<p><strong>Maki Otani</strong>, San Diego<br />&ldquo;Great Wave off Kanagawa&rdquo; by Katsushika Hokusai</p>
<p>&ldquo;I chose this painting because Hokusai&rsquo;s art is very  familiar  to me  since I grew up in Japan,&rdquo; says Otani. &ldquo;It has always  been my  favorite  historical masterpiece.&rdquo;</p>
<p>It took Otani about 10 hours to complete the nail. She used four    shimmer nail polish colors on the background and blended them in    gradually. &ldquo;Using a tiny brush, I painted the waves and Mt. Fuji with    acrylic paint, and then I used white acrylic powder and monomer on the    white part of the wave so it would look like it was popping out.&rdquo;</p>

Maki Otani, San Diego
“Great Wave off Kanagawa” by Katsushika Hokusai

“I chose this painting because Hokusai’s art is very familiar to me since I grew up in Japan,” says Otani. “It has always been my favorite historical masterpiece.”

It took Otani about 10 hours to complete the nail. She used four shimmer nail polish colors on the background and blended them in gradually. “Using a tiny brush, I painted the waves and Mt. Fuji with acrylic paint, and then I used white acrylic powder and monomer on the white part of the wave so it would look like it was popping out.”

<p><strong>David Duong</strong>, Gilbert, Ariz. <br />&ldquo;L&rsquo;Eclat&rdquo; by Tamara De Lempicka</p>

David Duong, Gilbert, Ariz.
“L’Eclat” by Tamara De Lempicka

<p><strong>Erica Plyter</strong>, Hinesville, Ga. <br />&ldquo;Meditative Rose&rdquo; by Salvador Dali</p>

Erica Plyter, Hinesville, Ga.
“Meditative Rose” by Salvador Dali

<p><strong>Vickie Chilla,</strong> Eustis, Fla. <br />&ldquo;Jeanne Hebuterne (in large hat)&rdquo; by Amedeo Modigliani</p>

Vickie Chilla, Eustis, Fla.
“Jeanne Hebuterne (in large hat)” by Amedeo Modigliani

<p><strong>Natalie Wolfe Wargo,</strong> Johnstown, Pa. <br />&ldquo;The Japanese Bridge&rdquo; by Claude Monet</p>

Natalie Wolfe Wargo, Johnstown, Pa.
“The Japanese Bridge” by Claude Monet

<p><strong>Jade Stanley, </strong>Lincoln, Neb. <br />&ldquo;Self-Portrait&rdquo; and &ldquo;Old Blue Eye&rdquo; by Ralph Steadman</p>

Jade Stanley, Lincoln, Neb.
“Self-Portrait” and “Old Blue Eye” by Ralph Steadman

<p><strong>Lisa Lang,</strong> Oakville, Ontario, Canada <br />&ldquo;Le Reve&rdquo; by Pablo Picasso</p>

Lisa Lang, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
“Le Reve” by Pablo Picasso

<p><strong>David Duong,</strong> Gilbert, Ariz. <br />&ldquo;Madame Monet and Her Son&rdquo; by Claude Monet</p>

David Duong, Gilbert, Ariz.
“Madame Monet and Her Son” by Claude Monet

<p><strong>Erica Plyter,</strong> Hinesville, Ga. <br />&ldquo;Girl With a Pearl Earring&rdquo; by Johannes Vermeer</p>

Erica Plyter, Hinesville, Ga.
“Girl With a Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer

<p><strong>Carrie Sweeney, </strong>Goodrich, Mich.<br />&ldquo;Beasts of the Sea&rdquo; by Henri Matisse</p>

Carrie Sweeney, Goodrich, Mich.
“Beasts of the Sea” by Henri Matisse

<p><strong>Jamie Lyn Valentine-Hess,</strong> Greencastle, Pa.<br />&ldquo;Violet, Green and Red&rdquo; by Mark Rothko</p>

Jamie Lyn Valentine-Hess, Greencastle, Pa.
“Violet, Green and Red” by Mark Rothko

<p><strong>Megan Acevedo,</strong> Baudette, Minn. <br />&ldquo;The Cart, or Road Under Snow at Honfleur&rdquo; by Claude Monet</p>

Megan Acevedo, Baudette, Minn.
“The Cart, or Road Under Snow at Honfleur” by Claude Monet

<p><strong>Vickie Chilla,</strong> Eustis, Fla. <br />&ldquo;Mother and Child&rdquo; by Gustav Klimt</p>

Vickie Chilla, Eustis, Fla.
“Mother and Child” by Gustav Klimt

<p><strong>Lisa Lang, Oakville, </strong>Ontario, Canada <br />&ldquo;Son of Man&rdquo; by Rene Magritte</p>

Lisa Lang, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
“Son of Man” by Rene Magritte

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<p><strong>Maki Otani</strong>, San Diego<br />&ldquo;Great Wave off Kanagawa&rdquo; by Katsushika Hokusai</p>
<p>&ldquo;I chose this painting because Hokusai&rsquo;s art is very  familiar  to me  since I grew up in Japan,&rdquo; says Otani. &ldquo;It has always  been my  favorite  historical masterpiece.&rdquo;</p>
<p>It took Otani about 10 hours to complete the nail. She used four    shimmer nail polish colors on the background and blended them in    gradually. &ldquo;Using a tiny brush, I painted the waves and Mt. Fuji with    acrylic paint, and then I used white acrylic powder and monomer on the    white part of the wave so it would look like it was popping out.&rdquo;</p>
1/14
 
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Maki Otani, San Diego
“Great Wave off Kanagawa” by Katsushika Hokusai

“I chose this painting because Hokusai’s art is very familiar to me since I grew up in Japan,” says Otani. “It has always been my favorite historical masterpiece.”

