Nail Art Tutorial: How to Create a 3-D Acrylic Flower

To create this look for your clients, we asked Allie Baker, global brand ambassador for EzFlow and current NAILPRO Cup champion, for her best advice for crafting an easy 3-D flower design using acrylic. Here, Baker shares her technique for fitting floral tips.

Nail Art Tutorial: How to Create a 3-D Acrylic Flower

Floral patterns are popping up everywhere this season, and nails are no exception. To create this look for your clients, we asked Allie Baker, global brand ambassador for EzFlow and current NAILPRO Cup champion, for her best advice for crafting an easy 3-D flower design using acrylic. “The consistency of the product needs to be just right,” says Baker. “Not too wet and not too dry.” The technique also requires you to work quickly, before the acrylic sets, so practice is paramount. Here, Baker shares her technique for fitting floral tips.

Step 1

Prep your nail for the 3D accent.

Prep, sculpt (if creating an extension) and polish the nail.

Step 2

Place a small bead of white acrylic on the left center of the nail plate.

Pick up a small bead of white acrylic and place it slightly left of center on the nail plate.

Step 3

Quickly extend the bead into a teardrop shape.

Working quickly, pull the bead into a teardrop shape.

Step 4

Create your first petal.

To create a petal, use the tip of the brush to press down and outward in the center of the teardrop. The edges of the petal will form a slight rim around the center.

Step 5

Use your brush to shape the petal.

Then, use the edge of the brush to further shape the petal.

Step 6

Create four more petals using the clock as your placement guide.

To  make a flower, create four more petals following steps 2-5. For even placement, use a clock as a guide. In this example, the first petal is at 12 o’clock and the second petal is at 2 o’clock.

Step 7

Your acrylic flower should be shaping up by now!

To create the remaining petals, add petals at 5 o’clock, 7 o’clock and 10 o’clock.

Step 8

Add two more acrylic flowers so that they appear “behind” your first flower.

Then add two more flowers so they appear to be behind the first. Pick up a small bead of white acrylic and place it between the flower and the free edge, and between two petals.

Step 9

Follow steps 2-5 to create your first petal.

Follow steps 2-5 to create the first petal.

Step 10

Keep adding those petals! This is perfect practice for acrylic petal creation.

Then, add three additional petals to create three distinct flowers.

Step 11

Place a tiny bead of yellow acrylic as the center of your first flower.

Next, add a center to the first flower. Pick up a tiny bead of yellow acrylic and place it in the center of the first flower.

Step 12

Use the brush to shape your flowers and center.

To create detail, use the tip of the brush to gently press down in the center of the yellow bead. Then, use the brush to shape the edges.

Step 13

Voila! Your acrylic flowers are complete.

Finally, add a yellow center to the two remaining flowers, following steps 11-12.

Now you know how to create easy breezy 3-D flowers!

Tried this nail art tutorial? Show us your 3-D flowers by hashtagging #nailprodigy on Instagram!