M: Flat layers on side and long in front..

Summary:


1. High horse shoe shaped parting


2.Vertical sections on sides cut flat


3. Connect sides and back to top


See post " Transitioning side to top in men's haircuts "



4. Slide cut the top so the hair flows back

5. Trim hairline





1. High horse shoe shaped parting


Make a horse shoe shaped parting starting at the front hairline at the deepest part of the recession area. It should be horizontal with the floor.

2.Vertical sections on sides cut flat
Vertical sections are taken going from the horse shoe shaped parting to the hairline beneath. The length of hair in the section is measured at its top. The hair at the top should just reach the top of the parietal ridge when it falls. This is typically less than 2 inches.


The hair is cut flat with the wall. This means it is cut straight up and down from the floor to the ceiling.


See the accompanying figure. In the figure you can see that the hair at the top of the vertical section is longest at the top of the section. This is because the head shape is curving away from the cutting line. As you come down the cutting line the head shape get closer and closer to the cutting line until it reaches the closest point to the cutting line at the peak of the parietal ridge.


Because the hair is longest at the top of the section, this hair will add the most weight to the area above the parietal ridge. Each hair below the top is slightly shorter and will also add weight, but the weight will not fall as far because the hair is shorter. The effect is to give hair build up above the parietal ridge. At the parietal ridge the hair is shortest and will contribute less weight.






Below the parietal ridge the hair length again increases as the head shape curves away from the cutting line and more toward the neck. This increase in length gives more weight below the parietal ridge.


The overall effect of the flat layering is to add weight above and below the parietal ridge. This give the head shape smoothness and uniformity.

In the back of the head, the method is the same. The vertical sections are cut to the same flat line from ceiling to floor.


Vertical sections are taken all around the head under the horse shoe shaped parting.


3. Connect sides and back to top

In the video I am watching, the method for connecting the sides and back to the top involved taking center to side sections on top of the head. If the horse shoe shaped parting was lost in making the center part on top of the head, it is worthwhile to re do it. This gives a good outline for the range of the center to side sections. The horse shoe shaped parting can be done a little lower on the sides to include a small part of the vertical sections that were cut on the sides. These will be the guide for connecting the sides to the top.




The demonstration took two center to side sections starting behind the ear. Each was picked up on a slant so that the part of the section near the middle of the head had longer hair and the hair near the sides was shorter. The hair was pulled to be nearly vertical from floor to ceiling where it was cut to the guide from the vertical section.

It is not clear why two sections were taken in this manner instead of just one.



After this all the rest of the hair in front of the second section was over directed back and cut to the guide established in the second section. This will leave the hair on the top and in the front very long if this is what your client wants.

The same thing is done on the other side starting from behind the ear and working forward.

In the back the same method is used as in the first two sections taken behind the ears. These are vertical sections cut flat with the wall or cut flat with a vertical line from ceiling to floor.


4. Slide cut the top so the hair flows back


Slide cutting works the same way point cutting works by making part of the hair shorter so it can push the longer hair in the desired direction .


In point cutting you cut from the ends of the hair to the middle of the hair length. In slide cutting you cut from the middle of the hair to the end.


In point cutting the handles of the shears are going in the direction of desired flow and the points are going in the direction opposite the flow . In slide cutting the handles of the shears come from the direction the flow starts and the points go in the direction of the flow.

In point cutting the shear handles are high from the scalp and the points are closer. In slide cutting, the handles of the shears are close to the scalp and the points are further away.


In both slide cutting and point cutting, sections are taken along the path of the desired hair flow.

In this demonstration the slide cutting is to make the hair flow back. A central section is taken on top of the head and slide cutting is done by starting at the back of this section. Pieces are taken and slide cut from front to back on what looks like about 45 degrees with a removal of more than two inches where the slide cutting starts. It goes to no removal at the back of the section piece.
Following the central section on top, sections are taken on either side and the slide cutting is repeated in the desired direction. For example side sections may be more directed to the center and back.

5. Trim hairline


Trim hairline with low graduation or leave the length at the hairline and reduce weight at the end so it lies smoothly on the skin. This can also be done with slide cutting the hair from inside the hairline to the hairline.




Review AC Square
On another viewing of the horse shoe shaped parting, it looks like it goes down slightly in the back of the head.

Finishing the top of men's haircut

Men's haircuts can be thought of as:


1. Cut side


2. Cut back


3. Cut other side


4. Connect sides and back to top
See post " Transitioning side to top in men's haircuts "

5. Finish the top.

This post is about step 5.

Flat across the top



The easiest way to finish the top is to take side to side sections across the top of the head. A horse shoe shaped section at the top of the head will help you see the boundaries for the side to side sections. This horse shoe shaped section should be low enough to include some of the connection areas from sides and back. The side to side sections will then be inside the horse shoe shaped section.


These sections will go from the connection area above the parietal ridge on one side to the connection area on the other side. The length of the hair in the connection areas on the sides will be the guide for the hair in the side to side sections.



Comb the hair in the side to side sections straight up and cut them flat with the ceiling. This is the simplest finishing of the top. It goes pretty well with most men's haircuts whether or not the sides were cut with shears or clippers. It can be used with short haircuts and with longer ones.



Because of the roundness of the head from side to side, cutting flat across the top means the hair in the middle of the top of the head is shorter compared to the hair on the sides of the top of the head. The short hair in the middle will push the hair to the sides away from the middle. This follows the sacred law that "short pushes long."


This can be useful for squaring up a man's haircut. The hair pushed to the sides will fill in the space above the parietal ridge making it less rounded.



Round across the top from side to side


For heads where the hair on top is thinning, instead of cutting the side to side sections flat with the ceiling, cut them convex. This means the center part of the section is left longer than the sides. It is achieved by cutting the hair so it follows the curvature of the head from side to side. This will make the hair longer in the middle compared to cutting it flat with the ceiling.


For more thinning on top, the curvature of the head can be exaggerated so that the hair is a good bit longer in the middle.



Some curvature at the top can be good. Too much curvature will leave the center hairs with too much length and this can weigh down the overall shape on top.



Directing the hair with point cutting



This method is usually done after the hair on top has been evened out in one of the first two steps above.

The hair on the top can be made to flow in any direction by using point cutting. For example if you can make the hair flow toward the face. Take sections on top of the head from back to front. Comb the hair in these sections straight up to the ceiling and cut angled teeth into the perimeter of the hair. The shears are held handles up toward the front of the head and points down toward the back of the section and the head. You hold the shears about 45 degrees to the scalp and cut 1/2 inch notches in sections that are about 2 inches long. The short end of the tooth will be to the back and the long part of the tooth will be to the front. Start in the back and cut successive notches or teeth toward the front. The short ends of the notches will push the long ends forward.

