Nailspiration: Pretty in Porcelain

Porcelain nail art including delicate floral designs transfers seamlessly from teapot to nail plate. To mimic the look of gorgeous and traditional dinnerware, pair an opaque white tint with a deep and dark blue shade and paint away the details. Follow the steps below from New York-based nailpro Mei Kawajiri to learn three nail art techniques to recreate classic China-inspired designs. “When I designed these tips I was inspired by the blue and white flower patterns in classic fine China,” she says.

Porcelain Look 1 

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1. Apply two coats of white polish.

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2. Paint three thin arches across the nail horizontally with a navy blue polish.

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3. Fill in the tip of the nail with a striped design. Next, fill in the two spaces in the center of the nail with floral designs. Paint a second line along the first arc at the base of the nail. Finish with top coat.

Porcelain Look 2 

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1. Apply two coats of white polish.

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2. Paint a large, vertical rectangle with blue polish.

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3. Paint a floral design at the center of the rectangle. Then, fill the inside border of the rectangle with a thick blue frame, leaving the inside edges jagged. Finally, outline the frame with a thin blue line. Finish with top coat.

Porcelain Look 3

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1. Apply two coats of dark blue polish.

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2. Paint a wide horizontal stripe of white polish across the nail.

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3. Paint a thin blue stripe along the top and bottom of the white stripe. Then, within in the white space, paint a flower and leaf designs with blue polish. Finish with top coat.

Mei Headshot  Mei Kawajiri is a New York City-based nail artist known for her hand-painted designs.

How are you painting porcelain? Let us know in the comments below!

[Images: Nail art by Mei Kawajiri, photography by Michael Chase Gordon]

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