Mini Masterpiece Nail Art 2019: Urban Drama

Congratulations to Jodie Rahaley, who took the top spot in this year’s Mini Masterpiece contest after entering the two previous years. Her detailed, contrasting rendition of “Urban Expressions” by Michael Lang impressed the judges. Other beautiful entries ranged from the ever-popular Vermeer to Dali and Basquiat.

1st Place

Jodie Rahaley
Saylorsburg, Pa.
“Urban Expressions” by Michael Lang

Meet the Winner

Nail tech Jodie Rahaley of Saylorsburg, Pa., wanted to choose something different for her entry to the Mini Masterpiece competition. That’s why she chose Michael Lang’s “Urban Expressions” to depict on a nail tip. “The portraits he creates have a mesmerizing effect of different emotions,” she says. “The eyes and lips are what really drew me in. I loved the colors and style.”

To create her masterpiece, Rahaley started with a white gel-polish base, with no top coat and no sticky layer. She penciled in the outline of the faces, then used acrylic paint and a little water to paint the image, breaking it down by color. She finished with the black outline and top coat. Rahaley recommends using the grid method when reproducing a painting on a nail tip. “It really helps with accuracy and proportions of the image you’re working with,” she says.

Rahaley enjoys art in many forms. “Before becoming a nail artist, I was a skilled floral designer for 10 years,” she explains. “I also draw, paint, make home decor, and craft. I’m always working on some new project.” This is her third time entering the Mini Masterpiece contest, and she has a message to anyone thinking of entering: “Don’t stop! Keep being you, keep creating, learning, and practicing. And of course, always celebrate all the things you accomplish, big or small.”