Directing the hair with slide cutting

This method is usually done after the hair on top has been evened out in one of the first two steps above.

Slide cutting works the same way point cutting works by making part of the hair shorter so it can push the longer hair in the desired direction .

In point cutting you cut from the ends of the hair to the middle of the hair length. In slide cutting you cut from the middle of the hair to the end.

In point cutting the handles of the shears are going in the direction of desired flow and the points are going in the direction opposite the flow . In slide cutting the handles of the shears come from the direction the flow starts and the points go in the direction of the flow.

In point cutting the shear handles are high from the scalp and the points are closer. In slide cutting, the handles of the shears are close to the scalp and the points are further away.

In both slide cutting and point cutting, sections are taken along the path of the desired hair flow.



The same methods can be used for any desired flow direction. Just take sections in the scalp in the direction you want the hair to flow. If you want the hair to flow to the right eye, take sections across the head from the back left to the right front. Cut the teeth/notches so the scissors are about 45 degrees from the scalp and the points are in the direction opposite of the desired flow. The handles of the shears would be elevated and going to the right eye. The points are going back to the left back of the head top. This can also be done by slide cutting from back left to front right.





This method works because "short pushes long." It will not work to cut notches and teeth at the ends of very long hair because short hair will not be anchored to the scalp from which it could push.

Transitioning side to top in men's haircuts

This is for haircuts that are started on the sides and then transitioned to the top before finishing the top. This assumes the sides have been cut and that the top of the sides will be the guide for the transition to the top of the head.


First a little on placing the boundaries of the parietal ridge before cutting the sides. This is important because it determines the guide for the transition from side to the top.

The parietal ridge is used to define how the sides will be cut. This defines how high or how low the guide for the transition to the top will be.



In the figure notice how the front hairline gives some ideas about the placement of the parts for the top and bottom of the parietal ridge. See how the upper and lower boundaries seem to bracket the pointed part of the hairline in the front.



Another method is to use your fingers to feel the parietal ridge as it slopes away from the center of the head starting about 1/2 inch above the ear attachment. About an inch above the level of the eyebrow you can feel the slope diminish as the surface starts to curve to the center of the head.

In placing the boundaries of the parietal ridge check both sides of the head and look at the back of the head.

In some people the parietal ridge is prominent and may need more hair to cover it and to smooth the head shape. In others it is nearly flat and may need some weight placement where it is expected so that the head looks more normal.





The prominence of the parietal ridge can vary from side to side so that a big parietal ridge on one side and a less prominent one on the other can be balanced with hair weight placement on the small side. The design can then make the head shape appear to be more symmetrical.





Figuring out how high and how low to define the parietal ridge for a specific hair cut is important. Many clients will not be able to say the ridge was poorly designed for them. They will be able to say they like it better when the layering on the side goes higher or stays lower. It seems that developing a good eye for the shape needed to perfect the head shape is a key. Once this is seen the placement of the parietal ridge boundaries becomes clearer. This in turns determines the guide for transitioning to the top.


A lower top parting along the parietal ridge allows for more weight build up above the part. A higher parting along the parietal ridge limits the weight build up above the part. With the lower parting there is more longer hair reaching the area above the parting.




The idea is not to physically identify the parietal ridge. The idea is to see where approximate boundaries can help you design for a more pleasing head shape.




For more weight along the corner between the top of the parietal ridge and the top of the head, longer hair will be cut in the transition to the top. For less weight, shorter hair lengths are used.



Decide if you are looking for a lot of weight, a moderate amount of weight, or less weight in this transition from the side to the top. A lot weight and length will be used if the sides are left long and if more hair is needed above the parietal ridge to give a good head shape there. Putting weight above the parietal ridge, gives this area a square look which some men prefer.


a. For a lot of weight, take sections parallel to and above the parietal ridge and comb them down to the guide cut at the top of the sides. By combing these sections down you preserve the length in them and you create weight.


b. For moderate weight, take sections parallel to the parietal ridge. Comb these sections straight out from the head at the level of the part. Comb the guide, cut at the top of the sides, up to the section and cut. By combing the section straight out, you effectively elevate the hair compared to what was done by combing the hair down to the guide. This shortens the length of the hair in the parallel section compared to the length left in a. above. This leaves less weight.




c. For even less weight in the transition, take sections from the center of the head to the top of the side. These sections are perpendicular to the parietal ridge.





Start behind the ear. Comb the section up and to the side of the head. Hold the hair with the fingers pointing down just behind the ear. The palm of the holding hand will be facing the scalp. Stand in back for cutting the right side and in front for cutting the left side if you are right handed. Cut to follow the head shape from the guide on the side to the top of the section.





The guide is found at the top of the side.





By combing the section in this way, the hair closer to the center of the head is elevated higher than the hair closer to the side of the head. When this section is cut, the hair closer to the center is shorter than in a. or b. above. This reduces the weight at the corner that runs above and parallel to the parietal ridge.





This type of sectioning allows a good range of weights in the transition from the top of the parietal ridge to the top of the head.


The most weight is placed there by combing the section from the center to the side so that the fingers holding the section are pulled all the way to the side of the head and they are vertical to the floor.


The least weight is by holding the section so it is cut to follow the head shape.



Intermediate weights in the transition area are done by first having the holding fingers hold the section vertical to the floor and then leaning the top of the section more to the center of the head. The further the top is leaned to the center the shorter the hair coming from the center will be. This will reduce the weight and allow for fine tuning of the design shape.


If the transition if started behind the ear, work forward and see if the front should be directed back in the transition area to leave length.





The back is transitioned the same way with the emphasis on weight placement while avoiding cutting whorls and cowlicks too short.




A lot of weight would be useful for squaring up a head with too much of a slant going from the side to the top.





Less weight could be helpful for rounding a head shape in the transition area. This might be helpful for a square head shape that does not need to have the squareness accentuated.



The emphasis in this note is on how much hair is left above the parietal ridge in transitioning from the side to the top. Once this is done, the amount of hair left on top of the head is determined. This will be done in a later post.

M: med, shear, side graduation..

In this haircut the sides are cut with graduation. Sides and back are connected to the top and the top is evened.

