Nail designs or nail art is a very simple concept: designs or art that is used to decorate the nails of the fingers or toes. They are mainly used to enhance an outfit or brighten up an everyday look. Seen today more as a fashion activity and something that allows for creativity and expression of one’s style, nail art and design is considered an important area of fashion and beauty. Different nail designs and nail art can be found on the latest catwalks from top designers, Hollywood stars and celebrities will often show off the latest nail trends on red carpets and of course anyone from their own home. you can create nail art to match your artistic mood, outfit or personality.
History originally saw nail art as a social class spectacle, and the more extravagant it was considered upper class. These days it’s available to everyone and has exploded in popularity, so much so that a NAILgasm documentary was released to explore the growing trend of nail art from subculture to high fashion. In January 2014, Nailpolis: Museum of Nail Art was founded for nail artists and enthusiasts to share their designs. Membership in NailpolisMuseum is limited to one invite only to “maintain quality content”.
How to do nail art?
Whether you want your nails to look their best, copy your favorite star’s nails, or just have a great design idea for them, there are a few ways to achieve the look you want.
Business issues:
The easiest option, but probably the most expensive, is to visit a nail salon or nail bar. With the rise of nail designs and the popularity of nail art, nail salons/bars have become common in many cities and high streets. They will have nail technicians who should be able to create any design you want.
Sets:
Nail art kits are helpful for beginners as they give you everything you need to get started. They will usually contain the top and bottom coats, glaze and colors, special brushes or dotting tools, different patterns, stickers and pins for the designs, and sometimes stones, jewels or glitter, depending on the kit. You may even want to get a kit with nail pens that allow you to draw directly on the nail, resulting in a totally unique design.
If you are thinking of dedicating yourself to nail designs, a nail art kit can be the ideal starting point. You can purchase nail art kits from some of the larger retailers.
Tutorials:
Whether you want to avoid the cost of nail salons or are just feeling brave, there are tons of tutorials and guides for all kinds of nail designs on the internet. You can easily do a quick search on Google and YouTube for a host of other resources.
What do you need
To get the designs or art you want and you’re not going to a nail salon, you’ll need the best tools and supplies. One of the most basic tools for any budding nail artist is brushes. A set of brushes can be purchased at most places, including Amazon, for very little money. Nail files are also important and you will probably need more than one. Your design ideas and the techniques they will require play a big part in what tools you might need. Nail stamps and dotting tools may be required to create specific designs.
These are just a few of a wide range of tools available for nail art and design. Depending on the type of design or pattern you are trying to achieve, you will need specific tools that allow you to create those specific designs.
nail designs
Once you’ve decided to create your own nail art and have all the tools you need to do so, you’ll need to decide on a design. The range of options available to you is huge and over time you will become familiar with the different accessories that can be used to enhance your nail designs. Some of the most common designs are:
- flowers
- Brilliantine
- bows
- dots/spots
- Themed holidays, for example, Easter bunnies.
- animal prints
- two tone
- french manicure
Those are just a few of the many designs you could choose from. The options are endless and almost any image or pattern can be recreated on your nails.
Inspiration
There are many resources to find nail design inspiration. Various nail art books can be found online that will suit the nail designs you are looking for or the level of skill you currently have. Alternatively, you can attend a class at your local salon to get the basics first or find inspiration in them, not to mention vastly improve your skill. And of course the Internet is a treasure trove of information and ideas. A quick search will allow you to find endless nail design and decoration ideas.