Burst Taper
The result and the process
What you'll learn
What you'll learn
How to create a triangular shape at the top to achieve a square silhouette.
How to prepare the sides for a taper using horizontal layers.
How to create a smooth burst taper by working from larger caps down to zero.
How to use the contrast of regrowth to highlight the texture and shading of your hairstyle.
How to intentionally use the "disconnection" technique to leave longer strands at the bangs.
Why using just your wrist when operating a sewing machine is key to precision.
The Burst Taper is a modern men’s haircut that combines rounded layers on top with a high, rounded taper on the sides. This course demonstrates how to use the contrast between dark roots and light ends on color-treated hair with roots to create a hairstyle with dynamic texture and a deliberate disconnect at the fringe. This technique is for clients who want to turn their roots into an intentional styling element.
Vadim Futowsky guides you through the entire process, starting with sectioning the head and creating a triangular shape at the top, which, once styled, results in a square silhouette. Step by step, he demonstrates how to prepare the sides for blending by working in gradations with horizontal layers, and then how to create the taper itself—starting with larger sections and working downward, until marking the zero line with a trimmer and blending upward from the open blade.
In this course, you'll learn:
- Create a triangular shape at the top to achieve a square silhouette when styled on a round head
- The complete process of building a burst taper: from 6 mm down to shaping, then working from scratch upward for a smooth transition
- How to use the contrast between dark roots and light ends to highlight texture and shading
- Preparing the sides for tapering by grading in horizontal layers—without the need for diagonal divisions
- Using only your wrist when shading with a clipper – the key to precision and clean transitions
- Customize the fade using thinning shears and straight scissors to remove dark patches and create a soft look
- Final styling without a comb—use your fingers with a matte paste to bring out the texture and hold the strands together
After this course, you’ll start consciously creating a square silhouette on a round head, using regrowth as a compositional asset rather than a problem to hide, and crafting clean, high tapers with character. This haircut will allow you to offer your clients a modern, bold style that looks great for everyday wear and stands out in photos.
What's inside
Full access to the course
What's inside
Creating a triangle for a square effect
"That's why, to make it look square after styling, we need to make a triangle here."
Setting the starting line for the tapper
"That's why I mark the spot where the taper starts and just draw a straight line."
Work in circular rows on the back
"We'll work with a circular gradient, because the head here is rounded too."
Intentional disconnection during windstorms
"This hair will never lie flat, so there might be a disconnect even here."
Warning: Don't pull your hair
"I don't pull this strand too tight, because it will spring back later and we'll lose the shape."
Change in movement—from the hand to the wrist
"I used to work with my whole hand on larger pads, but now I only use my wrist."
Using thinning shears to customize a fade
"I only use a thinning shears in this case, because that way you can achieve a softer fade more quickly."
Styling - how to achieve a square shape
"We need to flatten the widest and highest points and inflate the rounded parts."
Frequently Asked Questions