Tiny Tina Foam Wig Tutorial

Sup Shawties!  We cordially invite you to make a FOAM WIG!

Anyways after seeing schmemycosplay‘s foam wig for Rhys from Tales from the Borderlands.  WE WERE INSPIRED - like how Handsome Jack *inspires* [insert rainbow here] Rhys!  Seriously if you haven’t checked out her tutorial then do it!  Just do it!  Link [HERE]

We have been receiving a ton of questions about Tina.  So we shall reveal all in this easy guide!

MATERIALS

• A pack of Craft foam sheets 12″ x 18″
  
• Something to stuff the wigs (I use a mesh fabric but you can also use things like polyfill)
• Modge Podge
• Sealant
• Spray paint for the base color
• Acrylic paint for details (white, black, yellows, browns, pinks, gray)
• Acrylic paint pens (black and whites
• Wig head
• Weights
• Masking tape
• Hot Glue gun
• Hot Glue

STEPS

1. Download and print the PDF (pdf includes printing instructions & actual sized patterns for each piece).  You can purchase the pattern for $5 [HERE]
Pattern fits a head size of:

• Head Circumference:  21.5” 
  
• Nape to forehead:  13.5”
  

If you need to alter to fit your head use the slash and spread method.

FOR HOURS WE STARED AT A COMPUTER SCREEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW EACH HAIR PIECE GOES!  BUT WE LOVE YOU SHAWTIES SO WE DID ALL THE HARD WORK FOR YOU!

2. Adjust your wig head *if needed*

3. Cut out pattern.  Because pattern is made to my head measurements, adjustments may have to be made.

4.  Follow the guide that is attached to the PDF download to place the template pieces on your wig head.

***NOTE… some pieces will have volume to them.  When we get to the craft foam stage we’ll tell you how we did it.

***ANOTHER NOTE… if you have to make adjustments or add in or get rid of pieces… do it!

5.  Transfer to foam.  Personally I like transferring each piece and placing back on the wig head one at a time.  Although if you have a different method then by all means do your thing.

ALRIGHT TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE GAVE THE WIG VOLUME YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE 3 TYPES OF “HAIR” PIECES THAT ARE IN THIS WIG…

• SINGLE CRAFT FOAM
  • Just cut one layer of craft foam…. boom… done… super easy
• DOUBLE CRAFT FOAM
  • 2 layers of craft foam on top of each other.  Sand the edges so you don’t have an obvious seam.
  • IN THE PATTERN:  Indicated by the word:  (Double)
• CRAFT FOAM + FILLING
  
  • 2 layers of craft foam with filling (fabric mesh, polyfill, whatever)
  • IN THE PATTERN:  Sections that need to be filled are indicated by dots ( … ) and anything with *asterisks*

BUT HOW DO YOU DO IT WITH THE FILLING?!

Step One:

 Have your two pieces of craft foam cut out

Step Two:

 Line up the two pieces.  Pick an edge (that is not the tip of the craft foam).  Hot glue the edges together (start with a small section… don’t completely glue yet!)

Step Three:

 Take your masking tape and on the opposite edge that you glued apply the tape so that the edges of the two pieces of craft foam are touching.

Step 4:

 Glue those edges (don’t get close to the point at the end of the hair piece just yet and make sure to leave an opening at the top so you can fill it)

Step 5:

 Fill it in!  Trick is to gradually have more filling the further you get from the tip of the hair piece.

Step 6:

 Close the bottom tip… don’t worry about the edges being glued together.  Instead just have the foam pieces sit on top of each other.

Step 7:

 Close the top to finish it!

*****NOTE:  Back bottom R and Back bottom L are the only two pieces that you do NOT close off the top.

That wasn’t so bad!  Right?!  Now back to our original program…

6.  Hot glue the pieces together where they overlap.  Believe it or not but once all the pieces are glued together they will form the shape of your head without the wig head.

7.  Try the wig on.  Make sure none of your actual hair is showing.  If it is then no worries, its an easy fix… just add in new pieces!

8.  Modge podge wig to prime it.

9.  Spray paint the base color on the foam. (takes 3-4 coats… be sure to get all angles and be aware of crevices)

**Note… cover your wig head with a plastic bag so the spray paint doesn’t eat the foam!*

10.  Use acrylic paints to give detail to the wig.  At this point its best to be looking at reference photos.  Tip:  Hair isn’t one solid color.  Have a variety so that means don’t feel like you have to completely mix any of your paints.  Variety is good!

10.  Cel-shade all the edges with a black paint pen!  Draw in some new lines to show more hair.  And highlight select lines with a white paint pen.

11.  When you are satisfied, seal that sucker!

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE RIBBONS, THE BELTS AND THE MASK?!

Alright alright alright… so the RIBBONS is included in the pattern template.

Basically they are 3 single pieces of foam.  One wraps around the “hair” and the other two are glued to the side of it… making it look like its tied… because lets be real can you even tie foam?!

The BELTS are not included in the pattern because its literally a straight line that you have to customize to your own wig.  Measure around your wig and over the top.  Draw the length (customized to your measurements) by 2″  Prime, paint, cel-shade, seal.

The MASK - sorry didn’t include a pattern for this because I hand-molded it with model magic.  There are tons of psycho mask tutorials!  Although getting it to stay on the wig you have a bunch of options.  You could either

• Glue it
  
• Stick Magnets in it
  
• Make a hook and have it slide into place

Something you might notice…. the mask is heavy enough to make the wig lopsided.  This is when those weights come in handy!  Put a few weights in that open spot of the Back Bottom piece opposite of your mask.

*We literally put in nuts in the wig head to help distribute the weight. When we say nuts we mean the metal ones you get a Home Depot… geesh!*

*PHOTO TAKEN BY DAVID NGO AT OTAKON 2016*

AND THAT’S IT!  YOU ARE DONE AND HAVE A BADASS WIG!  CELEBRATE WITH TEA, CRUMPETS AND EXPLODING BANDITS.  MESSAGE US WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AND SHARE WITH US YOUR PROGRESS BECAUSE US SHAWTIES NEED TO STICK TOGETHER!