Art Gallery

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"Art Gallery" showcases the nail art of some of the best artists in the industry. Every month, the column features four to six nail art designs created by one or more of our readers with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions. The nail art usually follows a theme for an upcoming holiday or season and depicts that theme in creative, easy-to-replicate designs. The column also provides promotional tips to help readers make the most of their nail art businesses.

Nailpro is actively seeking nail art submissions, so send in your best examples today. If your art is chosen, we'll pay you $25 per nail and you'll be featured in an upcoming issue. Package nails securely, using bubble wrap, a padded box or cotton, and send by snail mail to: Nailpro, 7628 Densmore Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91406, Attn.: "Art Gallery." Don't forget to include your name, address and phone number!
 

Green with Envy

Bring luck to your ladies with shamrocks and shimmer.

By Pam Minch

Top o’ the mornin’ to you! You’ll feel like you have the luck of the Irish on your side when you offer these new St. Paddy’s Day designs to your green-loving clients.

Karen Meyer of Wingate, North Carolina, treats nail techs to some fresh, pinch-proof nail art ideas. Meyer offers up a fortuitous rainbow that ends in a leprechaun’s coveted pot of gold. Mariana Aguayo of McAllen, Texas, unveils a dotted design that will make your clients’ friends green with envy. Shamrocks should be a St. Patrick’s Day nail art staple for you. Add the easy-to-paint shamrock to your clients’ nails and soon you’ll hear your clients declaring, “Kiss me; I’m Irish!”

If your clients would like a less obvious prosperity-enhancing design (no shamrocks and rainbows for them!), try your luck with this look: Add green rhinestones. Such simple designs create even more ways to decorate your clients’ nails for this fun holiday!

Lady Luck
Karen Meyer

Step 1. Polish the nail beige.

Step 2. With light gray, light brown, green, yellow and peach paints, apply thin brush strokes around the perimeter of the nail.

Step 3. Paint a pale green shamrock in the center of the nail.

Step 4. Outline the shamrock in black. Add white accent lines on the shamrock. Finish with pink glitter top coat.

Average Time: 5 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $5 per nail.

Simply Green
Mariana Aguayo

Step 1. Polish the nail green.

Step 2. Using a dotting tool or a stylus, make four dots in the center of the nail.

Step 3. Add smaller dots that lead from the center design to the upper and lower edges of the nail.

Step 4. Finish with multicolored glitter top coat.

Average Time: 2 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $2 per nail.

Over the Rainbow
Karen Meyer

Step 1. Polish the nail white

Step 2. With a striping brush, draw red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple stripes diagonally across the nail.

Step 3. On the tip of the nail, paint a black pot. Fill the pot with coins, using gold glitter paint. Accent the coins with black paint.

Step 4. Add a shamrock on the belly of the pot.

Step 5. Using white paint, add accent lines on the pot. Create sparkling stars around the coins. Finish with top coat.

Average Time: 7 to 10 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $7 per nail.

Luck o’ the Irish
Pam Minch

Step 1. Polish the nail light green.

Step 2. On the nail’s tip only, paint a light green chevron French tip with green glitter polish. Apply top coat to the entire nail.

Step 3. Apply green rhinestones along the smile line.

Step 4. Glue light green or silver bullion in a ‘V’ pattern below the rhinestones.

Step 5. Add one green rhinestone below the bullion. Finish with top coat.

Average Time: 10 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $7 per nail.

Brush Up

A stylus is a must-have tool for every nail tech. It can create perfect dots, such as those needed for the Simply Green nail art design. Use this favorite tool to create flowers or simply dot the smile line of a French manicure with a contrasting color. I even use my stylus to apply white paint just above the French line for a look of added formality. Try it—you’ll love it!

Celebrating her 25th year as a nail tech this year, Pam Minch specializes in nail art at Elysium Day Spa in Parker, Colorado. Her art has been featured in Sports Illustrated and several other publications. She has been a top nail art competitor, a competition judge and an educator for a major manufacturer.