How to Make a Jack Sparrow Wig

Johnny Depp's metamorphosis into the swashbuckling Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" created a new idea of how pirate costumes should look. One of the Sparrow's most striking characteristics is his head of long, bead-adorned dreadlocks. Instead of buying a premade, mass-produced wig, make Jack Sparrow proud by using your pirate cunning to create your own set of custom dreadlocks.

Things You'll Need

• Long, brown wig
• Wig block
• Comb
• Small elastics
• Wire pet brush
• Glue
• Brown yarn
• Scissors
• Assorted beads (wood, glass, metal)
• Metal coin bead
• Red cloth, 1 yard

Instructions

Preparation

1. Place the wig on the wig block. Styrofoam wig blocks purchased from beauty supply stores are inexpensive. Wigs can be either synthetic or human hair.

2. Gently brush the wig using the comb to remove tangles.

3. Use the comb to create approximately 2 by 2-inch sectioned squares of wig hair. Secure each section of hair at the root with an elastic. Do this for the entire wig.

Dreadlocks

1. Remove the elastic from a section of hair in the front of the wig and hold the section with your hand.

2. Backcomb the section with the pet brush. This means instead of brushing the hair as you normally would from root to end, brush in small strokes towards the root. Turn the section of hair constantly while backcombing, rolling it with your fingers. This keeps the dreadlock smooth.

3. Secure the dreadlock's end with elastic.

4. Dab a small amount of glue into the end of the dreadlock. This seals the ends and prevents the dreadlock from unrolling.

5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 for the entire head, working your way back. Leave two sections of hair on the top right side and the right temple of the head undreadlocked and held with the elastic.

6. Remove the elastic from the section of hair at the top right side of the head.

7. Take a small piece of the section and backcomb it using the same technique mentioned in Steps 2 through 4. This makes a minidreadlock. Repeat this process until the section of hair is made entirely of minidreadlocks.

8. Pull the minidreadlocks together and secure them with an elastic. This is the small ponytail at the top of Jack Sparrow's head.

9. Remove the elastic from the section at the right temple and braid it. Secure the end with an elastic.

10. Let the glue dry.

Beading

1. Take four strands of brown yarn about the same length as the dreadlocked hair and tie a knot at the bottom.

2. Slide beads onto the yarn strands in no particular pattern. The beads should be large enough to fit over the strands of yarn. Leave about 2 inches open at the top end and carefully set the beaded yarn aside.

3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 to create another string of beads.

4. Tie the beaded strings at the right and left temples of the wig. Do this by tightly knotting the open ends of the yarn around the dreadlock's base.

5. Cut one 6-inch strand of yarn and tie a knot in the end.

6. Slide the metal coin bead onto the strand of yarn, then continue beading with the assorted beads until only 2 inches of the strand remains at the open top end.

7. Tie the open top end of the 6-inch beaded strand around the base of the minidreadlock ponytail.

Bandanna

1. Place the wig on your head. This ensures a custom fit when wrapping the bandanna around the wig.

2. Wrap the bandanna around your head and the wig, ensuring a snug fit. Make sure that the 6-inch beaded strand and the minidreadlock ponytail hang over the bandanna.

3. Tie the bandanna in a knot at the back of your head, leaving the excess cloth hanging down your back.

4. Carefully remove the wig with the bandanna around it and place it on the wig block. Let the wig sit for at least a day before removing the elastics from the bottoms of the dreadlocks.

References

• How to Make Dreads Video Tutorial