Hi all,

Well, I'm back home in Melbourne and I'm finishing up my bunraku head that I made while I was at the UNIMA conference. I'm wanting to add hair, but am at a loss as to what to use. The character is quite evil, with a black painted head, and bright orange eyes (it's supposed to be a sort of ethereal lava-like creature), and I want some hair to go on its head. I know I want it to be long and sort of spiky; like a very long fur, or even human/animal hair. It has to be long and somewhat spiky, but I'm not sure where I can find something like that.

My local materials store doesn't have any furs long enough for what I need - something longer than shoulder length hair - so can anyone think of a creative way to make something or find a material?

I've been trying to hunt down a picture of what I want, but I can't for the life of me find one. If I do I'll post it.

Oh I just found this pic...

http://www.wigsonline.com.au/shopping/product.asp?ProdCode=witchie_poo%20&ProdName=Witchie%20Poo%20&id=5

even though the wig isn't spiky, it might be similar to what I want to do and might work well with the puppet head. However, since it's way too expensive, does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could cheaply replicate something similar?

For the spikes you could use black goose feathers, which will retain the spikyness.

A simple solution could be...
        1. red orange yellow felt or foam sheets (extremely thin)
        2. draw a flamish pattern that would form the hair
        3. then cut the matrial and glue it to the head

Thanks for the suggestions! I had a look at goose feathers, but unfortunately, none to be found in my local craft shops. I did try some strips of black material, but I wasn't happy with the look. I'm going to keep thinking and looking at the materials around me and try to find something else.

Hi Na,

if I'm looking for hair I visit the next shop. I hope this will help you out...
http://stores.benl.ebay.be/mohairwig-com

Johian

Soemtime you can find inexpensive hair extensions in places that sell cheap jewlery and makeup.  I know we can find them in dollar stores in the area I live in.  They're designed to go with human hair so they look realistic.  I guess you'd have to experiement in how to make it spikey

Hi Na,

if I'm looking for hair I visit the next shop. I hope this will help you out...
http://stores.benl.ebay.be/mohairwig-com

Johian

Thanks Johian - I'd been searching on ebay for some hair, but had no luck. The seller looks like they have just what I've been thinking of!

Soemtime you can find inexpensive hair extensions in places that sell cheap jewlery and makeup.

Thanks Jon, I too had been looking into hair extensions, but unfortunately no cheap ones are to be found in my area. They're all in the 100s of dollars range; don't know why. You'd think some $2 shop would have them!

sounds like you're findiing professional quality extensions.  You need to find a place that's marketing them to teenagers.  A $2.00 shop would have sounded like a good starting point.  I'd keep looking, a city like Melbourne out to be big enough to have a place that sells stuff like that.

Yes, unfortunately the cheap places I've been looking have very limited types of extensions. I think I'm going to have to try places outside of my normal cheap craft-buying list. Maybe too I can check out the local theatre costume/makeup shop, which is usually a bit more expensive than craft shops.