Hair on her heady-head-head

[scarylarrywolf]

Hey, I'm working on an elderly female puppet and I need to know how Miss Piggy's hair (Or any Muppet with synthetic human hair) is attached. Her head seems too free and flexible for it to be a wig, 'cuz I've found that they're very heavy.

I'm quite under-educated when it comes to using synthetic hair, but I went to a wig store and found some hair that wasn't attached to the netting;and without the netting it feels very light weight. Is it wise to try to attach the hair without the netting? Is that close to how Piggy's hair is attached?

 

[HandySam]

If you go checkin out Miss Piggy like that, you may get a frog in your face.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I don't know, but I would guess that Piggy's hair probably is a wig (albeit a high quality one). You can hand-punch hair in to foam latex, but that's very labour intensive. In my experience most cheap Halloween-style wigs look exactly like that, cheap. Really nice wigs costs anywhere from $70 and up so they can really break the bank. What kind of hair do you need?

 

[BlueFrackle]

A Tip: Dont go to a wig or hair store, Go to a doll store. I bought the most amazing Blonde Dolls wig for Under Five Pounds ($3.50!)

 

[Buck-Beaver]

That's right! D'oh! I should have mentioned that. Doll wigs are much, much cheaper and usually better looking (and better fitting!).

 

[HandySam]

That's right! D'oh! I should have mentioned that. Doll wigs are much, much cheaper and usually better looking (and better fitting!).

I know that your not looking for a rough texture look for hair but i read in here on some thread where a person took yarn (the kind u make baby blankets out of) and unwove it till it was individual strings. I'd think if u used something like needle point and then glued the stems inside the head u could make a puppets hair that way. I thought the puppets hair turned out pretty well. There is alot of info in this forum on making hair for puppets.

 

[scarylarrywolf]

Thanks for all the feedback! I'm looking for straight synthetic gray hair that I can put up in a bun, or at least fake a bun by attaching some hair to half of a styrofoam ball and sticking it on the wig in the back of the head. This needs to be secure and light weight... and simple would certainly be desired!

Thanks for giving me so much to go on!

 

[Super Scooter]

Well, I'm sure if you looked hard enough you'd be able to find straight, gray hair... maybe in online doll shops. We found an outlet with all types of fur, maybe we'll find one with all types of hair.

 

[Jinx]

Here's another thought to consider. Because of the styling you mention, does it actually need to be hair? You might find that a sheet of foam or fabric applied to the head with a small sculpted bun would fit the bill. Then you could streak it with black or gray paint to get the desired "combed back hair" look.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the literal interpretations that we forget to be creative!

And now for the disclaimer of irony. If you look at my avatar, you'll notice that he has no hair! I tried everything I could find...yarn, craft fur, a cut-down wig... nothing looked good! So I just opted for a hat that would compliment his character.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I have the solution! (I think)

There's an old character I use from time to time called "Granny Gumms" I actually just learned the secret of how her hair was made from the woman that built her a few days ago - find long fun fur that is grey/black - that is grey at the top and black near the "roots", brush it back and add a mixture of white glue and water. When it dries it will look great.

Check out this photo and if it's sort of the look you are going for maybe I can provide more detailed information.