Summary:

1. Horse shoe shaped parting at top of parietal ridge

2. Take vertical sections below the horse shoe shaped parting

3. Connect the sides and back to the top

4. Even out the top

5. Use clipper over comb to refine the low graduation and the hairline.


1. Horse shoe shaped parting at top of parietal ridge

Make a horse shoe shaped parting at the top of the parietal ridge. This is where the pointed part of the front hairline reaches back before starting to curve up more vertically.

See the post entitled "Transitioning side to top in men's haircuts" for more on how to look at the boundaries of the parietal section. This is an important post to study because it will be used in most men's haircuts.

2. Take vertical sections below the horse shoe shaped parting

Start at the front hair line and take vertical sections. Check the top of the section to see the length is long enough to cover most of the parietal ridge. This is about two inches. The bottom of the section is long enough to keep the scalp from being seen through the hair. This is about a finger's thickness or 1/2". Cut these sections with the fingers up and slanting from the top out about 2 inches , and the bottom about 1/2" from the scalp. Fingers at top of section are off the scalp to give the desired length and the knuckles at the bottom of the section rest on the head.

The slant of the fingers away from the top of the head and closer at the bottom creates the graduation.

In the back below the occipital bone the top of the fingers are close to the scalp and the knuckles near the hand are moved away from the nape to keep the angle consistent with the top of the section. At the very bottom of the nape the angle of graduation is increased by bringing the knuckles near the hand closer to the scalp at the nape hairline.

Continue around the head to the front hairline at the other side with vertical sections pulled to 90 degrees and with the fingers following the angle of graduation.

Check to see the hair pieces fall in the palm as the hair is cut palm to palm. This will help to check the fingers are straight up and down as they hold the section.



These vertical sections can be cross checked with horizontal sections. Take these horizontal sections below the horse shoe shaped parting. I do this by starting at the top and taking a section close to the horse shoe parting. I work around the head at one horizontal height and then come back and take another horizontal section below the first and again go around the head. This helps to correct any inconsistencies in my sectioning and following the guide. ( Ideally this cross checking is just to polish up the already cut hair by removing small inconsistencies. ) Cross checking can be done every few vertical sections to be sure you are not wandering into a longer length or a shorter length as you go around the head.



3. Connect the sides and back to the top
In this cut the connection from sides to top is done with front to back sections taken at the horse shoe shaped parting. The first section is just inside the horse shaped parting. It is combed straight out toward the wall on that side of the head. It is directed onto the length cut in the vertical sections. The next section is closer to the middle top of the head and it is also directed down onto the previously cut section. Directing the hair down to the previous section leaves it a little longer and heavier. Continue sections to the middle of the top and then do the same on the other side of the top of the head.

Connecting the top to the back is done by taking side to side sections at the back of the horse shoe shaped parting. These are combed directly back and cut to the length at the top of the vertical sections that had been cut at the back. This demonstration divided the back into three sections. There are sections going to the corners of the back of the head and there is a third section going straight back to the wall behind the client's head.

See the post entitled "Transitioning side to top in men's haircuts." Study this post.

4. Even out the top

Reestablish the horse shoe parting at the top of the parietal ridge. Take sections within the horse shoe shaped parting that run between the legs of the horse shoe shaped parting. These will be sections between the sides of the head.

The sections within the horse shoe shaped parting can be cut in a number of ways.

The easiest is to just cut them flat across the top parallel to the ceiling. The guides are at the ends of the sections. The guide lengths are the lengths cut in step 3. above.

Another way to cut these top sections is to cut them convex. In this method the hair in the section is cut more to follow the roundness of the top of the head. This will make the hair in the middle of the head longer than the guides at the end. This can give more hair in the middle if it is needed. In this method, if there is a lot of thinning, the roundness of the head can be exaggerated for even more bulk on top.

For both of these methods, start at the back of the horse shoe shaped parting and work forward. When the recession area is reached, these sections can be over directed back to leave more length and weight in the recession area.

5. Finish with clipper over comb and scissor over comb to refine the graduation near the hairline.

Review AC Graduated

W: Face framing, graduation on one length

The haircut begins with a one length haircut. The demonstration presented the one length that is square to one length in the back and has a slightly increasing perimeter length on the side from the ear forward. This is described in a previous note.



This haircut involves framing the face in front. Face framing in this case is cutting a round perimeter to the front of the haircut. This means the perimeter in the front is shortest at the center and gets progressively longer toward the ears.



The face framing is a more extensive use of the technique used in cutting bangs.

As the sections for the face framing are done they are combed forward and elevated to 45 degrees at the front of the face.



Summary

One length haircut

Center part

Diagonal back part from center part to ear on each side

Comb forward of face and hold at 45 degree elevation from the face

Cut across the section making an angle of 45 degrees across the hair section

From center part now make pivoting back sections and cut to the guide



One length haircut

1. Do a one length haircut as described in previous note(s).



Center part

2. Make a center part from forehead to nape.



Diagonal back part from center part to ear on each side

3. Take diagonal back section from about one inch in on the center part to the top of the ear. This should be deep enough to be sure it includes hair from behind the recession area.



Comb forward of face and hold at 45 degree elevation from the face

4. Pull this section forward and keep the holding fingers parallel to the part. Now elevate from the head so it is 45 degrees from the front of the face. To do this think of the face as flat in front and put an end of the comb on the space between the eyes. The other end of the comb will now point at 90 degrees. Lower the section down 45 degrees from the way the comb points.



Cut across the section making an angle of 45 degrees across the hair section

5. Hold the section at:

the desired length,

the correct elevation,

with the holding fingers parallel to the part.



6. Cut along the fingers across the section. This should be about 45 degrees across the hair in the section. It will be necessary to break this up into pieces as it is too long for one cutting.

When the cut section falls watch the angle it makes with the face. It can be aimed at a facial landmark like the chin, lips or nose. This can be modified by changing the angle cut across the section. This will help it to fit the face better by opening up or closing the hair around the face.


7. Repeat 3. to 6. on the other side and check to see they are balanced in length and angle.



From center part now make pivoting back sections and cut to the guide

8. Repeated pivoting sections are now taken on each side.



The demonstration showed pivoting sections going back. Each section will have more hair that is combed to the side as the sections go back. This hair is also elevated to 45 degrees from the side and cut to the guide from the previous section.

Pivoting sections continue until the center parting is met.



