Leopard nail design never loses its relevance and pleases with its spectacular results. This versatile print comes in a wide range of shades and allows you to let your imagination run wild.
Nude and animal print in manicure
Animal prints have long been considered timeless classics and go perfectly with nude nail designs. Such ideas for leopard manicure are relevant, skillfully balancing between elegance, originality and luxury. And for decoration, minimalistic and calm decor is perfect. So, metal strips and a little sparkle look incredibly beautiful. They are suitable for most everyday ideas.
#1 French leopard print
The simplest and most appropriate combination is leopard print and French manicure. The French coat will visually soften the predatory print and balance the manicure. In addition, this manicure can be performed on nails of any length.
A French leopard print jacket looks neutral, especially if done with matte gel polish. This design will fit perfectly into an office and everyday look.
Leopard print as an accent in manicure
You can make an accent in your manicure by decorating just one nail with leopard print. Cover the remaining fingers with the most universal range that goes with everything. Alternatively, choose beige, white, black, red or brown. And the result looks beautiful, stylish and without the risk of overdoing it. An ideal manicure for a dress of any color.
“Cat” print to match the coating
It is ideal when the color of the gel polish matches one of the shades in the print pattern. For example, beige leopard print and nude, caramel or brown polish. In addition, tones that are next to each other on the color wheel - related colors - combine beautifully. You can conceive and implement a two-color leopard manicure.
Options with patterns and designs
Leopard refers to animal designs that are applied to the nail. You should combine patterns and designs carefully so as not to make your nail art overloaded. In addition to animal prints, leopard also goes well with minimalism and geometry. Dots, lines, light strokes will be a good addition to the main design.
You can draw patterns using brushes of different thicknesses, lengths and densities. Strokes in minimalism and animal prints are made using a sharp needle or toothpick, and dots are made using a dot or cut toothpick.
Minimalist patterns are suitable for owners of any nail shape, but it is better to avoid animal designs if you have a narrow or short nail plate. When decorating nail art with patterns, acrylic paints, highly pigmented gel polishes, and a matte top coat are used.
Methods of execution
There are several ways to paint a leopard (leopard print, leopard spots) on your nails. Each of them has its pros and cons, which we will discuss below. There are three of them in total.
- Stamping;
- Drawing;
- Stickers.
A leopard print nail design made using stamping is shown in the photo below. The advantage of this technique is that applying the pattern is quick and even a professional can do. The downside is that the pattern can only be made in one color, and a stamp for such a pattern must be selected.
How to draw a leopard and leopard spots on nails will be written below. So the print can be done in two or even three colors. You can create a more complex design and the pattern will be clearer and more recognizable.
How to do a leopard print manicure using stickers is probably clear to everyone. The stability of such a design is lower, and you can create it quickly and beautifully only after several training sessions. However, with sufficient skill, you can make such a design in 15 – 20 minutes. The pattern can be complex and recognizable.
[yandex2] [google2]
Leopard Design Ideas
Drawings in animal color will add feline grace and alluring “predation” to your image. The most important thing is to choose a good design. And even such a seemingly catchy and self-sufficient print combines very well with other manicure techniques. Let's look at the most popular of them:
- Leopard print manicure with French manicure. Animal print is excellent for covering the tip of the nail plate - but for long or medium-length nails. In this option, you can do all the nails, or cover one or two completely with a print. The ring fingers are most often identified.
Another option is to paint the protruding tip of the nail with a different color, and decorate the rest of the space with a leopard pattern (preferably not on too long nails - it will be too flashy). You can use black, dark brown or other shades that match the main color.
Another popular option is reverse French. We draw a thin line at the base of the nail (as if outlining the edge) with a different color, and decorate the rest of the part with a leopard pattern.
- Moon design with leopard print . You can paint over the nail completely, leaving the hole in the “negative space” effect - that is, empty. The regrowth of marigolds in this design will be less noticeable. Other colors can be used to draw a smile line - white, black, red, orange, and so on. Experiment with combinations.
- Matte finish. A black manicure with a matte base looks incredible. Leopard spots can also be applied in black and made voluminous. They will stand out very interestingly due to completely different textures. This design can also be complemented with gold colored powder. This idea would work with any other shade!
- Leopard in combination with ombre looks very harmonious thanks to the successful combination of colors. It can be done on just a few nails. But always in those shades that create a gradient on the rest of the nails.
- Leopard print with hearts will appeal to lovers of new products in the art of manicure. In this case, the spots are drawn in the shape of small hearts; for this, the color red is mainly chosen. Next, create an outline of the hearts in a dark tone (for example, dark brown). Adjust its thickness - somewhere thinner, and somewhere vice versa.
The color of the base in this design can be anything you like. A very delicate combination will be a pale pink shade of the base and red spots.
- Leopard nail design with stones and rhinestones will make your design even more spectacular. Of course, these decorative elements can simply blend in with the “animal coloring”. But if you make several nails in a single color, you can place rhinestones or stones on them - in moderation.
A good idea would be to simply decorate one nail in monochrome with a small rhinestone. You can also complement your manicure with flat glass beads.
- Spotted nails with glitter powder are perfect for any special occasion. Fine glitter powder can be applied both to the base color and to the spots themselves. Don't go overboard with the design for everyday wear; for luxurious shine, only covering stains will be enough.
- Leopard manicure with drawings . On one of the nails, done in monochrome, you can draw a cat’s eye - this way we will enhance the overall “animalistic” style. Also pay attention to the geometric lines.
This season, animal prints are actively conquering the world’s collections of clothing, shoes, accessories, and nail art as well. Choose a suitable leopard manicure in the photo, play with the varieties of this design and embody the most original and bright ideas in it!
Interesting manicure ideas
A leopard pattern can completely cover the nails, or it can be placed along the smile line similar to a French manicure, or it can be only on a few fingers and still attract the eye.
You can make the coating not only glossy, but also matte with the effect of satin, velvet or plush. Such a drawing seems to come to life and become as realistic as possible.
Combine leopard and French
You can make a leopard manicure by combining it with a French manicure. There are such variations:
- Camouflage base and smile line print.
- Art French with print. The nail bed is speckled, and the smile is black, or even red.
- French is the opposite. This is when the entire nail is leopard print, and at the base of the nail the shape is drawn in white - it looks cute and elegant.
Lovers of the classics should pay attention to such solutions.
Using a stamp (stamping)
If you can’t get a beautiful manicure with leopard print, you can use stamping.
Champs allow you to easily and quickly turn any ideas into reality.
For this you will need:
- scotch;
- nail polish remover;
- varnish;
- silicone stamp;
- scraper or plastic card;
- plate with the desired print.
Sequence of work:
- We perform the same manipulations as when coating with gel polish, only instead of painting with a brush, we take a stamp in our hands (be sure to remove the sticky layer from the color);
- clean the stamp on the sticky side of the tape;
- Apply a small amount of varnish to the stamping plate;
- remove excess with a scraper and distribute the varnish evenly over the plate;
- seal the drawing with a silicone stamp;
- transfer the design to the nail;
- draw along the contour with a brush and dry it in a lamp;
- secure with top.
Using stickers
Using water stickers, the design with a leopard will become more detailed and structural, because photo printing is more colorful; this effect on nails cannot be conveyed with gel polish.
Prepare in advance:
- stickers;
- water;
- scissors;
- orange stick;
- tweezers.
Sequence of work:
- We perform the same manipulations as when coating with gel polish, only instead of painting with a brush, we take a stamp in our hands (we leave a sticky layer of color);
- cut out the sticker according to the shape of the nail plate;
- Using tweezers, place the sticker in water for 5 seconds, take it out and blot it on a dry cloth;
- separate the sticker from the base and carefully place it on the surface of the nail;
- straighten with an orange stick;
- cover the design with a top coat, carefully sealing the ends.
Decor options
Leopard print manicure can be decorated as follows:
- rhinestones and bouillons matched to the tone will play in favor of luxury;
- glitter will add shine;
- Yuka flakes to match will create a shimmering effect;
- velvet sand will help make the drawing structural and voluminous;
Different painting techniques give different effects. It is very important that your manicure is done by a professional, then it will last a long time, and your hands will be well-groomed and beautiful.
Fashion trends in 2020
In 2022, natural nail shapes remain in fashion: soft square, oval and round nails. The most popular form will be almond. Unlike the previous season, pointed nails, such as stiletto, peak, beveled and shocking beveled-twisted shapes, will go out of fashion.
The colors and length of the nail plate that will be relevant this season depend on the time of year. For the winter period, cold and dark colors are suitable, for example, black, gray, purple and their shades on short or medium nails.
During the summer, it is best to give preference to bright and rich colors, for example:
- indigo;
- pomegranate;
- ruby;
- ultramarine;
- bright lime;
- blue-violet.
Light nude and pastel shades will be relevant for all seasons.
One of the popular nail art of 2020 in manicure will be minimalism, which is why the classic French manicure with a complete absence or only a small amount of decor, as well as with simple and light patterns, such as geometry, will remain in fashion. Matte manicure, ombre and gradient will still be in trend.
The photo shows options for leopard manicure.
For lovers of feminine manicure, monograms will come into fashion, which can be combined with various application techniques, for example:
- drawings;
- broken glass;
- casting;
- stencils.
Also, the previously popular floral manicure will come into fashion, which can be done both in a voluminous style using special manicure paints, and in a flat style using drawings and water stickers. Glitter lovers will also not be left without attention.
In 2022, the trend will be bright kamifubuki, massive rhinestones, dotted manicure, as well as rubbing, among which mirror and chameleon especially stand out. Leopard print manicure can be seen in the photos of the first issues of famous magazines in the new year.
Bright leopard manicure
Leopard print is not always dark shades. Lovers of bold and rich nail art even added such an extraordinary leopard print to them. The main thing in this design is to “dose” animal print. Use it on 1-2 nails maximum, otherwise the design will look too rich and catchy.
