Easily Enchanted: The Top 3

Challenge 10 sponsored by EZFlow asked our Top 3 to create fantasy nail art using colored acrylic somewhere in the design.

This week’s guest judge was Sara Pollock of EzFlow. Permanent judges include CND’s Jan Arnold, NAILS NTNA season 2 winner Lavette Cephus, NAILS editor Erika Kotite, NAILS senior editor Beth Livesay, and the rest of the team at NAILS Magazine.

Since there are only three competitors left, we aren’t announcing the top and bottom results until tomorrow. But you can read below for the judges’ comments on all three finalists.

Celina: The time, effort, and fun you had in creating this wondrous look is evident. The judges fell for every intricate detail and were left truly inspired. The hidden stone trolls were a fantastic addition. We also appreciated that you took this challenge one step further in the styling of your model. Because you went the extra mile, the whole look tells a cohesive, whimsical story. Your tutorial made this masterpiece look effortless. Great job!

Sarah: The judges think your work is more “cartoonish” as opposed to fantasy. We know you specialize in doing character-inspired designs, but at this point in the contest originality is everything. That being said, your finished look is fun and playful. The judges acknowledge your growth as an artist throughout this competition. Your secret door was a favorite technique as was the brick wall. Overall, the cleanliness and precision you are known for shined through once again. What really appealed to the judges this week was your use of vibrant colored acrylic. You are a proven colorist and this artwork played to those strengths. Well done!

Winnie: You told your own unique story and as always, ran with the challenge. The dragon was a judge favorite as was the pathway and castle. The demo, however, was a bit confusing. We recommend a few less photos and a few more close-up shots of the fabulous details. More precision would have made some of your figures look more 3-D as opposed to 2-D as well. You are a remarkable artist who we can always count on to push herself and we thank you for that. Bravo!

Check back tomorrow to find out who won this week’s challenge and who’ll be packing up their paintbrushes.