( Alternative parting: Hair in the back of the head is not cut. This means that a part could have been made from the crown to behind the ears to separate the back from the front. The pivoting sections then need not go any further back than the part from the crown to the ears. )


What I don't understand: where graduation comes into this. I suspect it is related to the sections being elevated to 45 degrees.

W: One length, below shoulders, longer to front of shoulder

This is a variation on the standard one length and the triangular one length. The back is cut square at one length and the side is cut with the hair directed to the back to give a progressively longer length from the shoulder to the front.





1. Take a center part from forehead to nape.


2. Take diagonal forward part from occipital bone to mid ear level on each side.


3. Comb to natural fall and hold with comb in the back. Cut flat with the floor.


4. Take next sections from the tops of the ears to the crown on a line parallel with the first parting.


5. Comb down to previous guide in back and cut to guide.


6. Next section is made with a horse shoe shaped part at upper crown and directed slightly diagonal forward.


7. Comb the back down and cut to the previous guide.


8. Comb side down and over direct over the shoulder to the back outside the back hair and cut to the guide in back.


9. Repeat on other side.


10. Continue with horse shoe shaped partings up to the center parting.


11. Back is combed straight down and sides are over directed back and over shoulder outside the back section.

The design gives a flat perimeter in the back and a perimeter of slightly increasing length as the hair comes forward of the shoulder.



(The same effect could be done with the horse shoe shaped part broken into two parts. The first would go from the top crown to a line from the apex to behind the ear. The second part would be from the line from behind the ear to the front hairline. The first section, in the back, would be combed down the back and cut to the guide. The second section ,on the side, would be over directed back over the shoulder and cut to the guide. )

M: Sides short with free hand clipper..

This haircut has very short sides down low transitioning to short near the top. The basic structure of the hair cut is similar to recent posts. The main difference is that the lowest parts of the haircut near the hair lines are cut with a free hand clipper technique.

Summary:

1. Clipper on the sides and back 11:20 minutes with lots of refining.

2. Connect side to top with vertical sections 5 min

3. Even up the top 2 min

4. Finish



1. Clipper on the sides

This cut was prepared for by checking the hair growth all over and by looking for unusual bone patterns that could protrude through the short hair.

The hair was also prepared by trimming off excessive weight on the sides so the clipper can easily get into the hair to cut it. This was done with a clipper over comb technique which left the hair below the parietal ridge about 1.5 inches long.

Make a horse shoe shaped parting starting at the deepest part of the recession area and slightly lower in the crown area. It is not clear to me why this is not completely horizontal with the floor all around the head instead of going down slightly in the back. It is not clear whether this would make any difference.

They use an 01 blade for this haircut. If you are using guards, a number 1 guard is close.

Starting in the sideburn area the hair is cut free hand up to the bottom of the parietal ridge. The clipper is placed flat against the skin and slowly pushed into the hair. As it advances the teeth of the blade are gradually tipped away from the scalp creating a low taper to where the parietal ridge starts to round away from the side. This is also the place on the side hairline where the hair reaches the furthest forward.
There is another taper cut into the first section. As the clipper blade goes up from the bottom hairline in the sideburn it is tipped away from the scalp to the side and it is tipped away from the back of the head toward the front hairline. This gives a taper going up the head that is also tapered to a shorter length at the front hairline. Later sections are also tapered to the front hairline until reaching the ear where the taper to the front is stopped.
This taper is short enough that the scalp can be seen through the hair.

Above this taper the hair is cut clipper over comb up to the horse shoe shaped part. The length at this part is a little less than an inch.


The demonstration uses vertical sections and gets one finished and correct before starting the second. The effect is to start each section with free hand clipper work and to end it with clipper over comb.

Clipper over comb is used to blend the two areas by removing the inconsistencies where they meet.

Around the ear, the top of the clipper blade is tipped away from the scalp and the bottom of the blade is near the ear. This allows only the side of the clipper closest to the ear to enter the hair. The blade is held at an angle to match the taper that was cut free hand.

In the back of the head, the free hand work is again started at the hair line and tapered away from the head before reaching the rounding of the occipital bone. Above this clipper over comb is used up to the horse shoe shaped part. The hair above the occipital bone and below the horse shoe shaped parting is longer than the hair below this part on the sides. This is because the crown area slopes away from the part more than the sides do.

These techniques are continued to the front hair line on the client's left side.

The demonstration then uses a lot of time using clipper over comb and shear over comb blending all the hair cut so far.

2. Connect side to top with vertical sections

A center part is made on the top of the head. Sections are then taken from the center part to the side of the head. The sections go from the center part on top to the side. These sections are lifted and pulled to the side of the head and cut perpendicular to the floor using the guide cut in the clipper over comb work on the sides.

They start this from behind the ear and work to the front.

The same technique is used around the head shape. In the back the hair is combed back from the apex area and it is cut using the same technique and guide.

3. Even up the top

Reestablish the original horse shoe shaped parting.

Take sections across the horse shoe shaped section from one long side to the other starting at the back curve of this parting. Elevate these to 90 degrees and cut to the guides at each end.

4. Finish

They do a lot of blending with shear over comb and clipper over comb in the finish.

The hard parts of this haircut are learning how to do free hand clipper work and learning how to patiently do clipper over comb and shear over comb.

(Another way to get this result on the sides is to use a guard or replaceable blade that cuts the hair as long as you want at the horse shoe shaped part. In this case this would be in the 3/4 inch to 1 inch length. Cut vertical sections with this blade from hair line to horse shoe shaped parting. Go around the head. Use a 1 inch guard as an example.

Now use a guard or blade that cuts 1/2 of this length. Cut the vertical sections again starting at the hair line and going up 1/2 the distance to the horse shoe shaped parting. Then begin to rock the blade/guard away from the scalp to smoothly connect it to the original length at the top in a smooth taper. Use a 1/2 inch guard as an example.

Next use a guard/blade that cuts 1/2 the length of the second blade and cut the vertical sections again. Go up 1/4 of the original distance and then taper to connect to the point at 1/2 the original distance. Use a 1/4 inch guard as an example.

Finally use a 1/8 inch blade and start at the hair line and cut a smooth taper into the 1/4 inch area.

Now the hair can be blended as above and steps 2, 3, and 4 can be done also. )

Review AC clippered linear
This is important part 2.
In refining the cut hair, a clipper over comb with vertical strokes is used. In a previous post, it was mentioned that the comb was used to establish the correct angle for the refinement. The clipper heel was placed on the spine of the clipper comb and the teeth of the clipper blade was move up parallel to the teeth of the comb. In this demonstration, this is modified some. The heel of the clipper blade is placed on the spine of the comb but one end of the heel is lifted up. This gives the blade position which more closely fits the hair as the head rounds beneath it.
When using a regular cutting comb or a barber's comb the comb is too narrow to put the heel on the spine of the comb. Here the teeth of the blade are placed on the teeth of the comb.

