Nail painting: materials, step -by -step instructions, design ideas (2025)

Painting your nails is a creative process that lets you use your nails to showcase your individuality and sense of style. The secret to getting a gorgeous manicure, regardless of experience level, is knowing what supplies and methods to use.

This tutorial will lead you through every step of nail painting, from selecting the appropriate equipment to creating various designs. You can make gorgeous nails at home with our comprehensive instructions and endless design inspiration.

Discover the world of nail art and how easy it can be to get results that look professional with the correct technique and a little practice.

Necessary materials

You need top-notch supplies to become proficient in even the most basic techniques. What should be in your kit is:

• Acrylic paints
• Watercolor paints
• Base and top coat
• Gel polishes of different shades
• A set of brushes
• Tips
• Palette
• Training cards for beginners
• Napkins and towel
• UV or LED lamp
• Stamping kit
• Dehydrator, degreaser, product for removing the sticky layer
• Files and buffs
• Additional kits for individual art painting techniques (according to (as desired)
• Rhinestones, glitter, stucco, foil, melange, flock, acrylic powder for additional decor

For those who are new to nail design, this is an exhaustive list. The list will grow and be supplemented as your nail art skills advance and you learn new techniques. Since they are frequently predicated on the introduction of novel materials, fashionable trends in nail art are also very significant. Stock up on necessities and get started on fascinating experiments.

What brushes are needed for painting nails

The use of the right brush is essential to producing a clean, lovely design in nail art.

You should have multiple of them in your set. Each will be accountable for a particular category of strokes. When drawing in the Chinese style with intricate, multi-level elements, this is crucial.

Every brush has a unique length, thickness, shape, and inclination angle. For the set, you can choose between natural and synthetic brushes.

What brushes are

• Thin long and thin short for small strokes
• Flat not hard
• Brushes with hard bristles for drawing texture
• Fan
• Beveled

Beginners can buy training cards that show specific painting elements to practice the drawing technique. Before doing your nails, you can use them to automate the strokes.

Chinese painting technique: features of execution and step-by-step instructions

Having a firm grip on the brush and becoming proficient with various strokes are essential for painting in the Chinese style.

When the drawing is placed on long, pointed nails, it appears impressive. It is preferable to draw individual elements on short nails. It is advised that beginners combine multiple fundamental stroke types in a single combination.

You’ll need a neutral-colored background varnish, a fixer, and acrylic paints with the proper consistency for artistic painting.

1. Prepare your nails for design, remove the old coating and buff the surface. Use a degreaser to remove dust and remove excess moisture.
2. Apply a base coat, dry in a lamp.
3. Cover your nails with one or two coats of gel polish in a background red shade, as in the photo.
4. Prepare a palette with black, white, pink, brown, and green paints. During the work, you will need to mix them together and with water to obtain the desired shade.
5. Use a brush with coarse bristles to apply a dark background along the bottom of the nail, blend the edge well so that there are no sharp lines.
6. Use a flat brush to draw the buds.
7. Use a beveled brush to draw the petals.
8. Use a thin short brush to add stems and small droplet elements to the drawing, as in the photo.

Creating delicate light-to-shadow transitions between contrasting shades is the most challenging aspect of the job. Drawing skills and some practice with training cards’ strokes are prerequisites for Chinese painting techniques.

If this design looks too complex, take a look at the less complicated options below.

Painting nails with graphic elements

Apart from the exquisite Chinese-style floral designs, think about more elegant and simpler brush painting techniques using graphics. To draw nails in this direction, utilize lines, strokes, semicircles, dots, peas, triangles, and rectangles.

Long and short thin brushes, as well as beveled brushes in varying thicknesses, are useful tools for drawing graphics.

When brushes are not available, graphic design can be applied quickly and simply with tape, adhesive tape, and stencils.

Lace painting

Using a thin brush, tiny strokes are applied gradually to larger ones. After removing the sticky layer and applying a neutral or bright background beforehand, the drawing is completed. It is secured with a top once it has dried. Beginners should think about learning the stamping technique, which enables them to quickly create a gorgeous lace pattern on their nails.

