How to Make an Anti-Gravity Strand For Your Wig

Don't panic, the acrylic medium isn't anything special. What you see in the photo is a jar of Golden (the brand, not the color) Soft Gel Matte. Some craft stores carry this stuff in the section with acrylic paints. Some don't. If you can't find it, you know what else is an acrylic medium? MOD PODGE! Mod Podge is everywhere.

Jewelry wire comes in lots of colors, and if you can find some to match your wig, get that. I didn't have dark brown wire so I used gold, and there's almost no show-through.

Step 1: Measure Once, Cut Twice

Clip some hair from where it won't be missed on your wig. Alternately, trim some extension hair to the length you need. Lay it out flat on your wax paper, and cut a length of wire the same length as your hair plus a couple of inches to make a loop at the end. Set the wire aside for now.

The final width of your strand will be half the width of the hair you lay out, so clip accordingly.

Step 2: Goop

Time to paint your hair with your acrylic medium. Start in the middle and brush toward the ends. Give it a good coat and make sure the medium goes all the way through. Don't worry about the edges or stray hairs or unevenness at the tips or any of that--you'll be trimming it later.

Step 3: Yup, It Sticks Up

When the medium is dry, use the table knife to gently peel it from the wax paper. You will note that at this point it's pretty damn sticky-up. But it lacks discipline!

Step 4: Installing Some Wiring

Set your strand down, and coat the side facing you with another good coat of medium. This is to glue it to itself and the wire. Set the wire in the middle of the strand, and fold the strand gently in half over it. Ideally, the hair will extend just a little bit past the end of the wire. Fold the wax paper over it and lay a book or something flat and heavy on top of that to keep your strand flat while it dries.

(This is where I have to admit that I go off-label. Instead of using more medium to stick the wire to the hair, I usually use fabric glue. It dries more quickly and holds well, but I don't recommend using it unless you're confident in your ability to keep it smooth. Disturbing the medium while it's drying won't do much, but messing with fabric glue can leave icky white gunk on your strand.)

Step 5: Sticks Up With Discipline!

Yup, it sure does stick up all right. But now you can bend it! Bend it slowly and gently and be amazed by the nifty zags and curls you can manage. At this point you can trim it to remove loose hair and uneven edges and put a tidy point on it.

Step 6: Attachment

Poke the end of the loop on the end of your wire through the wig and stitch it down. Blanket stitch works very well. I used white thread for visibility purposes but you'll want something that matches your wig fiber. Be careful not to stitch your wig hair down by accident.

Step 7: Success!

A very specific portion of your wig is now officially immune to gravity. Wear it with pride!


Costumes Tutorials Destructive Testing Flying Shark Home ZOMG Smells (perfume!)		Sometimes you need a whole wig to stick up, but sometimes you only need a little. This tutorial is for those times! About ten minutes of work, plus drying time, will get you a strand of hair in the size and shape of your choice that is flexible, adjustable, and sticks up like a champ. My own favorite thing about this technique is that it produces a flat lock of sticky-up hair that looks more realistic to me than the round ones I've seen. But different looks need different tricks! If you want a flat one, this is for you. Let's get started! Here's a quick shot of the materials you'll need. 1. Your wig 2. Jewelry wire (18 gauge for small strands, thicker for thicker/larger ones) 3. Acrylic medium (more on that below) 4. Freezer paper/wax paper 5. Basic tools (scissors, paintbrush, table knife)
		Don't panic, the acrylic medium isn't anything special. What you see in the photo is a jar of Golden (the brand, not the color) Soft Gel Matte. Some craft stores carry this stuff in the section with acrylic paints. Some don't. If you can't find it, you know what else is an acrylic medium? MOD PODGE! Mod Podge is everywhere. Jewelry wire comes in lots of colors, and if you can find some to match your wig, get that. I didn't have dark brown wire so I used gold, and there's almost no show-through. Step 1: Measure Once, Cut Twice : Clip some hair from where it won't be missed on your wig. Alternately, trim some extension hair to the length you need. Lay it out flat on your wax paper, and cut a length of wire the same length as your hair plus a couple of inches to make a loop at the end. Set the wire aside for now. The final width of your strand will be half the width of the hair you lay out, so clip accordingly. Step 2: Goop Time to paint your hair with your acrylic medium. Start in the middle and brush toward the ends. Give it a good coat and make sure the medium goes all the way through. Don't worry about the edges or stray hairs or unevenness at the tips or any of that--you'll be trimming it later. Step 3: Yup, It Sticks Up When the medium is dry, use the table knife to gently peel it from the wax paper. You will note that at this point it's pretty damn sticky-up. But it lacks discipline! Step 4: Installing Some Wiring Set your strand down, and coat the side facing you with another good coat of medium. This is to glue it to itself and the wire. Set the wire in the middle of the strand, and fold the strand gently in half over it. Ideally, the hair will extend just a little bit past the end of the wire. Fold the wax paper over it and lay a book or something flat and heavy on top of that to keep your strand flat while it dries. (This is where I have to admit that I go off-label. Instead of using more medium to stick the wire to the hair, I usually use fabric glue. It dries more quickly and holds well, but I don't recommend using it unless you're confident in your ability to keep it smooth. Disturbing the medium while it's drying won't do much, but messing with fabric glue can leave icky white gunk on your strand.) Step 5: Sticks Up With Discipline! Yup, it sure does stick up all right. But now you can bend it! Bend it slowly and gently and be amazed by the nifty zags and curls you can manage. At this point you can trim it to remove loose hair and uneven edges and put a tidy point on it. Step 6: Attachment Poke the end of the loop on the end of your wire through the wig and stitch it down. Blanket stitch works very well. I used white thread for visibility purposes but you'll want something that matches your wig fiber. Be careful not to stitch your wig hair down by accident. Step 7: Success! A very specific portion of your wig is now officially immune to gravity. Wear it with pride!