Watch: The Fundamentals of Over Direction from Andrew Carruthers

Sometimes the best way to unlock creativity is to turn to the fundamentals. Andrew Carruthers, Director of Education for Sam Villa, reviewed elevation first - the "up and down" movement of the hair that controls the vertical aspect of the silhouette. The second part of the fundamentals series explores over direction (the opposite of elevation) - the forward and back movement of hair that controls the horizontal aspect of the silhouette.

See the video below for Carruthers' tips on mastering the fundamentals of over direction.

Over Direction: Over: past, beyond; and Direction: position, aim.

Ways to over direct the hair:

  • Over direct forward: Creates length and density toward the back of the head.
  • Over direct back: Creates length and density toward the front of the head.
  • No over direction: Cutting the hair without moving hair forward or backward leaves the hair to follow the natural head shape.
  • Over direct to a stationary guide: All the hair is directed to and cut at the point of a stationary guide. Note, the guide never moves. This action results in the maximum over direction within a shape.
  • Over direct to a previously cut section: All the hair is cut with a traveling guide, each new section that is cut becomes the point of cutting for the next section. This action results in a much softer buildup of weight.
  • Over direct to a visual plane: All the hair is cut to a visual point (see video for further explanation).

Mastering over direction techniques allows for maximum control of shapes, because it enables stylists to comprehend how to place weight and density in designs. Stay tuned for part three, the final foundational video, covering finger angles!  

[Image/video courtesy of Glow Communications]

More in Styles