One of the most interesting nail art design techniques is the gradient. A rather complex design results in a mesmerizing manicure. Craftsmen offer many interesting color combinations that will suit iridescence in different directions: from horizontal to double diagonal.
Often, when creating a gradient, they stick to a color scheme: all pastel, neon, or combining only dark tones. To properly mix contrasting colors, you need to use transition shades. They will ensure a smooth, clean transition. When choosing, focus on the color wheel.
Gradient design Baby boomer
The most feminine and sensual is the “baby boomer” gradient, which represents a transition from a palette of beige shades to white. Layers, as a rule, divide the nail in half, which visually increases the length and harmonizes the shape. Interesting additions to this solution are accent geometric patterns made in a light color on a darker area at the base. But, in addition to this, holes lined with small rhinestones or sparkles around the perimeter of the nail are perfect.
Blue manicure with design, trends 2022
For fans of monochrome manicure, we suggest combining several shades of blue. For example, cornflower blue, sapphire and blue-gray shades. If you want a heavenly color, the manicure can be combined with a palette of pastel, classic and rainbow shades.
The following can be successfully added to the design for short or long nails:
- drawings,
- rhinestones,
- foil,
- rubbed in
- web gel,
- pearls and subtle sparkles.
- Particularly popular in 2022 are gels and tops with a quail print design effect and gold leaf.
Short nails
Fashionable short nail lengths go well with blue shades, geometry, white and black designs. And additional color and decor add sophistication to the design. If you choose a delicate blue shade, it will visually increase the length of the nail. And rejuvenate your hands, play beautifully in contrast with pink, beige and even a fashionable light yellow shade.
Very short nails
The hardest part about designing short nails can be choosing a color. Here they experiment with black, beige, light pink, blue, and milky shades. But even such a short length of the plates can accommodate the necessary nail art. For example, a drawing, gold leaf or French. Which is what we show in the photo.
Long nails
Long two-tone or multi-colored nails with blue are preferred by brave girls. And they combine even incompatible shades. For example, red and fashionable blue. The design is not necessarily complemented by drawings of plants and flowers that contribute to the atmosphere of spring - which is so necessary after winter. First of all, focus on your mood, your taste and style.
Gradient French glitter
For lovers of shiny shimmers and bright designs, the craftsmen offer an original transition from a single-color coating to a decor with a scattering of small shiny elements or confetti. In the same or different colors, the gradient at the tips of the nails creates the real magic of sparkling stars. Which is perfect for evening wear at formal events and parties. You can also replace glitter, for example, with holographic rubbing.
There is a solution: how to extend the durability of a manicure using shimmer varnishes
I want to share with you a way to extend the life of a manicure by about 2 times. This applies primarily to bright varnishes, because... their durability is usually minimal - the slightest chips along the edge of the nail are too noticeable. The trick is as simple as 5 kopecks, I’ve been using it for many years, and I don’t even remember exactly when I started doing this. All you need to do is apply shimmer polish along the edge of your nail. Yes, such a manicure is not for everyone, and perhaps someone doesn’t want any glitter on their nails.
All nail polish lovers know that shimmer polishes are usually the most durable, just try wiping them off your nails))) because of this they are suitable for increasing the durability of a manicure. The main thing is not to overdo it with the layer, otherwise this “pie” will begin to peel off, and you will get the opposite effect. You can apply shimmer polish to the very tip or to the top third/half of the nail, as you prefer. It is more convenient to distribute varnishes with large particles with a brush from the varnish itself, and with small particles or mica - by filling it with an eyeshadow sponge (this way you can create a gradient with an increase in the density of glitter from the middle of the nail to the tip). A clear topcoat is not necessary unless a particular shimmer feels rough.
