Christian

The 1950s is known for many memorable icons. The first thing that comes to mind for me is a classic ’50s diner. The combination of red and white stripes on the walls with checkered floors and gingham tablecloths are the perfect duo for a simple nail design that can also double as a hidden American flag. To add some pizzazz to the entire set, the final element of music is honored with an original jukebox then some notes on a chromed out nail (which we all know was the element of the ’50s)!

To see how Christian used nail forms to create this design, click here.

Click here to watch Christian’s video about his inspiration and process for creating this design.

Nothing illustrates my hometown of Pretoria, South Africa, more than dramatic sunsets and its wildlife. Almost on a daily basis this iconic scene is painted across the horizon, yet it never looks the same as the day before. At dusk, as the sun starts to set over the African savanna, animals take advantage of the cooling weather and come out to graze, while predators wake up from their naps to start looking for dinner. After moving to the U.S. a few years ago, I promised myself I will always keep South Africa as my true and original home. This challenge allowed me to keep that promise!

As artists, we are all a bit mysterious. As nail artists, we are extra mysterious when it comes to the skills and techniques we have hidden up our sleeves. With this in mind, inspiration was drawn from a Venetian Carnival celebration where everyone covers their faces with elaborate and elegant masks to keep their identity a mystery.

After sculpting the face of the mask with acrylic from scratch, it only came to life after adding 3-D fans, flowers, and ribbons created with gel. A 3-D gel butterfly adorns the index finger. The nails were sculpted into a “pipe” shape, a fairly new style that was popularized in Russia. Some nails are coated with coarse glitter then covered with foil to give a metallic textured feel, while the rest are dusted with mineral powders for a silky look, similar to fine Italian fabrics.

Click here to see how Christian created these nails.

Get ready to bring a pop of electric neon color to the fingertips of the masses. Wearing neon is the style equivalent of texting in all-caps, so you’ve got to be ready for it. Embrace the spring spirit with loud neon geometric appliqués!

From dresses to shoes, handbags to hair and nails; everything is going neon. Combining bold and fashionable geometric patterns with the must-have neon hues of spring results in a fun combination of three designs that can be mixed and matched for endless options. Neon Geometric Appliqués appeal to both the adventurous teen nail art-lovers and fashion-forward woman heading out to parties and events. Designed with a glowing tie-dye neon background, the popular geometric pattern could be printed in both black and white to appeal to a larger target market. Black is the chosen color today, since it’s a perfect match for the outgoing personalities of nail art connoisseurs everywhere.