3-D Made Easy

Well, maybe not easy. But Star Nail’s global education director Elaine Watson has a quick tip on how to get a better performance out of acrylic for 3-D designs.

“If you want to give yourself a little more time during the molding stage of the acrylic, to bend the petals on 3-D flowers and shapes, all you need to do is add some acetone to your monomer. Do not do this for the actual application of the nail structure, only for the artwork.

 Once added, the acrylic will still dry to the touch but it will stay flexible longer, allowing you to bend and move it where you want it. The more acetone you put, the longer you have to play (great for prepping competition nail art beforehand). Also, you can use this technique to make a sheet of rubbery colored acrylic and then use shaped hole-punchers to pop out little prefab shapes. Just remember to give them a little bend so they form to the nail later when you use them. If you leave them flat they will stick up on the sides against the curved nail.”

 

Get a big ball of acrylic, using acetone in monomer, and drop it out on a piece of tin foil. Flatten it out evenly with your brush, and as it starts to set up and become less sticky, take a dowel and rub clear acrylic powder on it (like putting flour on your rolling pin while cooking).

 

Roll out the sheet evenly. When it isn’t sticky anymore you’ll be able to peel it and it will be soft and flexible. Punch shapes with a crafting hole-puncher. Use a C-curve stick to help add bend to the cutout. You’ll be able to use these shapes encapsulated in the acrylic or gel, or on top of the nail.