I’ll show you how it works using two varnishes as an example. The first one is Stellari 120 Diamond Dust. There are particles of different sizes, including large ones. The shimmer density in the varnish is small, and I want to note that of all the possible options this is the least preferable, but the varnish itself is beautiful. It has to be applied more densely, which can cause unevenness to form at the tip of the nail. I don’t have many shimmer polishes at the moment, so I decided to demonstrate it with its help. Mica is also great, for example, I recently showed it from Zoya, but I don’t want to repeat it))
Off topic, but here, by the way (since I got it), is a palette with my Stellari varnishes, there are exactly 50 of them))
And a manicure in tandem with Stellari 79 Indigo, blue and silver looks great together:
The second option is Limoni Carnival 534 varnish. It contains very fine mica with high density. I showed this manicure in 2016 in a post about Limoni polishes; even then I used this technique. I remember that manicure well, I probably took it off on day 8-10 (it’s hard to say for sure), because I was simply tired of it. With such fine mica, the manicure lasts the longest; it simply seals the varnish on the tips with reinforced concrete.
I hope someone likes this idea. If you have a shimmer polish, try it))
Increase
Gradient and stickers/stamping
To make the colors merge in an unusual and effective way, masters use special stickers that allow you to add creative solutions to a gradient manicure. This can be stamping or a slider with an airbrush effect, with inscriptions, pictures with a landscape and others. As well as geometric and foil patterns. This style is suitable for a casual or business look.
Gradient paints nailstory
Gradient - air puffing nail design
Aeropuffing (an alternative to an airbrush) will help you quickly create a gradient nail design, providing a gradual stretching of the color and reducing its intensity. A gradient is created using a soft sponge texture, with a choice of gel paint, gel polish or special paste. Start the design from the edge where the darkest gradient section will be. And shade the borders of the color with the side portion of the pouffe. If the technology is followed, the ultra-gentle transition of shades will delight you with durability and beauty.
For short nails
On short nails, a gradient manicure will be laconic in any color scheme. There is no fear of overloading the design, making it too pretentious and catchy. When creating a gradient on short nails, do not give up drawings - they will make the design individual.
One of the best design options for short nails is a gradient with a milky base. Manicure “Milk Gradient” is a rich, stylish design, but without excessive brightness. It attracts attention, but in moderation, so it goes well even with a business look.
It is not necessary to complement this fashionable nail design with rhinestones, sparkles or stickers, but if you want, try not to overload it so as not to distract attention from the stylish manicure.
Any color can be used as an accent color - bright neon, delicate pastel, muted blue, red and black. In any case, the milky gradient on the nails will turn out surprisingly delicate and original.
The gradient on nails with a milky base, if you apply bright shades, looks like it’s illuminated.
A gentle manicure on short nails is achieved using a pleasant pink, almost coral, turning into white, or vice versa. A similar tone “Coral reef” is presented by the Picture Polish brand.
Manicure on short nails: fashionable shades, ideas, trends
It is not necessary to experiment with bright colors - a calm gradient manicure will be a universal solution for any look, occasion and mood.
As for stickers, they can be very different and reflect the inner world of their owner. You can purchase pictures in offline or online stores. An impressive assortment is presented on Chinese online platforms such as Aliexpress or Pandao.
A newspaper or special water-based or adhesive-based stickers will help you create a design with text.
The stamping technique is good in combination with a gradient. The pattern can be anything, just like a colored background, for example, a nail polish from Color club in the shade “Pucci-licious Gel”.
If you have artistic skills, create bright designs, for example, sunny sunflowers with Kiko “Canary Yellow” varnish.
Gradient with clear boundaries but a smooth color transition using LVX varnishes, shades:
- "Celeste"
- "Serene"
- "Laguna"
- "La mer";
- "Cerulean".
And a few more ideas for short nails
Horizontal gradient on nails with gel polish
The excellent glossy effect of gel polishes gives the gradient freshness and lightness. The horizontal direction mainly helps to create complex transitions consisting of three or more colors. The main thing is to choose the right combinations. Manicure is suitable for any length and shape. It may resemble a tiger or cat's eye technique, which is essentially a kind of gradient.
Matte
Eliminating glossy shine is what you need for a gradient. Thanks to this technique, you can use bright colors while leaving the manicure calm.
Summer juicy manicure using bright shades No. 96 and No. 66 of Essence varnishes in combination with a matte top to create a coating that imitates the skin of a ripe peach.
Subdued manicure ideas
A bright hit of this year - a gradient with a milky base, a matte top coat and a trendy manicure are guaranteed.
