4 5 STEP FOUR: * Cut the wig base up the center front line about 4˝. Measure out 1˝ on either side of the center line and cut a diagonal from this point to the top of the cut you just made on the center line. Remove these triangles of material to allow for the actor's nose as you fit the base to the actor's head. Trim more away if necessary. * Secure all of the actor's hair to her head in French braids or pin curls. Fit the wig base on the actor's head and mark the hairline appropriate to your desired style on the wig base. You will need to eyeball the actor's hairline, as it is not possible to feel through the Fosshape. The final hairline for the wig base should just cover, without revealing, the natural hairline (fig. 3). * Remove the wig base from the actor's head and cut away to this line. Be conservative at first and continue to mark and cut away until you reach the correct shape. (Do not attempt to cut the base while it is on the actor's head.) If the actor is uncomfortable having their eyes covered, do this process in several short steps and begin with the forehead so you can reveal the actor's eyes quickly. * Cut a U-shape opening at the center back about 2˝ wide and up to the point you cut in step three when removing the wig base from the hat block. * Spray-paint the trimmed wig base to a color you desire. For the Japanese wigs we painted the bases black. Be sure to do this in a well-ventilated area and to wear appropriate protective gear. Be sure you do not paint the inside of the wig base, as it will rub off onto the actor's skin. * Machine stitch a short piece of 1˝ elastic at the bottom of the U-shape opening bringing the opening to 1˝ or less. This makes the wig adjustable and allows it to fit securely on the actor's head. * The wig base is now complete and ready for the hair or other desired treatment. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ STEP FIVE: * Because single wefts are not thick enough, begin the hair application process by stitching at least 4 wefts together in lengths sufficient to go around the entire shaped edge of the wig base. With a zigzag stitch, machine stitch the combined wefts all the way around the underside of the entire shaped edge. You may have to wrestle with the Fosshape to get it under the presser foot of the machine, but it is possible to machine stitch the hair all the way around. If there are places you are not able to machine stitch the wefts you can hand stitch them into place. Be sure to keep the wefts as flat to the base as possible as they will be against the actor's skin and you don't want them to stick out or irritate the actor's head. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ FIGURE 5 FIGURE 6 62 W I N T E R 2 0 0 5 TD & T