M: Sides clipper, top shears..

This haircut gives a shape that follows the head form on the sides and gives a top that is moderate to short in length. The hair on the side is left long enough to cover the scalp.

Summary:
1. Cut the sides using clipper over comb techniques. This took 10:21 minutes to do the sides and back in the demonstration
2. Transition the sides and back to the top with shears. This took 5:48 minutes.
3. Even out the top with shears. This took 3:45 minutes.
4. Finish as desired with clipper and shears. This took 2:50 minutes
These times are important to give relative times to be expected in this haircut. For example, in a previous post the finish time was as long as the time for the first three steps.



1. Cut the sides using clipper over comb techniques

Make a horse shoe parting at the top of the parietal ridge. The part is horizontal to the floor all the way around.

A clipper comb is used for this part of the haircut. There are a number of these available by different manufacturers. They are mostly in the 8 to 9 inches range of length. Their widths are
1.5 to 2 inches. The width of the combs is to give a wider platform to keep the clipper from slipping off.


Some have a distinctive handle which is to allow for easier tipping of the comb away from the scalp to just the right angle. For this activity the handle can be held between the first two fingers.

Clipper combs are frequently used by putting the spine of the comb on the scalp and tipping the teeth away from the scalp. This allows the hair to be cut at an angle to the scalp. This angle is commonly the angle the head shape takes under the comb. Following this angle allows you to create a head shape that will cover imperfections in the head form by cutting the hair to the same length over the problem areas. The comb can also be held away from the scalp and used for blending longer lengths. Typically the end of the comb is used to comb through hair that has already been cut to find a guide. The other end of the comb near the handle then holds hair that needs to be cut to the length in the guide. Position the comb so it is parallel to the head form and cut from the guide into the uncut hair.



First remove length to get general shape. Second remove small irregularities.

In this part of the haircut the clipper comb is used to remove length from the hair and to give a relatively smooth surface where the hair has been cut. If there are still imperfections in the cut surface they are much shorter than the originally removed length. These are addressed in the same way by combing through the hair with the clipper comb and looking for any slight protrusions through the comb teeth. These can be cut by moving the clipper along the comb length or by moving the clipper in the direction of the comb teeth in a small up and down rocking action.


Because clipper combs are long and wide they don't allow for very close work in finishing a haircut. For finishing, the clipper is used over a regular cutting comb or a barber's comb.

In this demonstration the cut is started in the front right hair line just in front of the ear. It is not clear why this location is chosen. It seems it could also be started in the middle back of the nape at the hair line which is more accessible.

This demonstration uses a replaceable 01 blade on the clipper for the clipper over comb technique. This blade cuts at 2.4 mm length and is close to the number one guard which cuts at 3 mm. I think this blade is used to give some room for mistakes. It you slip off the comb with this 01 blade you may not get to the scalp. ( As an aside is that Andis literature recommends the 0A blade for clipper over comb work. This cuts at 1.2 mm. It seems that any length can be used. If you cut with a blade or guard which leaves more length you may get a greater margin for error).

Starting at either front hair line or in the nape, the comb is placed horizontal to the floor with the the teeth pointing up into the hair. The spine is placed at the hair line. The teeth are tipped away from the scalp to follow the head shape going up. The clippers are then pushed horizontally across the comb cutting the hair at the comb.



For a low taper, you may find this one cut is enough. For a higher taper, as in this haircut, continue as below.


The comb is then moved up the scalp to where the last section stopped and it is tipped away so that the last part of the cut hair (the guide) is even with the comb and the uncut hair comes through the comb teeth. The comb is adjusted to keep the guide in place and to have the teeth of the comb follow the head form.



These sections are continued up the head to where you want to put the weight. In this demonstration, the taper is continued up to just below the horse shoe shaped parting where about an inch of length is left. It will take some judgment to see how to aim for this inch of length above the occipital bone as the head surface curves to the front.

This finishes the first vertical section going up the head and reflecting the shape of the cut.

New vertical sections are then taken by placing an end of the comb in the cut section at the hair line and using it as a guide for the new section. These are continued around the head to give even shape to the haircut below the horse shoe shaped parting.

2. Transition the sides and back to the top with shears

The sections for the transition are taken parallel to the long sides of the horse shoe shaped parting. These extend from the front hairline to the back of the horse shoe shaped parting.

These sections are pulled on a level at the same height as their partings and are cut to the guide below.

Further sections are taken parallel to the first and closer to the middle of the head. As the head curves up in the middle each section will be slightly higher than the previous section. It will be cut on a level at the same height as its parting using the guide from the previous section below.

These sections continue to the middle of the head and then you do the same on the opposite side of the head.

At the back of the head a similar technique is used. Some prefer to divide the back into three planes with the center plane being straight back. To the sides of the center planes side planes are pulled to 90 degrees from the round of the head where the side meets the back.

Transitions with this type of sectioning is to give moderate length and weight.

3. Even out the top with shears

To start this, reestablish the original horse shoe parting.

Sections are then taken across the top of the head within the horse shoe parting. These are elevated straight up and cut flat with the ceiling above. The guide is from the short pieces on the ends of the sections.

There are number of ways the top can be cut for more length and texture.

4. Finish as desired with clipper and shears



Condensate

Relatively short on side but not taking it to the scalp.

Transition to top with and inch or two of length.

Review AC clippered weight
In refining the clipper over comb cut hair, this stylist uses a wide clipper comb with a rounded spine. She inserts the comb into the hair with the teeth pointed up the vertical section. The clipper is inserted from the spine of the comb pointing up the vertical section. It looks like the clipper blade is parallel to the teeth of the but not on the teeth. Because the clipper is resting on the spine of the clipper comb, the teeth of the clipper blade can be parallel to the teeth of the comb while not touching the comb. Once the alignment of the comb teeth and clipper teeth is in place, the blade of the clipper is slid up on the spine of the comb to cut any hair that protrudes beyond the teeth of the comb at the height of the clipper blade.
This is important. It keeps the clipper firmly attached to the spine of the clipper comb and should reduce the wavering of the clipper blade from closer to further away from the scalp. This gives a smoother over all finish to the hair.

