Feature - Incorporating Techniques in Editorial Work

The term 'session' in hairdressing usually refers to a hairdresser who produces a hairstyle for a show, photograph, video or film. The most successful session hairdressers have often had many years experience within a commercial salon environment before embarking on session. A realistic route to a successful session career would be to begin by assisting an already established session hairdresser. During the early stages of assisting someone, this could pave the way and prepare you for editorial and session etiquette. The next step is to become involved in testing on photographic shoots with other creatives such as a photographer, make-up artist and perhaps a fashion stylist. Regular testing is crucial, collaborations with a team can excel a session career. Testing with photographers will ensure development of your skills and simultaneously build a photographic portfolio of work. Most session artists are usually represented by a creative agency.

Editorial hairdressing employs techniques and skills which are not used so much as say in a commercial salon. For example, setting hair on rollers may be seen to have a slightly 'old-fashioned' appeal. Today, in session work various setting techniques are constantly being used, be it either wet or dry setting techniques. For most high fashion magazine editorial, advertising and campaign work, the female models will invariably have had some form of set. Editorial session involves a great deal of skill in dressing hair. This will take practice, a good place to start is by beginning to master some easy techniques. Ponytails, chignons, plaits and pleats are versatile staples within any session stylist repertoire and easy to achieve.

Ponytails are simple to achieve when it comes to hair up. A very popular hairstyle that remains truly versatile and varied. Generally the ponytail can be worn high on the head at the crown, on the occipital bone or low at the nape. A ponytail can be straightened or left in a natural wave, for more volume it can be curled or texturised.

Chignons are very easy hairstyles to create, a chignon can be made to look very clean or dishevelled and can be placed at almost any position on the head. Hair pieces can be added to increase the size and texture of the chignon, the finish and texture will depend on suitability and on the occasion.

Pleats also known as either horizontal/vertical rolls are usually worn at the back of the head. To begin, the hair is either wet or dry set, setting the hair will bulk up and add volume to the hair. To give a pleat some support, volume and control, hair is back-combed. Pleats are held in place with hair-pins and grips, which should not be seen in the finished result.

Plaits and braids are formed by intertwining sections of hair. Many intricate effects can be achieved, plaits can be worked on or off scalp. The most popular technique used for plaiting is a 3 section plait although plaits can be worked with many more sections to give an interesting, almost basket-like weave. Plaiting can be done on both wet or dry hair and on all hair types.

Setting dry hair on rollers, such as heated rollers, tongs and flat irons will create movement, body, volume and curl on all hair types of varying lengths. Setting techniques can also soften and smooth out hair. Blow drying hair in sections and adding velcro rollers to each dried section will give fullness and soft movement to hair. Hot, plastic and velcro rollers are cylindrical in shape and available in various sizes, once applied to the hair, they are held in place by a pin or clip. The size of the roller or tong barrel will determine the degree of curl or wave to the finished look. Before deciding on a setting technique it is strongly recommended that the following factors are taken into account.

The look required, is it achievable?

The existing haircut or length of the hair, is it workable?

The texture, density and elasticity of the hair, is it suitable?

Are there any strong growth patterns which would limit the required hairstyle?

Is the shape of head and face suited to the resulting hairstyle?

All hair types and most lengths of hair can be set either wet or dry. Wet setting requires the hair to be shampooed and conditioned before the hair is wound onto rollers. Classic wet setting can take a directional or brickwork pattern. Firstly, directional setting usually follows the way in which the hairstyle will flow. Hair can be wound either on- (90 or 45 degree angels) or off-base (over-directed either forward or back). For example, if sectioning and winding the rollers away from the face the look will result in the hair being dressed away from the face. Alternatively, hair can be wound and set around a parting. If rollers are placed vertically, this will result in a drop curl or 'S' bend, giving soft waves.

Directional setting techniques are applied where sectioning follows the intentions of a particular pattern in which the resulting hairstyle will be moulded or dressed. Brickwork wet setting follows a pattern similar of that as in the way a brick wall is laid, except in this case rollers are wound in rows usually on base and following the curvature of the natural head shape.

The main advantage or reason for choosing to wind a brickwork technique means that any tell-tale rollers marks are less evident once the look has been brushed through and dressed out. As with any setting technique the cylindrical size of the roller used will determine the movement required, in most brick-work wound setting, half-length roller sizes maybe required within the setting pattern. A hood dryer is used to dry the set, once dried, allow the hair to cool, the rollers are removed and the desired look is then dressed out. Once the model has been to make-up and clothes styled, any finishing touches to the hair can be made and your model is then camera ready.

From Technique by Roy Hayward

Roy Hayward has used his extensive hairdressing experience and proven track record as an educator to produce his book, Technique - a straightforward yet comprehensive content, aimed at creating the complete hairdresser in a climate where the switched-on client demands nothing less. Technique is an essential element within the vocabulary of any hairdresser. The book represents the initial step that will provide the underpinning knowledge needed in order to establish a highly successful career in hairdressing.

Technique provides a master class in confidence and competence, with easy to follow step-by-step instructions, with the trainee working at his or her own pace, be it fast track or a slower approach.Educational, informative, stimulating and inspirational, Technique is superbly illustrated with an amazing amount of information, expertly written by one of the industry’s top names in hairdressing education. For this reason, Technique, comes with an excellent provenance as a comprehensive and complete course setting itself apart from any other education manual, and reflecting what it takes to be at the cutting edge of the craft.

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