD-AKESURETHETAPEISNOTTOO SHINY3OMECLEARTAPESALLOW PERMANENTMARKERTOBEWIPEDOFFOF THEMBECAUSETHEYARESOSLICK4HIS ISNOTWHATYOUWANT 0LACETHE lRSTPIECESOFTAPEACROSSTHE FOREHEAD
Figure 3-18 Smoothing and tucking the plastic wrap in the back of the head. Figure 3-19 The tape being placed across the forehead of student Chelsea Bunn.
Figure 3-17 University of Texas students Natalie Maynard and Scott Darby demonstrate how to make a plastic-wrap head tracing. Natalie holds the plastic wrap in place while Scott smoothes the shape.
)FTHEREISSTILLASECTIONOFHAIRORWIG CAPNOTCOVEREDWITHTHEPLASTIC WRAP TEAROFFASECOND SMALLERPIECE OFPLASTICWRAPANDUSEITTOCOVER THERESTOFHAIR3MOOTHITANDTUCKIT TOBLENDINWITHTHElRSTPIECEOF PLASTICWRAP-AKESUREYOURPLASTIC WRAPCOVERSALLOFTHEHAIRLINE AROUNDTHEHEADCHECKINFRONTOF THEEARS ATTHESIDEBURNS ANDATTHE NAPEOFTHENECK
#ONTINUEPLACINGLONGPIECESOFTAPE ACROSSTHEFOREHEADUNTILYOUGETTO THEEARS/NCEYOUAREATTHEEARS SWITCHDIRECTIONANDSTARTPLACING THETAPEVERTICALLY#ONTINUE COVERINGTHEPLASTICWRAPWITHTAPE UNTILTHEENTIREHAIRLINEANDHEADIS COVERED"ECAREFULDONOTCOVER THEPERSONSFACEWITHPLASTICWRAP ANDTAPE9OUSHOULDALSONOTTAPE
Chapter 3
DIRECTLYTOYOURPERFORMERSHAIR$O NOTLAYERYOURPIECESOFTAPETOO MUCHYOUWANTTOBEABLETOSEE THROUGHTHETAPETOTHEHAIRLINE UNDERNEATH
W
Taking Accurate Measurements
43
ITISTIMETOCOPYTHEHAIRLINE5SE YOURPERMANENTMARKERDONOTSTART MARKINGWITHABLACKMARKERUSEA LIGHTERCOLORMARKERSUCHASREDOR ORANGE TOSTARTMARKINGINTHE HAIRLINE-ARKTHEHAIRLINEWITHA SERIESOFMARKSTHATMIMICTHE DIRECTIONSANDDENSITYOFHAIR GROWTH-AKESURETOMARKTHE LOCATIONOFTHEEARS
Figure 3-22 A sample of marking the hairline’s growth direction and density.
Figure 3-20 The plastic wrap should be completely covered with invisible tape.
/NCETHEHEADISlRMLYCOVEREDYOU SHOULDNOTBEABLETOSLIPINMORE THANONElNGERINTOEACHSIDEOFTHE TRACING WITHPLASTICWRAPANDTAPE
Figure 3-21 Marking the hairline.
7HENYOUHAVElNISHEDMARKING EASETHEPLASTICTRACINGOFFOFYOUR PERFORMERSHEAD$OTHISSLOWLYSO ASNOTTOCAUSEYOURPERFORMERPAIN 7IGGLETHETRACINGGENTLYUPWARD UNTILITSLIDESOFFOFTHEHEAD)FYOUR TRACINGCOMESOFFREALLYEASILY ITMAY MEANTHATYOUDIDNOTPLACEYOUR TAPEANDPLASTICWRAPTIGHTENOUGH $OUBLE CHECKTHIS
44 W
Wig Making and Styling: A Complete Guide for Theatre and Film
9OURPLASTICTRACINGISlNISHED4HE PLASTICWRAPANDTAPECREATEAPERFECT COPYOFYOURPERFORMERSHEAD9OUCAN ALSOUSETHISTECHNIQUEWITHTHEPLASTIC WRAPANDCLEARTAPETOMAKEPLASTIC TRACINGSFORFACIALHAIR&ORMORE DETAILEDINSTRUCTIONSONMAKINGAFACIAL HAIRTRACING PLEASESEE#HAPTER 3IMPLYLAYTHEPLASTICWRAPOVERTHE CHIN UPPERLIP SIDEBURNAREA OR WHATEVERAREAYOUWANTTORECREATE AGAIN DONOTCOVERTHENOSE #OVERIT WITHTAPEANDUSETHEPERMANENT MARKERTOCREATETHEFACIALHAIRSHAPE YOUWISHTOMAKE7ORKQUICKLYWITH THEMARKERUNDERTHENOSEPERMANENT MARKERSMELLCANFASTBECOME OVERWHELMING /NCEYOUHAVESENT YOURPERFORMERONTHEIRWAY YOUWILL USETHETRACINGTOCREATEACUSTOMHEAD BLOCK
5SElVEORSIXSTRAIGHTPINSTOHOLD YOURPLASTICTRACINGINTHEPROPER PLACEONYOURBLOCK 5SEINVISIBLETAPETOTAPEDOWNTHE ENTIREHAIRLINE4HISSHAPEWILLBE SOMEWHATDIAGONAL9OUCANTAPE RIGHTOVERTHESTRAIGHTPINS-AKE SURETHATYOUCOVERALLOFYOUR MARKERLINESWITHTAPE4HISWILL PREVENTTHEMARKERINKFROM TRANSFERRINGTOYOURWIGLACELATERIN THEWIGMAKINGPROCESS
5SEASEAMRIPPERORAPAIROFSMALL SHARPSCISSORSTOCUTAHORIZONTALSLIT ABOUTINCHESWIDEINTHETOPOF YOURPLASTICTRACING4HISSLITSHOULD BERIGHTONTHEVERYTOPOFTHEHEAD
PADDING OUT A BLOCK WITH A PLASTIC TRACING 4RYYOURPLASTICWRAPHEADTRACINGONA VARIETYOFCANVASBLOCKS9OUARELOOKING FORTHEBLOCKTHATlTSTHEHAIRLINESNUGLY ALLTHEWAYAROUNDTHEHEAD4HIS INCLUDESTHEHAIRLINEBEHINDTHEEARS ANDATTHENAPEOFTHENECK /NCEYOU HAVEFOUNDABLOCKWHERETHEHAIRLINE lTSPROPERLY YOUWILLNEEDTOlLLINTHE GAPSBETWEENTHECANVASBLOCKANDYOUR PLASTICHEADTRACING
Figure 3-24 Cut a slit into the top of the tracing.
Figure 3-23 Secure the hairline to the wig block with invisible tape.
"EGINSTUFlNGYOURTRACING9OUCAN USEPIECESOFTORNPAPERTOWEL NEWSPAPER ORTISSUETOlLLINTHE SHAPE!NOTHERFREQUENTLYUSED STUFlNGMATERIALIS%ASTERGRASS THE
