TUTORIAL 1

Let’s Make Antenna Bangs!

This tutorial goes over the following skills:

• Trimming bangs
• Razor comb cutting
• Working with bulk braid
• Using wire in wigs

Here’s what you will need for this project:

• Wig (this tutorial uses the Ivy wig in violet/grey from CosWorx) http://www.cosworx.com/product.php?productid=26259
• Wig head
• Wig clamp
• Wig Brush and combs
• Bulk hair
• T-Pins
• Long pins
• Various plastic curlers
• Small hair elastics
• Pliers and cutters
• Jewel-It glue
• Hair shears
• Razor cutting comb
• Claw clips Wire (I like to use 16ga)
• Steamer
• Thread that matches your wig color

Lots of characters in anime have little antennae of hair sticking out up front. Like everything else in anime, they defy gravity and stay perfect no matter how much action is going on! With a few simple tools and some engineering, we mere humans can have antenna bangs, too. Here’s the best part- these antennae are completely optional and can be removed without damaging your wig! This wig packs completely flat to make transport to cons all the easier. It is also a good method for those who like to use their wigs for multiple costumes.
In addition to making the antennae, this tutorial will walk you through lightly steamed standard bangs with razored sides using the character Maya Natsume from Tenjou Tenge as an example.

We start with our Ivy wig pinned to a wig head supported by a wig clamp:

Be sure to make sure it is centered on the wig head and nicely brushed out with your wig brush. If you have any static problems, just take a dryer sheet and rub it all over your wig. It really works!

Next, we are going to take care of our extension hair for the antennae. If you have silky yaky hair, disregard this part, lucky people! I wasn’t able to find the right color on short notice, so I’m using jumbo “Black n’ Gold” braid. This isn’t the end of the world because you can actually iron this type of hair to make it silky smooth.  Cut the hair about a foot longer than you think you will need to give yourself working room.

If you are using a blended color wig like I am, mix the two hair colors together now. This is violet with a little bit of grey added.

It is very kinky and icky now, but if you go over it lightly and gently with a warm steam iron, you can flatten it out nicely. Be sure to start low and gradually work your way up to medium heat and brush as you go. Very important note- don’t  try this with your wig or any hair unless you KNOW it can be heat treated. Black n Gold bulk braid definitely can, but always test first. Frying hair on your iron is no fun and takes forever to clean, trust me.

Now your bulk hair is smooth, silky and ready to use for antenna making!

Now it’s time to cut the wire for the antennae. Be sure to cut it about 2-3 inches longer than you need to allow for the curl hook and finishing.

Now, bend 2-3” of wire in a sharp angle. Don’t worry about it being neat right now.

Right in the kink, tie off the braid hair using the matching thread.  Its okay to leave a little tail as this will be trimmed off later.

Now, wrap the hair around the wire, keeping it as flat and smooth as possible. I find it helpful to brush the ends every so often and/or wet the hair with water first.  Go slow and be patient with this.

When you get almost to the end of the wire, bend just a little bit of it into a hook to secure the hair. Try to make this as small and invisible as possible. Secure the rest of the hair by wrapping thread around the tip and knotting in place. Trim the end of the hair so it looks like it is naturally trailing off. Keep this no longer than about an inch. Get out your Jewel-It glue.

I use Jewel-It glue quite often when working with wigs because it dries clear and flexible. It’s really great for projects like this. Sometimes on certain types of hair, the dried look isn’t the best, so you can sub in some Elmer’s white glue instead. Feel free to test your fiber with Jewel-It first, though! 99% of the time Jewel-it is the way to go. Keep in mind, any hair you put this stuff on will be unbrushable.

Take a thin line of the stuff and put it all over the hair covered wire. Work with it like it’s a hair gel. Smooth the tip of the hair so it looks nice and natural.

Leave the Antennae off the side to dry for a while. A couple hours is usually all it takes. This gives you the chance to start working on those bangs! Start by clipping come of the hair back so you have room to work.

Since we are going to taper down the side bangs, go ahead and clip those back to get them out of the way. Having the super long bangs as a starting point for this is just another reason to love the Ivy wig!

Trim the center bang area. I find it easiest to do this in the same layering fashion as the puff bangs tutorial. However, you may find it easier to go at this from the top and keep things as nice and even as possible.  This is much easier than trying to do a blunt cut across!

Use a gentle, criss-cross motion to even out the center bangs before rolling and steaming.

Grab a couple plastic curlers and roll up that center part to accentuate the undercurl. Give it a nice few puffs of steam. You don’t need a lot as we are just going for a slight undercurl this time. It helps to use the large roller on top, small one on bottom. Secure with long pins.

Give your bangs a nice squirt of strong hairspray and let it dry for about ten minutes or so. We can do the side bangs while we are waiting. Unclip the side bangs.

Take your razoring comb (you can find these at most beauty supply stores for under $10 and are very much worth it) and use a gentle clopping motion down the sides. Taper all the way to the end of the bangs.

This is how it should look when you are done- see how nice and natural it looks?

Unwrap the hair and let it finish drying if needed.

Time to lightly brush your bangs out and style as desired.

This is a good time to unclip the back of the hair and finish brushing and styling.

After your antennae are dry, trim the ends of the hair near the big bend where the wire is bare. Bend the wire into a C or G shape as shown.

Here’s the fun part. What you do is take the wire and stick it under the wefts of the wig. If you can get it in there right under where the skin top starts, all the better! Twist this curly-q around until your antenna is exactly where you want it. The flat wire on the bottom makes a nice base under your wig. It stays in place and is quite comfortable.

There’s no need to glue or sew this in as it stays in place nicely on its own. You can bobby pin the base if it makes you feel better, though.

 

Finally, bend your antenna however you like them. Yay, you are DONE! The antenna go out the same way they went in so you can pack your wig flat or take them out for wig washing. This also frees your wig up for other characters, neat!

Congratulations, you made antenna bangs! Enjoy your new wig!