Transitioning the sides and back to the top could as easily be cut with clipper over fingers or clipper over comb.

Take a look at the times above for the different parts. The time for finishing is way down from the previous post in which the finish time was very long and equalled the time for the first three parts of the haircut. Here the finish time is much quicker because a lot of the finishing was done the same time the clipper over comb gross cutting was done. When a section or two of the gross cutting was completed, the stylist went back and refined the cut hair. This could have been done altogether at the end if preferred.

M: Short flat layers side, medium height top, finish..

This haircut follows the same pattern as presented in the last couple of posts: Long on top, flat layers on sides, and Long hair with layers side and top.

These all start with a horse shoe shaped parting. The height of the parting either on the parietal ridge, above the ridge, or on in the flattest part of the head above the recession area will be changed depending on the desired weight placement.

Under the horse shoe parting, vertical sections are taken. In this haircut the side sections will be shorter than the two mentioned above. This haircut leaves relatively short hair on the sides and back. The head should not have protruding areas that will poke through this coverage.

The transition from sides and back to top will be with vertical sections in this cut.

Summary

1. Flat layers on sides and back
2. Transition from sides to top with vertical sections
3. Even the top area
4. Finish as desired


1. Flat layers on sides and back
Make a high horse shoe shaped parting starting at the deepest part of the recession area. It should be horizontal to the floor and continue around to the deepest part of the recession area on the other side.

Below the horse shaped parting take vertical sections and pull so that the top most piece in the section covers about half of the parietal ridge when it is cut and allowed to fall. In the video I watched this length was about 1 inch long.

Continue vertical sections through this side, through the back, and to the front hair line on the other side.
Cut the vertical sections from the horse shoe parting to the hair line.


The demo showed cutting vertical sections palm to palm with left hand fingers holding the hair and the fingers pointing up. I have cut these sections palm to palm and over hand. The over hand for this is to have the left hand fingers holding the hair and the fingers pointing down with the palm facing the scalp. I suspect that being skilled in both ways would help.

2. Transition from sides to top with vertical sections
Make a center part on the top of the head.

Starting behind the ear comb a section across the head from the center part to the side.

At the side pick up the hair that was cut in the vertical sections on the sides.



The hair from the top is pulled to be vertical to the floor and cut to the guide from the vertical sections on the side.

Continue to make these transition cuts toward the front hairline.

Hair in the recession area can be over directed back to keep length and weight.

Go behind the ear and pull and cut the hair in the same way. Go through back and other side of the head.

3. Even the top area

Re part the original horse shoe part from deepest recession on one side to the other.

Take sections across the horse shoe shape from side to side.
Pull these to 90 degrees from the top and cut flat with the ceiling using the hair cut in the transition cutting as the guide.
Can also cut these with convex layers where the hair in the middle is left longer if the hair it thin on top.

In the recession area the hair can be over directed to the previous section if needed.

4. Finish as desired> About half the time of this haircut was used to finish this haircut.
They used a clipper over comb low taper. This was used to put in a taper and to then smooth it with a fanning motion. The clipper comb was used horizontally and vertically for the fanning and the tapering.

Review AC Structured linear.
When cutting sections one after another, cut the first section and let it fall.
Then section off the next section in the uncut hair.
Comb this toward the cut hair.
Comb the rest of the uncut hair away from the cut hair.
Now section off the uncut hair in the new section with a comparable or larger part of the already cut hair.
Use this method to keep a system for repetitive sectioning and cutting. Can be used on sides or top.

M: Long on top, flat layers on sides..

This haircut will follow the pattern of cutting the sides perpendicular to create flat layers around the sides and back. These will then be transitioned to the top with a method to increase the weight and length above the parietal ridge. The top will then be evened out with a long length. Finishing can take several forms, but the goal will be to leave weight close to the perimeter.



Summary:

1. Flat layers sides and back

2. Transition sides and back to top

3. Level the top while leaving length there

4. Finish as desired but leave weight near perimeter.



Flat layer sides and back



Make a horse shoe shaped parting slightly lower than the top of the parietal ridge. This should be parallel to the ground on sides and back.



Start at front hairline and make a vertical section pulled to 90 degrees.

The length in this section is measured at the top of the section. The top of the section, below the horse shoe parting, should be just long enough to cover the parietal ridge when it is released to natural fall.
This length at the top of the vertical sections will be the guide to the transition of the sides to the top in the next section.



Continue to form vertical sections under the horse shoe parting around the side, through the back, and then through the other side.



Sections are cut from the horse shoe parting to the bottom hairline.





Transition sides and back to top



Start on a side and take a vertical section (vertical sections on the top go front to back) just above the horse shoe parting and parallel to the parietal ridge. This parting goes from just behind the ear to the front hairline. Pull this section straight out from its parting to the side and parallel to the floor.



Cut to the guide length created in making the vertical sections above.



Continue this type of sectioning to the middle top.



Hair in each of the sections on the top will gradually be getting longer as the section moves closer to the center of the head and away from the guide on the side. In other words, the center section will have longer hair in it compared to the section just above the horse shoe part.



The guide for each section is taken from the section just below it.



In the recession area, the hair can be directed back to the lengths behind.



This sectioning is done the same way on the other side of the head and in the back of the head.



In the back sections hair is combed back until it no longer reaches the guide.

Side sections behind the ear are cut flat to the wall at the side.
Back sections are cut flat to the wall behind.
This will make corners behind the ears.



Level the top while leaving length there



On the very top of the head, make a horse shoe parting starting at the deepest part of the recession area staying parallel to the floor and going around the back and then to the deepest part of the recession area on the other side.



Take horizontal sections starting at the back of this horse shoe parting going side to side across the top of the head. Comb the sections straight up and cut flat with the shortest pieces on each end of the section.





Finish as desired but leave weight near perimeter



There are a number of choices to finish this haircut. A list would include: point cutting, a straight line, low graduation by shear over comb, low graduation by clipper over comb. The idea is to leave the length and weight low toward the perimeter to keep the haircut balanced top to bottom.

Review A/C Structured weight
Connecting the side to the top might also be done by taking side to side sections from the middle top to the side. This section could be held vertical so that the hair in the section is held straight out from the head and cut at 90 degrees.

M: Long hair with layers side and top..

This haircut is very similar to the post "Graduation with layers short hair." The difference is that this haircut has flat layers on the side and in the back. It also is connected top to bottom by combing the hair of top straight back to cut to the guide at the back. This preserves length and makes it longer in the front. Length of the final haircut will be to the bottom of the ears on the side. The hair has to be longer than ear length before starting.



