Designing from Plaster to Pixels

To ensure that elaborate headpieces, wigs, and masks perfectly fit the heads of performers, extensive 3D scans are taken of a performer’s head and later printed out of a special material known as RenShape.

An array of dots are placed across a performer’s head and neck, creating a grid that allows a handheld scanner to triangulate the volume, depth, and nuances of their features. This informs the fabrication process, in which all headwear is custom-made to a performer’s measurements.

The scanning process takes minutes. Having a comprehensive database of the 3D scans of performer’s heads allows artists to refabricate pieces as needed, without having to start from scratch or rely on the performer’s availability.

Previously, Cirque du Soleil utilized plaster molds in the fabrication process of headwear. This process would typically take hours.

A performer’s head is wrapped in plastic and taped down, extensive measurements are taken, Vaseline is placed over eyebrows and eyelashes, and plaster is poured over their head. During this process, a performer breathes through two small holes around their nostrils, often resulting in a feeling of anxiety and claustrophobia.