【Tutorial】Wig Dyeing Tutorial with Marker Ink and Fabric Dye

Wig dyeing is always a big problem, especially when cant get the perfect color of wig. In the end I try to dye the wig to get the closest color I can. Rather than a tutorial, this is more likely a review of how I dye two of my wigs. I would say that its not a very good method, and the texture later differs from how it usual be, however, the colour is perfect somehow.

FABRIC DYE METHOD

The first wig I tried to dye is Miki's from Secret Time After School. Its like pale pinkish orange kind of color, which I cant find any that time from taobao shop (Now, they have similar color though = =, right after I finish my photoshoot.....). I tried to dye a light pink wig into the color using a Orange Fabric Paint. Below here I compared the target color and the results of the dyed-wig.

The type of fabric dye I used

The light pink wig is the same I used for Love Ward Luka (below):

The pink color is slightly lighter than the picture here. I dilute the dye with water and just paint on the wig with big brushes, layer by layer. The degree of the color depends on the dilution, had done of a bit of trial and error with lower parts of the wig. I directly blew dried the wig after applying the color and washed once with conditioner, dry with blower again and iron it. The color is much closer to the original photos than any of the commercial orange wig I can find THAT TIME . ( I am kinda  down when they come out with Miki's wig as similar as this only AFTER I had my photoshoot. Still, I think my antenna is much better looking than the commercial wig =w=, and yes am satisfied. )

FAQ that people ask about wig dying:

(i) Does the color stays?
-Yes, it stays even I washed with conditioner. BUT, it stained my costume, a little bit, I found orange stains at the collars and also edge of the sleeves, still acceptable.

(ii) How is the texture?
-Well, its rough and easily tangled. A little fussy, since I tried to smoothen with the wig spray which did not worked at all, I tried with hair treatment oil, not working as well. If you are able to make the wig smooth enough, then this would be a perfect method to dye wig.

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MARKER INK METHOD

The next wig I tried to dye is Science Girl Miku Wig. This time, its my unreasonable weird persistent that drive me to this. I thought I was late for ordering from taobao, which was not, and badly wanted a dark blue wig to pin up ponytail for Miku. Later, when I looked back at the character design, its not dark blue, but a cobalt blue wig, which I again cant find the color for pony tail on taobao.

 A few ideas actually popup in my mind:

(i) Acrylic paint ----> failed -- I dilute cobalt blue acrylic with water and soak overnight, not working, wither because I used a pale blue wig or because it just don't stay.

(ii) Semi-permanent hair dye conditioner --> failed -- its the Directions dye I am using here which I used for my real hair. Apparently it don't stay on wig or just that the wig color is not pale enough?

(iii) Marker ink --> well this is the one that seems to be most fitting that time.

I wet the wig first, smeared a bit of ink on my fingers and brush it through the wig, bits by bits, layer by layer. Blow-dried it after brushing the ink through all parts. Must make sure the wig and fingers are wet, else the ink will stain fingers instead of the wig. It took quite some time to finish the whole thing, 2-hours per pony tail since I separate the day dying them. Do everything once again if the color tone is not dark enough. I repeated twice for both pony tails. Iron the ponytail at last.

Left- original color (slightly greener than this)

Right -  Dyed color

Left- dyed color

Right- well this is how it looks like originally

Type of Marker ink i used, whiteboard marker

The same miku wig I used for Cheerful 39 Miku, its kinda messy that time when I want to dye it. So I washed the wigs with conditioner first, blown dry and detangled the wig before I dye it. Since its whiteboard marker that I am using here (I cant seems to find permanent marker ink nearby here), I cant wash it after that.

FAQ that people ask about wig dying:

(i) Does the color stays?
- I am not sure, but I think no.. It should be able to washed with shampoo, because its whiteboard marker ink. It stained when brush through the wig with fingers, and a bit on Miku's lab coat.

(ii) How is the texture?
- Much better than the fabric dye method, still smooth but fuzzy though, cant seems to settle the top part of the ponytail which makes it look a bit messy there (or its me that do not know how to handle it). 

