Profession wig and hairpiece maker

Wig and hairpiece makers create adapt and maintain hair prostheses for use in live performance. They work from sketches, pictures and artistic visions combined with knowledge of the human body to ensure the wearer maximum range of movement. They work in close cooperation with the designers.  

Personality Type

• Realistic / Artistic

Skills

• Maintain theatre equipment

  Check up on, maintain and repair tools and machinery used for onstage purposes, such as lighting equipment, stage sets or scene-change machinery.

• Translate artistic concepts to technical designs

  Cooperate with the artistic team in order to facilitate the transition from the creative vision and its artistic concepts to a technical design.

• Prepare personal work environment

  Correct settings or positions for your working instruments and adjust them before starting operations.

• Work safely with chemicals

  Take the necessary precautions for storing, using and disposing chemical products.

• Use personal protection equipment

  Make use of protection equipment according to training, instruction and manuals. Inspect the equipment and use it consistently.

• Understand artistic concepts

  Interpret an artist's explanation or demonstration of their artistic concepts, inceptions and processes and strive to share their vision.

• Maintain wigs

  Organise, maintain and repair wigs and hairpieces.

• Meet deadlines

  Ensure operative processes are finished at a previously agreed-upon time.

• Dye wigs

  Apply dyes to wigs to obtain the desired colour.

• Manage personal professional development

  Take responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional development based on reflection about own practice and through contact with peers and stakeholders.

• Maintain workshop space

  Keep the workshop space in working order and clean.

• Keep up with trends

  Monitor and follow new trends and developments in specific sectors.

• Decide on wig making process

  Decide on what materials and techniques to use for performance wigs, and document the decision.

• Work with respect for own safety

  Apply the safety rules according to training and instruction and based on a solid understanding of the prevention measures and risks to your own personal health and safety.

• Work ergonomically

  Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.

• Create wigs

  Design and maintain wigs and hairpieces.

• Adapt to artists' creative demands

  Work with artists, striving to understand the creative vision and adapting to it. Make full use of your talents and skills to reach the best possible result.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB