For the first of the pre-competition challenges, we were asked to use Swarovski crystals, handpainted and 3-D art to create Halloween nail art inspired by our favorite witch. My favorite witch is Bellatrix Lestrange from the Harry Potter book/movie series, who reminds me of dark and creepy things, such as voodoo. That inspired me to venture into the imagery of witch doctors. After an image search, I came up with two images I liked, and combined them to come up with the witch doctor that I would hand paint with 3-D sculpted elements for my final project. The spellbinding symbols painted onto the background relate to what I’m going through in my life at this time. Although I began with a sketch that pulled in my initial inspiration, as I worked through the process, I sometimes had to take steps backwards to improve the project, and while the completed art bears resemblance to the original sketch, it varies in some key areas.
Step-by-Step Nail Art Tutorial
1
After researching witch doctors, I made a preliminary sketch. I decided that the background would be made of nail tips, which I flattened by heating with a hair dryer and pressing under a piece of furniture.
2
Using Gelish Polygel and Wildflowers Lace Paste, I sculpted a 3-D crow. I wore gloves to keep the mixture from sticking to my hands, and molded it like clay, curing it in my LED lamp for 120 seconds. For the eyes I used SS16 scarlet Swarovski crystals. Black details were added to the crystals.
3
Using Young Nails Mission Control gels and Light Elegance pigments, I base coated the background and the witch doctor. Depth was added by handpainting details, shading, and highlights with the same products.
4
Spellbinding symbols added to background using Young Nails Mission Control gels and Light Elegance pigments. Top hat sculpted out of Wildflowers Lace Paste and cured for 120 seconds in LED lamp. Peacock feather sculpted out of Light Elegance Extreme hard gel, cured in LED lamp for 60 seconds, and painted with various gel polishes.
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Second feather sculpted with Wildflowers Lace Paste and painted with Young Nails Mission Control. Third feather sculpted out of acrylic and allowed to air dry before painting with Mission Control.
6
Feathers attached to hat with acrylic. Swarovski crystals attached to hat and feathers using En Vogue resin. Crystals used: sunflower, fire opal, crystal AB, hematite skull.
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Bones made out of Wildflowers Lace Paste and handpainted with Young Nails Mission Control. Crow and bones attached to nails using acrylic. Witch doctor's necklace made from Lace Paste and 2mm mystic black Swarovski crystals.
8
Handpainted art protected with gel top coat, and then 3-D elements were attached with acrylic.
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