Summary:

1. flat layer the back and sides,

2. layer the top by over directing the hair on top back to the guide at the crown area.

3. finish the perimeter as desired.



Flat layer the sides and the back



Make a horse shoe shaped part starting at the top of the parietal ridge in the front and running horizontal to the floor along the sides and in the back. The horse shoe parting is taken at the top of the parietal ridge to allow for more length and weight on the sides as the top is connected to the bottom of the haircut.

Take vertical sections starting at the front hair line. This haircut can be started on either side. The hair is pulled at 90 degrees from the side and cut flat to the wall.

The length is measured at the top of this section and is measured to be long enough to reach near the middle of the ear after it is cut. This length will cover landmarks like the underside of the parietal ridge and will give the shape a smooth and rounded look. Remember this length for later in the haircut.



More vertical sections are taken to finish cutting the sides and back.

At the corner behind the ear more roundness of the shape will be achieved by following around the head shape. More of a corner is established by pulling the side sections flat to the wall at the side and all back sections back to the wall behind.



In the back and behind the ears the vertical sections are continued down to the hairline.



Once the middle of the back is reached you have two choices.

First is to continue the sections through the back and around the other side to the front.

The second is to go to the front hair line on the other side and work back to the center back. If you chose this method you already have your measurement for how long to make the length of the section from the measurement you made in the first side.



The sides and back can be crossed checked by taking horizontal sections. Remember to stay horizontal and to pull the hair to 90 degrees.



Layer the top by overdirecting hair on top straight back to guide in the crown.



Take horizontal partings across the top of the head from one side of the horseshoe to the other starting at the back of the horseshoe parting.

Sections are over directed straight back to the guide at the top of the back.

Continue to make horizontal partings and sections as you work forward on top of the head.

The hair is each subsequent section will be cut at a longer length since each following section will be further from the guide in the back.



Finish as desired



Examples of finishes would be to point cut the perimeter in the back to the desired length, or to cut a line across the back perimeter, or to do some graduation in the back.



To make more feminine



Make diagonal back sections on the sides and back as in the post "Graduation with layers short hair" to give more roundness in the interior.

Round the corners behind the ear by not creating corners during the layering (by following the head shape in layering behind the ears instead of cutting them flat to the wall).

Review AC structured length
Horse shoe shaped parting top of parietal ridge.
Vertical sections in front hairline long enough at top to reach middle of the ear. Continue around head and check it all horizontally.
Then side to side sections in the horse shoe shaped parting starting at crown area. Pull straight back in the crown. Don't round. Do more side to side sections going forward on the top. Keep elevation the same. Cut flat with the wall behind. Cut until no more reaches.
Finish with a few fingers of elevation and cut to desired length which was about 3 inches in this case.

M/W: Graduation with layers short hair

This is from watching a demonstration on a DVD. This style is repeated frequently in other courses on other DVDs. The are many variations on this style in cutting men's haircuts and short haircuts for women.

A general description of the hair cut follows.
Graduate the sides. Connect the sides to the top. Even out the top

Graduate the sides
1. Make a central parting from forehead to nape.
2. Then make a horse shoe parting starting at the low crown and going to the high part of the recession area. Where exactly this part should go requires further study.

3. In the back at center of the horse shoe parting, take slightly diagonal forward sections extending down to the nape. In other course work, These sections are just plain vertical sections. The diagonal forward sections may offer some roundness for feminine hair cuts compared to vertical sections?? Roundness may be added with diagonal partings and with longer lengths on the sides. Longer lengths on the side will cover the landmarks on the side and make it seem smoother.

4. Comb the section straight back and cut a graduated line of decreasing length from the interior to the perimeter. There is no description of how long the section should be at the top nor at the bottom. Even worse there is no description of how to figure out how long these measurements should be to get the result you want. Sections are held in left hand with fingers up and the palm facing the person doing the cutting. The cutting in these sections can be cut on a line or point cut. In addition there is no reason these could not be cut with razor or clippers.

5. Make more slightly diagonal forward sections working to the front hair line. These are all cut the same way until you reach the recession area where the last section is directed back to the previous section to preserve length and coverage in the recession area.

6. Do the other side. When they go to the other side they point left hand fingers down. This can also be cut with fingers going up and working either from the front to back or from center back to front hair line.

7. Connect side to top.

8. They start this part with a parting from the crown to the back of the ear saying it will separate the front of the head from the back of the head.

9. This particular demonstration takes radial sections in the back and pulls the hair out 90 degrees to the head. They then cut according to the guide of the graduation cut in the first section that had been cut above in 4. (As an aside I have seen this part of this type of haircut started behind the ear and worked forward. ) On men's cuts in this style American Crew encourages cutting the crown area with three different planes using vertical sections instead of the pivotal radial sections used for women (this is my interpretation of American Crew and it may have nothing to do with what they really say). One goes to each side and the third goes straight back. In men's haircuts, this gives a square look. Cutting around the head shape leaves the side areas more rounded as might be expected in a more feminine haircut.

10. Once the back section(s) are completed go to the sides and use more diagonal forward or vertical sections. Pull these to 90 degrees and extend the line cut below for graduation. If this is being cut on a man, use vertical sections. This may reduce roundness in men's cuts.

11. Connect the other side.

Even out the top
12. This demonstration now makes a central section down the middle top using the length cut in the crown as the guide.. This is followed by taking horizontal sections and they are pulled straight up at 90 degrees. These are cut flat with the ceiling, convex, or with different textures if desired. The front section is over directed back if needed for the recession area.

The horizontal sections across the top can go half way across the top to the central part or all the way across the top from the horse shoe shaped parting on each side. The top horizontal sections are cut to connect to the length of the hair cut in 9. above. This means that a central section does not need to be made if you are comfortable cutting across the head and using the lengths at the horse shoe partings as guides.

When this style of haircut is used for men it is cut to make the haircut look square with weight at the parietal ridge. This is done with vertical sections on the side and with cutting the sections above the crown to planes at the sides and in the back.

This demo did not say why the horse shoe parting is made at the height that was used. Some ideas on the best height for horse shoe partings are available in the American Crew Menswork, but I have not learned them well so far.

If the line used to cut the graduation was modified to be straight up and down, this haircut could be called layers with layers. The sides would be layered with square layers or flat layers on the side and the top would have the same flat layers.

