BEGINNER

1. Polish the nail blue. Using a liner brush, paint a bamboo segment in black.

2. Paint more bamboo segments in black, leaving small gaps between each segment and the next.

3. Load a small amount of black paint on the liner brush, then paint shoots coming from the bamboo joints.

4. Add several bamboo leaves. Apply top coat.

INTERMEDIATE

1. Polish the nail blue. Water down some gold paint, then quickly brush on a thin coat of gold in the center of the nail.

2. Paint a white circle slightly off-center of the gold-brushed area to create a moon.

3. While the white paint is still wet, swirl in some gold paint to create the illusion of craters and texture.

4. Paint the black bamboo segments and leaves (as described in the beginner-level design). Apply top coat.

ADVANCED

1. Polish the nail blue. Add the gold background, moon, and bamboo (as described in the beginner- and intermediate-level designs).

2. Paint a black line for the body of the dragonfly, then paint thin antennas. Add thin, sharp wings in sea green.

3. Add the bottom two wings, making sure to keep them thin and pointed. Both wings should start near the dragonfly’s head.

4. Add purple veins where the wings attach to the body. Add gold highlights to the tips of the wings and to the bamboo, as if the moon is shining on it. Paint a thin line under a couple of wings to make them pop. Apply top coat.

   – Christie Gibson is a nail tech and owner of Christie's Nails in Ocean View, Hawaii.