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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!
 

Eggs

Nail art ideas for some-bunny special!

By Pam Minch

Dust off those pastel polishes; Easter is the next great nail art-inspiring holiday to hop our way! Take time to freshen up your nail art display boards with some sweet springtime designs. Nail tech Audrey Watabe treats you to nine easy-to-do nail art designs that you can quickly add to any nail service. Bunnies, carrots and pastel-hued eggs mark this fun holiday, and Watabe makes these cute designs more striking by incorporating glitter polish, bullion and Easter grass into the nail art.

Don’t limit your creativity to the designs; have some fun with how you display your nail art too! Show off sample tips in an Easter basket filled with jelly beans or silk flowers. Or glue tips to beautifully decorated Easter eggs.

Whether your clients attend a neighborhood Easter egg hunt or a family holiday brunch, they’ll love wearing these eye-catching designs. Remember too that with spring comes sandal season, and these Easter nail art ideas would also look fabulous painted on your clients’ toenails. Don’t make your clients hunt for such eggs-travagant nails!

Eggshell French

Step 1. Polish the entire nail light green. Using white paint, create a French tip with a zigzag smile line.



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Step 2. Outline the zigzag with yellow and add a pink dot under each zigzag point.

Step 3. Cut two strips of Easter grass and glue them onto the nail. Apply top coat to seal the grass.

Step 4. Using acrylic, sculpt a tiny egg on a metal form. Remove the egg when it is dry and paint it light pink. Add blue dots and yellow zigzags to the egg. Glue the egg onto the nail. Apply a layer of top coat over the entire nail.
 
 
 
*TIP: To create a cleaner look, eliminate Step 4.

Average Time: 5 to 10 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $5 to $7 per nail.

Easter Egg Hunt

Step 1. Polish the entire nail with silver glitter polish. Cut strips of Easter grass to fit the nail. While the silver glitter polish is still tacky, apply the grass to the nail in diagonal lines. Seal the grass with a layer of top coat.

Step 2. Glue on three miniature metallic Easter eggs.

Step 3. Using yellow, blue and pink, paint random dot patterns on the two outside eggs.

Step 4. Using purple and black paint, create a tiny bunny head on the middle egg. Allow the design to dry and apply top coat.
 
 
 
 
 
   

Average Time: 7 to 10 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $5 to $7 per nail.

Bunny-Eared Tip

Step 1. Apply shimmering, sheer pink polish over the entire nail. Draw a small arc at the tip of the nail with white paint.

Step 2. Using white, paint two long bunny ears coming down from the arc.

Step 3. Glue three pink rhinestones on each ear. Apply top coat over the entire nail.

Average Time: 3 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $3 to $5 per nail.

Carrot Nail

Step 1. File the nail to a pointed shape. Polish the nail bright orange. Using beige, paint an upside-down French tip and smile line near the cuticle.

Step 2. Using light orange paint, add several horizontal lines on the carrot.

Step 3. Above the orange area, create stems using light green paint. Accent the stems with dark green paint. Finish the nail by applying top coat.

Average Time: 3 to 5 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $3 to $5 per nail.

Easter Egg

Step 1. Polish the entire nail white. Create a zigzag line in the middle of the nail using pastel purple paint.


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Step 2. Above and below the purple zigzag, paint two wavy lines in pale pink.

Step 3. Using pastel blue, yellow and green, paint dots near the cuticle and the free edge. Allow the design to dry and apply top coat.

Average Time: 3 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $2 to $3 per nail.

Spring Rain

Step 1. Polish the entire nail with sheer pink glitter polish. Glue petals from dried, pressed flowers to the corner of the nail. Apply another coat of sheer pink glitter polish over the entire nail, covering the pressed flowers.

Step 2. While the polish is still tacky, add tiny gold
bullion to the nail bed.

Step 3. Glue green and pink rhinestones on the flower petals. Allow the design to dry and apply top coat.

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

Scrambled Egg

Step 1. Polish the nail with a pastel Easter color, such as baby pink or blue. Allow the polish to dry. Coat the cuticle area with oil to make cleanup easier.

Step 2. Splatter the desired colors onto the nail using a toothbrush and medium-to-wet paint. Choose several paint colors for a mottled effect. Allow the paint to dry. Clean up around the cuticle area and apply matte top coat.

Average Time: 3 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $2 to $3 per nail.

Eggs Over Easy

Step 1. Cut an Easter-themed ribbon to fit the nail. Glue the ribbon to the nail and trim any excess.

Step 2. Glue purple, yellow and pink acrylic stones on the nail. Do not apply top coat.

Average Time: 5 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $3 to $5 per nail.

Did Some-Bunny Call?

Step 1. Polish the entire nail yellow. Allow the polish to dry. Use pink, yellow, blue and green paint to create random dots on the nail. Add glitter top coat to some of the dots. Allow the design to dry.

Step 2. Paint a bunny’s head, ears, paws and tummy using white paint. Allow the paint to dry.

Step 3. Outline the bunny using black paint. Add eyes, eyebrows, a nose and a mouth with black paint.

Step 4. Fill in the nose with pink paint and add white whiskers. Allow the design to dry and apply top coat.

Average Time: 5 to 7 minutes per nail.
Suggested Price: $5 per nail.
 

Tip of the Month

Splattering creates a unique effect on nails. When creating splatter designs, mix paint with a tiny amount of water. Take an old, dry toothbrush, dip it into the paint, and then run your thumb across the bristles to create a splatter. Be sure to cover your work area and your and your client’s clothing; nail art paint dries to a permanent finish!

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.