If you can only get a polystyrene head then you should consider preparing it for use. You can make bald caps using the head as is, but eventually the soft surface of the head will start to break down and lumps will get pulled out of it. Mark the head using the DVD pens (I use different colours for each edge) such that the first line covers the entire area of the cap, the second is about 1/4" (six millimetres) inside the first, the third is 1/4" inside that and the fourth 1/4" inside that. See the picture for a visual guide. Silicon bald caps tend to be used in higher budget films and have a translucency that looks more effective which is much harder to replicate when using Vinyl caps. Anne Hathaway had a Silicon bald cap cast for her role in The Witches.

If it needs to be used on a stunt double these need to match so the importance of creating a good head shape and not using pins and grips as health and safety is a big factor when working with Stunt doubles. Bald caps come in a few different materials. The cheapest and most readily available are latex bald caps, which are usually thinner and slightly more delicate than some of the more robust materials. The other common type is a silicone bald cap, which is stronger but also usually four to five times the cost. Since both of these are single use only, costs can really add up as you learn to apply the prosthetic. What are the different elements of bald cap application and how long does it take? (i.e., tools and materials)? Repeat steps two and three for each side of the head, applying adhesive to the skin by the sideburns and in front of the ears. Do one side and then the other to help you make sure that when you press the bald cap to your skin, the top and sides remain smooth.Vinyl bald caps can be taken over the eyebrows to lose that hair too or to create a fantasy character so that new eyebrows can be attached. example to create an alien effect and then airbrush on the desired look. What distinct types of bald cap are there? How do you know which is the right one to use in each circumstance?

First, let’s get some definitions out of the way. As the name implies, a bald cap is just that: a cap that you apply to make someone look bald. A vinyl bald cap is anything from 45 minutes to 3 hours but depends on many factors including the type of hair being covered, what the finished look needs to be and what time and budget is available to create it. I'm using blue latex here so you can see what's going on. the latex can be brushed on if preferred, but I find that the stippling effect of the sponges leaves the final surface of the bald cap with a very realistic 'skin' texture. The bald cap is pulled over the head a bit like putting a swimming cap on. It’s powdered to help and, though it’s reasonably strong, you need to be gentle as the cap plastic is naturally very thin.You need to give it A LOT of coats of PVA glue to seal and strengthen it. I took 3 weeks and 25 thin coats of PVA, allowing each one to dry in between. This gives a really tough and non-porous 'skin' to the head so I can use it for all sorts of work. Obviously it won't take heat or serious chemicals which will both melt it. Considerations that need to be factored are what will the Actor be doing during filming, what location you are filming in i.e., heat, cold, wet, dry, action shots, how long it will be on for, any allergies and how much hair the actor has that needs to be wrapped etc. One of The Iver Makeup Academy’s brilliant award-winning Tutors Renata Gilbert explains Bald Caps and their use in Film and TV. With over 20 years’ experience in the industry, working on well-loved TV dramas and iconic films, she is an “all-rounder” artist, as they say in the business, working with hair, makeup and prosthetics. This is where having an extra set of hands and eyes is important, since you’ll need some small, sharp scissors to cut a slit for your ear to come through. Start by cutting a line straight up so that you can pull your ear through and then trim it bit by bit until the bald cap lies flat but still covers your hair. Image credit: Images Courtesy Trent Cannon/Cosplay Central