Popular shades for leopard manicure are orange, deep blue, red, and pink.
Leopard matte manicure
A beautiful manicure is no less important than a fashionable wardrobe. Undoubtedly, hand-created leopard print, the same color as in the pattern and a matte top - turns into a trendy elegant nail design. It will help you look stylish and “expensive”.
Decor ideas
A leopard manicure, the photo of which has become popular on social networks, is decorated with almost all known methods, but you should follow the tips:
- do not pile one nail with a large amount of decor;
- It is better not to use decorations on a nail with a leopard design;
- use no more than two decorative items for one nail art.
You can often find decoration using standard rhinestones, glitter or shimmer. Rhinestones and other voluminous objects, such as pearls, are glued to the finished design using special manicure glue, and flat decor, such as glitter or kamifubuki, can be applied to a sticky layer of colored coating.
Jewelry in combination with a leopard manicure is suitable for owners of medium and long nails. With the help of decor, you can create any image that is suitable both for work in the office and for a shocking party. You can use any colors of both the nail art itself and the decorations. The main thing is that they are combined with each other.
How to do it?
You can create this design at home - no special tools are needed. Of course, doing it requires practice for beginners before you get the perfect print. Step-by-step instructions with photos will help you quickly master the creation of a leopard manicure.
- To begin, cover the nails with a light beige coating, preferably in two layers. Dry each layer completely in turn (we polymerize the gel polish in a UV lamp).
- Apply specks of the chosen color. The spots should not be the same; on the contrary, different sizes and differences in shape are welcome. Their number can also be any. The main rule is that the color of the spots should differ by at least one or two shades from the base. This print is created precisely by contrast.
If this is a leopard manicure in classic safari tones, orange or dark beige, or luxurious gold will do. Sometimes some of the spots are left empty on the base color and simply draw an outline.
- Using a thin brush, paint the outline of the spots - round, oval - with black varnish, gel polish or gel paint. In a chaotic manner. For realism, you need to create small spaces in the outline. Also adjust the thickness of the outline - you get completely different options. By the way, the effect of negligence is in trend.
Idea! If you make the outline of the spots a little blurry and the edges uneven, you will get a real effect of animal fur.
- Additionally, black dots can be placed next to the spots.
- We apply a fixative - a topcoat or clear varnish. Let it dry completely. Our luxurious manicure is ready – nothing complicated!
We present this design as an example. You can choose any other available color combinations - the base, the spots themselves. But their outline should always remain dark - black or dark brown.
It can be easily done with ordinary varnishes, but in this case it is short-lived. A coating with gel polish or gel will last you more than one week. You can also greatly simplify the creation of such a manicure using special stickers or stamps.
Leopard print manicure using special stamps
Nuances of creation
The length and shape of the nails is an important part of a manicure with a bright print. The shape can be any, but this season the nail industry gives preference to soft square, oval and almond-shaped options.
Creating a leopard manicure - step-by-step instructions
This color looks great on nails with short or medium length. But those with short nail plates are not recommended to cover all their nails with this design. And highlight one or two in a single color.
Fashionable leopard manicure is also performed on long or extended nails. The main thing is not to lose moderation in length - otherwise it will look vulgar. For long nails, it is best to choose calm shades of both the base color and the spots. Owners of such nails will be able to afford a greater variety of designs - for example, a leopard print jacket.
An animal pattern can decorate all nails or alternate with monochrome and other manicure techniques. You can also cover part of the nail by placing small spots in a vertical row along the edge of the plate.
Fashionable colors
Do you think that leopard print manicure should traditionally be done in brown shades? But no - in 2022, trendy spots can be of any color, and in the photos of designs you will see all sorts of combinations. Nail art fashion encourages fresh and original ideas more than ever.
Delicate shades of this manicure are welcome - caramel, milky white, soft gray, pale pink, beige, peach. A bright palette of colors creates more extravagant design options. Red, blue, cyan, mint, purple and other bright varnishes are applicable. Don't forget about gold and silver shades, they will give a spotted manicure a special chic.
You can experiment with both the color of the spots themselves and the color of the base. An interesting combination, for example, would be multi-colored spots in a black outline on a white base.
Manicure with leopard on short nails
For those with short nails, it is quite difficult to place a voluminous and detailed pattern on them. As for leopard print, there will be no such problem. The pattern looks laconic and stylish on nails of any length.
On short nails, the leopard print should be as small as possible. To do this, use a thin manicure brush or sliders with a fine pattern. To design short nails, choose both dark shades: matte black or burgundy, and pastel colors: cream, gray, pale pink.
Photo 2022, ideas for fashionable leopard manicure in different styles, techniques and shades
We invite you to look at photos of how artists suggest wearing animal patterns on nails. What fashion ideas have already been demonstrated on Instagram on both long and short nails. If you don’t, then you definitely need to get inspired.
- We recommend on the topic: Laconic beige manicure - new photos, fashion trends.
- Beautiful new “broken glass” manicure: ideas, design photos.