P/S: Don't ever ever ever mix marker ink with Rubbing alcohol... it don't mix.. it will accumulate... I tried... and I am stupid to try with half the bottles of ink... OTL...

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That's at least the methods I had tried before, will upload more if I have the chance to try. I heard that Rit Dye works well, but I can't seems to find them in Malaysia. Might give it a try if I can buy it somewhere. Lastly, do feel free to ask questions if there is any doubt :). 

【COS】Vocaloid - Secret Time After School - Miki

秘密の放課後 (Secret Time After School)

Song: Meiko, Miku, Rin, Luka, Gumi, Miki, Kaai, Lily, Iroha

Rap: Kamui Gakupo

Composed/Lyrics: natsu-P

Arranged: natsu-P & haku

Guitar, Drums and mix : haku

Illustration: Hiiro

月曜の朝 いつもと違う 

髪型で 気付くかしら？ 

10センチ 短くしたスカート 

あなたをドキドキさせたい 乙女心よ 

窓の外で 

あなたの笑う聲が聞こえるだけで 

胸の奧がチクチクして 痛くなるの 

言わないで 

本當は気付いてる 

あなたに夢中な この気持ち 「ハジメテ」なの 

もう子供なんかじゃないから 全部が欲しい 

欲張りね 

あなたの視線を 獨り占めしたい 

私だけ見てて 

なんて 大膽なお願い言えるかしら？ 

秘密の放課後 

土曜日の夜 あなたは何をしてる？ 

會えない時間 募る思い 

女の子だって興味津々な事 

色々したいし知りたい お年頃なの 

人目を忍んで 

あの日の教室であった事

誰にも言えない・・・でも言いたい 張り裂けそう 

意地悪ね 

視線で虐めないで 

恥ずかしいけど嬉しいこのキモチ 

あなただけがわかる仕草でバレないように 

抱きしめて 

二人(の距離が近くなる度

大人になる気がする 

知ってしまったこの味が癖になりそうよ 

秘密の放課後

--つづく--

 Miku @ Shiori

  Kaai @ Huey

   Rin @ Shino

Meiko @ Taryn

Gumi @ Molly

             Miki @ Maro Ch (me)

   Lily @ Sumire

                Iroha @ Akihko Michaelis

      Luka @ Kaien Yuu

photo thx Lee Mazaki, Rin YR, Sam, Kazuki

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I didn't manage to finish up the lyrics this time... so "つづく" =w=. There's only 2 days left of my CNY holiday, so I was rushing on photos that I could settled at the moment while I still have freedom left. 

Secret time after school reminds me of Sailormoon op. Though they don't really resemble, but it did have that era's music, very the anime feel~ Couldn't said that I were fancied or had love for the song since I only heard twice before I doing this photoshoot, and just slightly glance through the lyrics... and got completely mistaken of the meaning.... OTL .. my bad....

The most complicated part of this Miki was the wig. I was thinking to get a Miki wig but I can't find any suitable for this version. The colour was quite extraordinary, pale orangy pink. After searching for some time in TB, I gave up and decided to dye myself. I used a light pink wig and paint with orange fabric dye. Wig became quite coarse and easily tangled after that though, have to ion it frequently and wig spray was not helping at all. Fabric dye method somehow gives kind of a fluorescence (might due to the dye color too), but it tends to stain on cloths, though the color stays. At least a better method than pastel chalk, I tried the first time and its not recommended as the colors really drop, and it won't stay long enough and very messy. I was satisfied with the end product, the color was just nice though it destroy the wig. 

For the antenna, I stick extra hair that I cut off after trimming the wig on a wire to maintain the hook shape of Miki's antenna. Normal water glue served as a very nice adhesive agent to fix the hair in shape, though the first layer required UHU to fix on the wire. I think it looked better after I shaped again when I attended the event Danny Choo cultural night in Paragon, Penang (pic below).  

photo thx Rin YR

Although I don't like asking for tailor as I feel better and more secure to make costume myself, this uniform didn't piss me off though. It's tailored from Kuroneko's mum, and it fits perfectly on me, the craft was just perfect. She charged reasonably as well so feel free to order from her if interested (pm for details). 

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