Australia- and New Zealand-based distributer and educator Viv Simmonds used a new nail system, Simple One, and Akzentz gel to create these detailed designs using an acrylic painting technique. She created the background and main color of all the designs and animals using Simple One acrylic powders and monomer, always with a design brush used for acrylic 3-D work. “This acrylic powder is unique in that it blends beautifully, allowing the colors to merge and shade into each other,” she says. “I used Akzentz Gel Play with a fine liner brush to add details and some shading — for example, the eyes on the animals and some of the finer detailed lines.”

Each design is mapped out and broken down to get the proportions correct. “When you’re creating an animal, you need to get the eyes in the right location and break down each part to ensure they are in the right position,” she explains. Simmonds caps each design with Akzentz Matte On or uses Luxio Build to encase the design, then caps with Shine On. Simmonds plans to teach classes in this technique in Los Angeles and Canada in September.

For more information, visit www.vividnails.com.au.