A lot of different hair cuts are cut using this pattern. They are cut with shears, clippers and razor. The differences come with shorter and longer lengths of sides and top, different textures in the different locations. I guess this is true for all haircut patterns.

Phrases, vocabulary, how to do things

1. Make a central part

Comb hair from front to back in the direction the part will be made.
Place one end of comb in the center of the front hairline right above the center of the nose.
Draw the comb back with only the end of the comb in the hair. The index of the left hand
follows the end of the comb and is used to pull hair away from the part line being made by the
end of the comb.



2. Make a natural part

Comb the hair straight back.
From behind place your hand in the crown area and gently push the hair forward.
Note where the hair naturally separates. Part along this line.



3. Connect natural part with central part in nape.

Make a natural part as above.
Make a central part in the nape area extending through the crown.
Connect the end of the natural part to the central part with a slanting line.


4. Make a diagonal forward or diagonal back part.

Diagonal parts are named forward or back depending on which direction the lower part of the
part is moving. For example if you enter the front hairline above the level of the eyebrow and
make a part going slightly above the ear, the part will be diagonal back.
It is diagonal because it is slanting and it is back because the lower end of the part is going
to the back of the head.

Another example. If you enter the hair line behind the ear and make a part following the
hairline down the neck this will also be diagonal back. It slants back and the bottom of the part goes to the back of the head.
Parting from the occipital bone to the hair line below the level of the ear is diagonal forward.
It is diagonal because it slants and it is forward because the end is moving to the front of the
face as it moves away from the center back.
Some people describe these parts as vertical or horizontal. For example a part from the
occipital bone to 1/2 inch from the center, would be called vertical diagonal forward.
Similarly if the part is from the occipital bone to the bottom of the ear it may be called a
horizontal diagonal forward part as it is flatter.

5. Pull a section to 90 degrees

Once you have parted the hair to make a section, grip the hair with the first two fingers of the

non-cutting hand. Lift the hair away from the scalp so that all the hair in the section is making a

right angle with the scalp. This will look like all the hair being held is coming straight out of the

head. None of the hair will look like it is slanting or leaning as it exits the scalp.

A way to see what the 90 degrees will look like in the section is to put the end of the comb on the

area where the section will be. With the end of the comb flat on the head the comb will point to

90 degrees.

6. Cutting a section to follow the head shape

Pull a section to 90 degrees as described in 5. above. Hold the section with the holding fingers

following the shape of the head. For example if you have taken a vertical section (going from the

floor to the ceiling) over the parietal ridge, your holding fingers will curve to follow the curve of

the parietal ridge. Cut the section along the curve of the fingers.

7. Cutting a section flat with the wall or the ceiling

In this procedure the client's head is seen as enclosed in a room with sides of the room parallel to

the sides and back of the head. The ceiling of the room is seen as parallel with the top of the

client's head top. The head of the client is upright.

Pull a section to 90 degrees as described in 5. above. The holding fingers are then aligned so they

are parallel with the side closest to it. If the section is on the top of the head the section is held

with the fingers parallel to the ceiling. Cut along the fingers.

8. Making corners

Cutting to the wall is important when you want to make a corner(increase the amount of hair in

this location) in the shape of the hair cut in the mastoid area or along the parietal ridge. In the mastoid area the corner is vertical and along the parietal ridge it is horizontal

To make a corner at the mastoid area, all the hair in the back (the area behind one ear around

the back to the area behind the other ear) of the head is pulled back to the wall behind the client.

This will lead to over direction (pulling the hair horizontally from its natural fall) of the hair to

the back as the head shape in the back curves away from the wall behind. The over direction

back will be greatest at the area behind the ear in the area of the mastoid process. By over

directing this hair straight back to the wall behind the length of the hair is left longer than if it

were cut 90 degrees to the head shape.

Once the back or nape has been cut go to the side (the area from the front hairline to behind the

ear) and pull sections to 90 degrees and cut parallel to the wall. In the area behind the ear over

direction is greatest behind the ear as the head shape curves away from the wall that is parallel

to the side. The result is that this section of hair is left longer.

Cutting the hair in back and on the sides flat with their respective walls leaves the hair in the

mastoid area longer and fuller thus creating a corner.

Creating a corner along the parietal ridge follows the same thinking as a corner behind the ear.

The side sections are cut flat with or parallel to the wall at its side. The hair on the top of the

parietal ridge and above is left longer as that part of the head curves away from the wall. When

this hair is released it leaves more hair where the longer hair falls.

9. Round haircut

Cut in which the perimeter is shortest in the front and longest in the back.

10. Triangular haircut

Cut in which the perimeter is shortest in the back and longest in the front.

12. Square haircut

Cut in which the perimeter is the same length front, sides and back.

13. Distribution center

This is the area in the middle of the crown. It is sometimes referred to as "top dead center."

There may be whorls and colics in the middle which are not right in the middle. If the hair is long in the crown, it may lie down according to the pattern of the growth or even against the growth pattern. If it is shorter it may be necessary to comb the hair into the growth pattern before cutting being sure to leave enough hair length to let it lie smoothly. This can some times be helped by using thinning shears in the underneath layers of the hair as when cutting some of the Asian hair textures.

W: Long on top and graduation below.

Client has a square shaped head and face. She has hair an inch below the jaw.

Center part from front to back.

Horse shoe part from below the crown to the top of the parietal ridge.

At center back at the horse shoe parting take a diagonal forward part from center to an inch in from center. This parting is said to be from the crown to the nape. However in the demo the part contains hair at the top down to the occipital area. The hair is pulled straight back and cut from long at the top to shorter at the bottom. It is not clear how the length of the hair in this section is determined.
Below the occipital bone the hair is cut to follow the line in the top of the section. They use a point cutting technique to soften this line.

More diagonal forward sections are taken and cut the same way. In front of the ear, the hair is over directed back to the section behind the ear.

Do same on other side.

Make part from crown to back of ears.

Do the same in the new section (from lower crown to upper crown) as above. That is taking radial diagonal forward sections and direct or over direct as above and point cut to guide from below.
In front of ears over direct back to previous section and elevate 90 degrees to the round of the head.
Do other side.

The rest of this demonstration shows ways to personalize this haircut with point cutting at the perimeter and in the shape.
The comb out of this haircut shows a parting on the client's left side. Haircut was done with a central parting on top

What I don't know:
How to measure length of section to start the graduation guideline.
Why central or natural part on top.
Why horse shoe partings are higher or lower. Will look in American Crew material.