La Bricoleuse (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
labricoleuse) wrote2007-02-04 05:28 pm
labricoleuse) wrote2007-02-04 05:28 pm
Project: Historical wig silhouettes from nontraditional materials
There are so many periods in history where hair and wigs are absolutely essential to the general silhouette of the human figure. What're Restoration-era men to do without perukes? How do you have Chancery barristers without barrister wigs? Can you hope to present pre-Revolutionary French royalty without giant white ringlety pompadours full of flowers and birds and such on your ladies' heads?
And, all too often there's simply not enough money in a theatre's costume budget to allow for building or renting quality wigs in these types of elaborate period styles. When the second installment of the 1830s wig/hat project gets done, you'll see more about what goes into such a thing, and hopefully have a better idea why handmade lace-front wigs cost as exorbitantly as they do. The topic i want to address in this post though is, how can you still pay visual homage to these kinds of wig issues, yet solve them inexpensively through good craft artisanship? Skill and creativity can solve these problems by thinking outside the wigbox.
Recall my previous post on period wigs from wool roving...or, if you missed it the first time around, check it out. Roving is one possible "hair substitute" in making these kinds of "wig-hats".
I can't find my source for this image--i didn't make it.
Credit goes to an artisan with the surname Cusack, that's all i could find on it.
Here is a huge Madame de Pompadour style wig made from--can you guess it?
Trashbags and clingfilm! Truly excellent and ingenious.
I did do this mockup for a barrister wig from the cotton core for uphostery piping.
Because my millinery class is about to do a unit on these kinds of wig/hat hybrids, i made an example of the type of project they will be doing. They will be choosing a hair effect that might be impractical to realize using traditional theatrical wigs, and actualizing it using alternate materials. Here's my source image for the desired hairstyle i wanted to create:
Daisy Fellowes sporting an updo of Antoine lacquered curls, 1935.
A first shot at the hairdo, using a pulled buckram cap wired and bound in bias, with architectural loops of horsehair braid.
If i were making this for an actress for stage, i'd have fitted the cap on the actress before creating the horsehair looped structure, and probably cut out arcs for her ears, elongated the side points further down the face, etc. This would be a good first shot at it to take into a fitting though, and could be easily custom-fitted and sent right onstage.
And, all too often there's simply not enough money in a theatre's costume budget to allow for building or renting quality wigs in these types of elaborate period styles. When the second installment of the 1830s wig/hat project gets done, you'll see more about what goes into such a thing, and hopefully have a better idea why handmade lace-front wigs cost as exorbitantly as they do. The topic i want to address in this post though is, how can you still pay visual homage to these kinds of wig issues, yet solve them inexpensively through good craft artisanship? Skill and creativity can solve these problems by thinking outside the wigbox.
Recall my previous post on period wigs from wool roving...or, if you missed it the first time around, check it out. Roving is one possible "hair substitute" in making these kinds of "wig-hats".
I can't find my source for this image--i didn't make it.
Credit goes to an artisan with the surname Cusack, that's all i could find on it.
Here is a huge Madame de Pompadour style wig made from--can you guess it?
Trashbags and clingfilm! Truly excellent and ingenious.
I did do this mockup for a barrister wig from the cotton core for uphostery piping.
Because my millinery class is about to do a unit on these kinds of wig/hat hybrids, i made an example of the type of project they will be doing. They will be choosing a hair effect that might be impractical to realize using traditional theatrical wigs, and actualizing it using alternate materials. Here's my source image for the desired hairstyle i wanted to create:
Daisy Fellowes sporting an updo of Antoine lacquered curls, 1935.
A first shot at the hairdo, using a pulled buckram cap wired and bound in bias, with architectural loops of horsehair braid.
If i were making this for an actress for stage, i'd have fitted the cap on the actress before creating the horsehair looped structure, and probably cut out arcs for her ears, elongated the side points further down the face, etc. This would be a good first shot at it to take into a fitting though, and could be easily custom-fitted and sent right onstage.
no subject
My dad passed down to me a wonderful wig pattern, that makes fantastic geisha and samurai wigs when done in black crepe paper.
It also works well in fake fur, and takes just a tiny bit. My server's down right now so I can't link a picture, but as soon as it's back I will.
I like the horsehair braid - does it work well for stage, or does the translucency soften the shape when viewed from a distance?
no subject
Is the pattern something you'd be willing to share with myself and my students? I'm giving them patterns/instructions for wigs made from the backer rod and from narrow ribbon which i'd gladly "trade" you, if either peaks your interest! (I won't be posting these patterns on the blog because i don't have permission from their creators to do so, though i can use them for educational purposes.)
I like the horsehair braid - does it work well for stage, or does the translucency soften the shape when viewed from a distance?
Its effectiveness is contingent upon a number of factors--size of the house/proximity of the audience, nature and color of the set/backdrop, usage and direction of lighting. It'd be fine in our mainstage house (thrust stage, just over 500 seat capacity), but might lose some of its effect for back-rowers in a proscenium house of similar capacity. Conversely though, done up in white horsehair and lit with a blacklight, it'd probably be visible in a house twice the size from the back of the balcony.
no subject
I will post pics of the fur wigs as soon as my server is back up (dumb motherboard died, apparently). (Actually, there's one here (http://web.mit.edu/mtg/www/2003/SUM/pics/img_0147-lg.jpg), for the Wolf in Into The Woods - his breeches and wig are of the same fur.)
I will dig through and try and find pics of the crepe paper ones. If I can't find one, maybe I will make a new one :)
And of course, I'd be happy to pass on the wig pattern. Let me dig it out and get a scale copy made. Might take me a bit -- we moved into a new house and I have a dedicated craft room (yay!), but I had hardwood floors put in to replace the carpet and so it's not all unpacked yet.
no subject
Pompadour plastic bag wigs
(Anonymous) 2010-06-22 01:55 am (UTC)(link)fortuitously I am finding myself on your blog, as I am looking for that exact pic of Daisy Fellowes (by Horst, hair by Antoine)... and to answer your question mark about the big Pompadour/plastic bag headdress, I think it is made by my friend Kate Cusack, who also assisted me on a few shows... and who is quite excellent. What a very small world!
Camille Assaf