Have you ever competed in a fantasy nail art competition? I have and let me tell you, I have great respect for competitors that do these every year. The time that is involved is great (and by great I mean huge)! And every aspect needs to be covered — nails, hair, make-up, costume.

The costume alone is worth 10 points. The rules state that there will be no consideration given for hand-made costumes, but the judging criteria really sets the standard. Complimentary to the artwork, well-constructed, neat, and complete all contribute to the 10 points that are possible. And let me add here that the hair and make-up are part of the costume.

Now let’s think about that for a minute. The average scores in the fantasy nail art competitions are in the high 70s to low 90s. Let's say that your artwork is not as impressive as someone else's, maybe it falls into the 70s score range, but you have a FANTASTIC costume, you can gain an extra 10 points with that and boost yourself up to somewhere in the 80s. You could possibly overtake the next competitor with the costume! HA, what a coup!

There is also a requirement to write and submit a statement telling the techniques and products that you use to create the nail art and your interpretation of the theme as it is presented in your art. Basically, the statement is your opportunity to tell the judges what you think or feel is unique or important about your fantasy nail art entry. I recommend that you not pass up this opportunity. Aside from not being able to explain yourself, you will get a 5-point deduction. Again, this is a chance for you to pass another competitor without additional art.

Color is another area that you should focus on. If you were building the pyramids at Giza, you wouldn't want to only use sand color. No. You would be better off presenting your pyramids as seen through the eyes of Pink Floyd “The Wall”. I mean, it's supposed to be a fantasy right? Make it a fantasy. Use as much color as possible and you'll gain easy points right there.

The last area that I want to talk about is the detail. I can't tell you how to make detailed nail art but with acrylic and the new 3-D gels you can make some very fine art. And it is a pretty important area for scoring. So the best advice that I could give right here is to practice making small stuff. People, plants, and animals — and be as detailed as possible.

It's really amazing to be doing nails in this day and age with all the products that are available to us. And of course with the Internet and YouTube, we have examples of some incredible detailed nail art. So go practice already.

— Lynn