Hi! Christina here.
 Welcome
to graduation haircutting. Graduated haircuts are also known as wedge
shapes or 45º angles.
I am going to tell you about the design elements and principles required
to create a range of graduated haircuts. This knowledge will help you
answer questions such as:
- What is graduation?
- How do you recognise a graduated haircut?
- How does distribution affect graduated haircuts?
- What are the techniques used for cutting graduation?
You will need to join this information with the actual skills of cutting
in the salon or classroom.
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Simon Divitaris
Biba for Hair
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The graduated haircut appears to have a smooth, unactivated top
over the curve of the head with an activated or rough area underneath.
All the layers of hair under the weight line sit with the ends
stacked on top of each other creating the graduated textured appearance.
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There is an increase in lengths from the exterior to the interior
which finishes at a given point part the way up the head in a weight
line, usually somewhere between the hairline and the crest area
of the head.
When all the lengths fall with gravity, the lengths from the top
will fall smooth over the curve of the head down to the weight line.
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Sectioning and parting patterns for graduation may be horizontal
or variations of diagonal
and the fingers holding the hair to be cut would be parallel to
the sectioning pattern. You may also section the hair vertically,
but the fingers holding the hair to be cut would be diagonal.
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All sections on and above the crest area are brought down to this
45º lifted section on the crest, as shown. Note the finger
and scissor position.
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By combing the hair at right angles, or perpendicular to it's diagonal
base parting and cutting; this is called perpendicular distribution.
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Hints for Cutting a Graduation Structure
Graduation cuts can be created using several means:
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45º projection
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- By lifting the hair at varying degrees out from the head between
0º and 90º and cutting.
- Graduations can be accentuated creating pressure with your fingers
and cutting comb.
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- By shifting the hair away from its natural fall when cutting
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Finger and scissors technique
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The head position is usually upright, but may be tilted providing you
know what result you will achieve.
When cutting graduation, the back of the hand holding the scissors should
be facing you, and the palm of the hand holding the hair to be cut is
facing you.
The amount of graduation, and the shape of the graduation,
would be decided during the consultation about the hairstyle with the
client.
Taper
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Haircut showing taper area
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A taper is a very short graduation that would normally
be cut on the back and/or sides of the head and is mostly used in
men's hair cuts. It has a degree of transparency where you can see
the scalp through the hair.
The width of the taper band is usually decided during
the consultation when discussing the hair style with the client.
For more information about tapers, go to: Men's
Cuts
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back to introduction
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