This technique can be used on both long and short nails - for any length and shape, a milky gradient will be appropriate - the main thing is to correctly distribute the colors and transitions.
You can complement the milky gradient on your nails with stickers, sliders, inscriptions, sparkles and rhinestones, but in the case of a matte top, it is better not to add artificial shine - the cozy, delicate design looks self-sufficient.
Make your matte manicure bright with stickers and designs. An impressive selection of stickers is available on Aliexpress and online nail art stores.
The drawings can be brilliant. Cupcake Polish varnishes are suitable for these purposes. This brand produces dozens of glitter products in various shades.
Manicure ideas with glitter for all occasions - 47 designs with descriptions
Gradient gel polish vertically
If it is difficult to choose one color in the design, then you can combine them using a vertical transition. As a rule, this nail design compares favorably with a plain-colored finish. In addition to the gradient, many fashionistas add patterns of rhinestones to the transition line, matched to the color of one of the varnishes. This solution gives the manicure expressiveness and depth.
Gradient nail design with pattern
Drawings and patterns in manicure do not lose their popularity from season to season.
- Geometry is often added to the sensual gradient of nude tones.
- Popular designs include contour monograms and floristry with airy watercolor strokes.
- In spring, butterfly imitation drawings (photo 2) or those drawn in a 3D effect with shadow design become especially common.
- Particularly talented masters can offer a more interesting option: landscapes and views of nature. Where the gradient will act as the sky or sea elements, against which birds, clouds, and stars are depicted.
- For the holidays, thematic drawings made using the gradient technique are in demand (photo 1).
Gradient with color transition
For a beginning artist, it is most optimal to choose a gradient with a transition to work with. This type of manicure is quite easy to carry out, because the different shades of color are evenly distributed over the nails from the thumb to the little finger. To create a stylish manicure, you need to prepare a polish of five shades of the same color, a finish, and a base.
Step-by-step creation of a stylish red gradient manicure with transition:
- Treat your hands with an antiseptic solution.
- Perform a trim manicure (after the bath).
- Treat the cuticle and be sure to carefully align the nail plates. To obtain a high-quality transition of color shades, you need to prepare your nails for applying varnish.
- Apply a pale pink to bright red polish to your nails towards your little finger. It is better to use 3-4 layers of gel polish with mandatory drying of each layer of coating.
The manicure is completed by applying a finish. A high-quality manicure does not require additional decor, but if desired, the nails can be decorated with rhinestones, an inscription on the leading finger and 1-2 frames along the nail plate.
A little trick will help beginning craftsmen: in the absence of any color, this shade can be obtained by mixing two other varnishes.
Bright gradient on nails, photo
For a bold look, an unusual bright shimmer with acidic colors is suitable. For the warm season, this design would be an excellent choice. You can balance out the over-brightness by using a translucent flesh tone in the background. One of the unusual advantages of bright colors is that some can glow in the dark, which will help any fashionista be the center of attention.
Gradient nail design with decor
Gradient manicure allows you to additionally use various decorative elements. For example, you can precisely select a decoration that matches the color of the selected gradient. Alternatively, a play of sequins, foil, small shimmer, a pendant or a cobweb pattern will make the design even more attractive and brighter. But what if you want to create a gradient from rubbing? And this is possible. Pre-coat your nails with polish or gel polish. To create an ideal surface for further application, for example, of two different shades of chrome rubbing.
Vertical gradient
The most important thing in any type of gradient is choosing the right shades. They should not be very different from each other, unless of course you want to create a brighter and catchier image. For bright ideas, use bright and acidic gel polishes.
For a more subdued variation, you can choose delicate shades of purple, green, blue and other colors that complement each other beautifully.
Nail gradient with watercolor paints
Great option. To create a gradient, it is recommended to choose color contrasts, and for ombre nail designs - approximate colors.
- Using watercolors, draw horizontal lines and mix colors together.
- Wait until completely dry.
- Cover with top.
- You get a lighter and more airy layering of shades - an excellent background for further nail design.
Photo with a beautiful gradient design on nails in different shades, styles and techniques
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