Wig making and styling is a valuable skill for any performance makeup artist. From beauty and fashion to TV and film, the art of wig making can help you build a hands-on career in creative industries. At the Academy of Make Up Arts, students dedicate over 250 hours to each of the two levels of our Wig Making & Styling course. Here they’ll learn the fine art of creating and styling professional pieces for the right context and person.
Today, we’re in conversation with Professor Michael Meyer, the Institutional Director at AMUA and the Director of the Wig and Makeup program. Michael Meyer has been a wig maker for the past 30 years and has been working as an educator in the field for 23 years. “By the end of the course at the AMUA, students will leave with a thorough knowledge of wigs for theatre, film, TV, and other related fields,” explains Prof. Meyer. “They will learn how to customize commercially bought wigs, how to build facial hair, and how to style period hair going back 2000 years.”
Below, he offers some key insights on what to expect from the wig making course at the AMUA and some tips for success in the field.
Understand the Different Applications of Wigs
Designing and styling the right wig for someone takes into consideration several factors. First, you have to figure out for which application you are building a wig. “Is it according to a period hairstyle? Is it according to a natural hairstyle? Hair colors, textures, and ethnic backgrounds all have to be taken into consideration,” explains Prof. Meyer.
Once you know the kind of style you’re mimicking, the proper hair can be sourced and you can begin building the wig foundation. “That is the set of laces that get shaped around a wig block, which is a representation of a human head shape and is built according to the model’s measurements,” says Prof. Meyer.
During the professional wig styling course at AMUA, students will familiarize themselves with the different applications of wigs under the guidance of Professor Meyer, who brings decades of experience in live theatre, opera, and private industry to the classroom.
Train Your Eye to Hair Growth in Our Wig Design Course
While learning about the context and style of different wigs, students will also need to develop an eye for how hair grows. “The direction of hair growth, the different parts, density, color–these are all within the challenges of wig making for a student,” advises Prof. Meyer. Depending on the application, you might be working with European and caucasian hair, Brazilian hair, Afro-American hair, or hair with a very specific texture. Along with building the wig, students at the AMUA will also master wig prep–the art of hiding the model’s natural hair under the wig. In each case, knowing how different types of hair behave naturally and respond to different styling techniques is crucial to overcoming challenges in wig making.
Practice Patience and Attention to Detail
When it comes to the right skills and qualities for wig making, “patience, patience, and even more patience” is key, says Prof. Meyer. “For a fully hand-tied wig, the art of wig making involves taking each hair and tying it to lace with a knot. That can be one hair at a time, or a maximum of 3 hairs or 4 hairs at a time, depending on which area of the wig you’re working on,” he explains. “That process can take upwards of 150 hours to complete.”
At the same time, you also have to master the art of ventilating–a technical term for tying a hair into a knot onto a lace foundation. Depending on the kind of wig you’re building, students should be prepared to invest time and attention into the nuances of the craft.
Find Your Passion for the Field
According to Prof. Meyer, there’s no great way to prepare for wig making. “I think the passion of working as a wig making or makeup artist backstage or on a film set–developing that passion is the best way to prepare,” he says.
“Definitely don’t watch YouTube videos and don’t consult the internet on wig building,” he advises. “Most of the information that is out there is not applicable to our field; very few videos are of the quality that one could consider to be professional.”
However, developing an appreciation for the art of wig building is something that will carry you through your wig design course at AMUA and into professional practice. “We go from the greater Roman time period to the modern day in our period hairstyling, and we build wigs according to historical patterns. We use wig making techniques that are 500 years old–sometimes even older–and mix them with new and modern techniques,” explains Prof. Meyer.
By throwing yourself into the history and practices of wig making, you can make the most of the path to an exciting career in performance art.
Are you interested in taking a wig making and styling course?
Contact the Academy of Make Up Arts for more information!