Flower painting

If you have trouble drawing roses, consider using a pattern of daisies or cornflowers on a beige or nude background. Spring and summertime are popular times to buy flowers. They will go wonderfully with breezy, light clothing. To create a drawing, a flat, beveled brush is required. In order to create contrast, you can also add a bright color to the design of small details and outline the flower with a black border.

Small elements and lines with a thin brush

Small elements applied with a thin brush work perfectly to create a light, almost undetectable, yet exquisite design. This kind of design can be completed in a few minutes, doesn’t require experience, and looks unique.

A big, lovely flower on a plain background, like in the picture, can be drawn with a thin brush. You can create a sophisticated and feminine manicure by using just two colors and carefully weaving your lines together, much like you would when creating a rose. To draw attention to the painting and background color and to add elegance to the design, adorn your ring finger with a tiny pearl that matches the drawing’s color.

Wedding nail painting

The bride’s nails should blend in naturally with her style rather than standing out as something different. The drawing is done with paints that are nude, pink peach, lace, and sparkles in soft, delicate tones. Flowers, tiny graphics, and smooth, light lines are all essential components of a wedding manicure.

Abstract painting

Intricate monograms, graphic lines, color transitions, and erratic strokes all work together to create an abstract effect in nail art. For the background, use a fan and a coarse brush; for the lines and curls, use a thin, beveled brush. Try combining two or three different shades of acrylic paint to create unique looks. Use a color wheel if selecting colors is tough.

Winter painting

Every season offers the chance to experiment with new designs that are appropriate for the season and the holidays falling within it. This is Christmas and New Year’s for winter. Create patterns using knitted elements, snowflakes, braids, scarves, and mittens. Textures like flock and powder work well for décor.

In order to create stunning and unique nail art at home, nail painting is a creative process that involves selecting the appropriate supplies, adhering to easy step-by-step instructions, and experimenting with different design ideas.

Holiday theme

Consider using a themed design for a special occasion, such as snowflakes for New Year’s, hearts for Valentine’s Day, or flowers for March 8. A French manicure with a moon design combined with light painting on the tips or base of the nails is a universally suitable festive option. Use ombre effects, rhinestones, beads, mirror rubbings, and glitter in your décor.

Painting with transfer stickers: life hack for beginners

You can use stickers to quickly create a drawing at home by painting the elements. Any choice—graphics, lace, or floral print—will be at your disposal to adorn the picture. The completed background is covered in stickers without having a sticky layer. They are fixed with a top in two layers once they have dried. To prevent the stickers from pealing off, it is crucial to properly seal the tips.

Nail painting using the stamping technique: step-by-step instructions

Another well-liked choice for fast design for novices and others alike. There are numerous pre-made stencils available, so you can select a design for practically any situation. It will be necessary to use fasteners, background varnish, paint for painting, and stamping.

Method:

1. Paint of a contrasting or slightly different shade is applied to the stencil.
2. A stamp is applied to the stencil and pressed against the prepared background on the nail.
3. If the design is done with paint, it is necessary to let it dry for 3-4 minutes.
4. The design is covered with a top coat, the sticky layer is removed.

Painting with acrylic powder or flock

Sprinkle flock or acrylic powder over the design to create a voluminous, fluffy design with painting elements. The tacky layer is eliminated after the varnish is applied. After drawing the design with paint, varnish, or top coat, powder or flock is added right away. only after a lamp has dried this.

Both novices and experts can practice nail art in salons and at home by learning different nail art techniques. Which of their methods most interested you? Which drawing styles have you already experimented with in your pictures? Post a comment to share!

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Learning nail art is more than just technique; it’s a chance to let your imagination run wild. You can accomplish salon-caliber results at home with the correct supplies and detailed instructions.

Try out various patterns and hues to determine what best fits your personal style. The options are endless, regardless of your preference for bold, contemporary designs or timeless styles.

You can express your individuality through your nails with nail painting, which can become an enjoyable and fulfilling part of your self-care regimen with practice and patience.

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