Art Gallery

View the Current Gallery
View the Art Gallery Archives

"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!
 

Winter Wonderland

Experiment with frosty nail art
that will melt your clients’ hearts.

By Pam Minch

Winter brings chilly temperatures, cozy sweaters and a bevy of cool nail art ideas. Why not offer your clients a smattering of icy snowflakes? Quick and easy snowflake designs are a wearable choice for clients who don’t usually sport nail art. And since no two snowflakes are alike, you can easily scatter them across a whole set of nails. Add glitter, rhinestones or pixie dust to bring out the twinkle in your frosty designs.

For clients who would like a more playful design, I created snowmen with personality. These cool-weather friends lend your clients’ nails icy sparkle and a bit of merriment.

Do you work in a climate where snow never falls? That doesn’t matter! Winter nail art provides a little diversion from the balmy weather. In fact, no matter where you live, your clients will be happy to have a reminder of winter on their nails to get them in the mood for the busy holiday season.

No Two Alike
 

Step 1.
Polish the entire nail dark blue and allow it to dry. Paint two large and two small crisscrosses in white, plus one vertical line.

Step 2.
Using white, paint crisscrosses on top of all of the crisscrosses you created. (The shapes should now look like spokes of a wheel.)

Step 3.
Add white dots to some of the “spokes” on the large snowflakes and add lines to the other “spokes.”

Step 4.
Randomly place white dots on the nail and add a white dot to the center of each small snowflake. Allow the design to dry and apply top coat. While the top coat is wet, sprinkle pixie dust over the nail. Add a rhinestone to the center of each large snowflake. Reapply top coat.

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

Let It Snow, Let It Snow,
Let It Snow

Step 1.
Polish the entire nail medium blue and allow it to dry. Using white, paint a snowman’s head near the free edge and paint three snowflakes near the cuticle area.

Step 2.
Using red, create the snowman’s earmuffs. Paint an orange carrot nose and a green scarf. Allow the design to dry.

Step 3.
Paint eyes and a mouth using black. Create an earmuff band and outline earmuffs with black paint.

Step 4.
Add small light blue dots randomly around the snowflakes. Use the same color to create dots on the green scarf. Allow the design to dry and apply glitter top coat.

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

Skiing Snowman

Step 1.
Paint the entire nail light blue and allow it to dry. Paint one corner of the free edge French white. Create a snowman’s body and head with white paint. Allow the design to dry.

Step 2.
Paint a red hat, brown skis and an orange carrot nose. Use dark blue to make eyes and buttons.

Step 3.
Using white paint, add stripes to the hat. Outline parts of the snowman with light blue paint. Use black to create a ski pole and to outline the ski.

Step 4.
Apply top coat to the French white area only. While the top coat is wet, sprinkle pixie dust onto the nail. Allow the nail to dry for two minutes, then apply top coat to the entire nail.

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

Build a Snowman

Step 1.
Polish the entire nail dark blue. Paint three white circles to make the snowman. Allow the design to dry.

Step 2.
Paint a red scarf and a red heart. Use green to paint the brim and top of a hat.

Step 3.
Use black to paint eyes and a mouth. Add an orange carrot nose, dark blue buttons and brown twig arms.

Step 4.
Use white to add stripes to the scarf and a dot on the hat. Add white dots to the blue area of the nail. Allow the design to dry and apply top coat.

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

Brush Up

Add glitter to winter designs to make your nail art glisten like snow. I prefer to use pixie dust glitter, which is very fine. Be sure to buy dry glitter dust and not the gel type. Apply top coat, sprinkle the dust and then reapply top coat. The dust is so fine that the design won’t feel grainy to the touch. Hint: Wipe off the top coat brush before reinserting it into the bottle; otherwise, you’ll create a glitter top coat!

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.