It took Otani about 10 hours to complete the nail. She used four shimmer nail polish colors on the background and blended them in gradually. “Using a tiny brush, I painted the waves and Mt. Fuji with acrylic paint, and then I used white acrylic powder and monomer on the white part of the wave so it would look like it was popping out.”

<p><strong>David Duong</strong>, Gilbert, Ariz. <br />&ldquo;L&rsquo;Eclat&rdquo; by Tamara De Lempicka</p>
2/14
 
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David Duong, Gilbert, Ariz.
“L’Eclat” by Tamara De Lempicka

<p><strong>Erica Plyter</strong>, Hinesville, Ga. <br />&ldquo;Meditative Rose&rdquo; by Salvador Dali</p>
3/14
 
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Erica Plyter, Hinesville, Ga.
“Meditative Rose” by Salvador Dali

<p><strong>Vickie Chilla,</strong> Eustis, Fla. <br />&ldquo;Jeanne Hebuterne (in large hat)&rdquo; by Amedeo Modigliani</p>
4/14
 
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Vickie Chilla, Eustis, Fla.
“Jeanne Hebuterne (in large hat)” by Amedeo Modigliani

<p><strong>Natalie Wolfe Wargo,</strong> Johnstown, Pa. <br />&ldquo;The Japanese Bridge&rdquo; by Claude Monet</p>
5/14
 
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Natalie Wolfe Wargo, Johnstown, Pa.
“The Japanese Bridge” by Claude Monet

<p><strong>Jade Stanley, </strong>Lincoln, Neb. <br />&ldquo;Self-Portrait&rdquo; and &ldquo;Old Blue Eye&rdquo; by Ralph Steadman</p>
6/14
 
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Jade Stanley, Lincoln, Neb.
“Self-Portrait” and “Old Blue Eye” by Ralph Steadman

<p><strong>Lisa Lang,</strong> Oakville, Ontario, Canada <br />&ldquo;Le Reve&rdquo; by Pablo Picasso</p>
7/14
 
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Lisa Lang, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
“Le Reve” by Pablo Picasso

<p><strong>David Duong,</strong> Gilbert, Ariz. <br />&ldquo;Madame Monet and Her Son&rdquo; by Claude Monet</p>
8/14
 
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David Duong, Gilbert, Ariz.
“Madame Monet and Her Son” by Claude Monet

<p><strong>Erica Plyter,</strong> Hinesville, Ga. <br />&ldquo;Girl With a Pearl Earring&rdquo; by Johannes Vermeer</p>
9/14
 
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Erica Plyter, Hinesville, Ga.
“Girl With a Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer

<p><strong>Carrie Sweeney, </strong>Goodrich, Mich.<br />&ldquo;Beasts of the Sea&rdquo; by Henri Matisse</p>
10/14
 
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Carrie Sweeney, Goodrich, Mich.
“Beasts of the Sea” by Henri Matisse

<p><strong>Jamie Lyn Valentine-Hess,</strong> Greencastle, Pa.<br />&ldquo;Violet, Green and Red&rdquo; by Mark Rothko</p>
11/14
 
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Jamie Lyn Valentine-Hess, Greencastle, Pa.
“Violet, Green and Red” by Mark Rothko

<p><strong>Megan Acevedo,</strong> Baudette, Minn. <br />&ldquo;The Cart, or Road Under Snow at Honfleur&rdquo; by Claude Monet</p>
12/14
 
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Megan Acevedo, Baudette, Minn.
“The Cart, or Road Under Snow at Honfleur” by Claude Monet

<p><strong>Vickie Chilla,</strong> Eustis, Fla. <br />&ldquo;Mother and Child&rdquo; by Gustav Klimt</p>
13/14
 
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Vickie Chilla, Eustis, Fla.
“Mother and Child” by Gustav Klimt

<p><strong>Lisa Lang, Oakville, </strong>Ontario, Canada <br />&ldquo;Son of Man&rdquo; by Rene Magritte</p>
14/14
 
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Lisa Lang, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
“Son of Man” by Rene Magritte

Riding a Wave of Success

Meet the Winner

It may be polka dots and cheetah prints that delight Maki Otani’s nail art clients at Lulu’s by Travis Parker in San Diego, but it was the “Great Wave off Kanagawa” that captured the attention of NAILS’ panel of judges. “I chose this painting because Hokusai’s art is very familiar to me since I grew up in Japan,” says Otani. “It has always been my favorite historical masterpiece.”

It took Otani about 10 hours to complete the nail. “I found finishing the nail very challenging because I had to squeeze the painting into such a small space while keeping the size balanced,” she says. She used four shimmer nail polish colors on the background and blended them in gradually. “Using a tiny brush, I painted the waves and Mt. Fuji with acrylic paint, and then I used white acrylic powder and monomer on the white part of the wave so it would look like it was popping out.”

 

Girl Before A Mirror: NAILS 2008 Mini-Masterpiece Contest Winners

American Beauty: NAILS 2009 Mini-Masterpiece Contest Winners

Gone Fishing: NAILS 2011 Mini-Masterpiece Contest Winners

 

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