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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!

 
   

March Madness


Get lucky with St. Patrick’s Day-inspired nail art.

By Jodi Mills

You’ve drawn countless rainbows. You’ve tackled cartoon leprechauns. You’ve even dabbled in 3-D acrylic shamrocks. It’s March again and you’re searching for new and exciting St. Patrick’s Day nail art, but where do you look? Underneath your clients’ nails, of course!

Clear tips and clear enhancement products make beautifying the undersides of clients’ nails easier than ever for nail techs. The small, often overlooked canvas allows for unique possibilities.

Plus, for those clients who love nail art but are too conservative to wear it on a daily basis, under-the-nail art may provide the perfect creative outlet. Be sure to showcase some under-the-nail art on your board and your own nails. These designs from nail tech Audrey Watabe are sure to give you some inspiration.

  

Rainbow Slide

Step 1
Polish the nail with cream polish and let dry. Paint a rainbow swirl across the nail using red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple paints.

Step 2
Use green paint to create two clovers in diagonal corners and a partial clover off of the right side of the nail.

Step 3
Outline each clover with gold bullion. Coat each clover with light green glitter polish.

Step 4
Layer the entire nail with clear top coat. Apply three small rhinestones to the two large clovers. Attach two yellow acrylic stones to the nail’s surface. Apply top coat to encase the stones.

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

Upside-Down Clover French

Step 1
 Apply a clear tip. Starting from the middle of the nail bed, create an upside-down smile line and paint the lower half of the nail dark green.

Step 2
Use light green polish to randomly paint tiny three-leaf clovers on the unpainted portion of the nail. Apply top coat and let dry.

Step 3
Outline the upside-down smile line, alternating gold bullion and green rhinestones. Apply top coat and let dry.

Step 4
Flip the nail over and apply a line of gold and a line of orange rhinestones across the tip’s free edge. Apply top coat to the underside of the tip to encase the stones.

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

Good Luck Charm

Step 1
 Polish the nail with pearly green polish.

Step 2
Polish a large rectangle across the nail using light green polish. Randomly polish dark green and light green rectangles coming off of the large rectangle and trailing off of the edges of the nail.

Step 3
Apply gold glitter top coat to all of the rectangles, then outline each rectangle using gold glitter polish. Coat the entire nail with holographic glitter top coat.

Step 4
Create a 3-D four-leaf clover in the middle of the nail using green glitter acrylic: Make four circles, one for each clover leaf, and add a stem. Outline the clover with top coat, then adhere gold bullion to the outline.

Step 5
Apply a light green rhinestone to each of the four clover leaves. Apply matte top coat to the clover’s background and apply regular top coat to the clover to make the design pop.

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

Rainbow Surprise

Step 1
 Apply clear tips. Paint a rainbow on the topside of the tip at the free edge using red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. Let dry.

Step 2
Paint over the entire nail, including the rainbow, using pearly green polish.

Step 3
Using light green polish, paint three clover leaves near the cuticle area. Accent each leaf with orange polish by painting a curved horizontal line and then marbleizing the orange line. Let dry and apply glitter top coat over the leaves.

Step 4
Using light green rhinestones, outline the clover and add a stem.

Step 5
Use opalescent polish to create a diagonal stripe across the left side of the free edge. Apply two green strips of line tape. Apply top coat and let dry.

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

Hide-and-Seek Clover

Step 1
Paint the nail using pearly opalescent polish.

Step 2
Use light green and dark green polishes to create two giant clover leaves at the tip of the nail.

Step 3
Use light green, kelly green and dark green paints to draw several four-leaf clovers in various sizes and locations on the nail.

Step 4
Use shimmering light green polish to draw one four-leaf clover near the center of the nail. Outline the clover using gold bullion. Add one green rhinestone to the center of the clover. Apply top coat.

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

Brush Up

Four-leaf clovers are easy to paint. Simply draw four hearts that connect at their points and then add a stem. Another trick: Use three-leaf clovers when designing nail art. The smaller design makes painting easier, yet the clover still exudes the St. Patrick’s Day spirit.

Jodi Mills is Nailpro’s executive editor.