Features and techniques of leopard manicure. Leopard print manicure in unexpected colors Gray leopard manicure
Leopard print does not go out of fashion for years, appearing everywhere: on clothes, interior items, and even dishes. So why not recreate leopard print in a manicure? Moreover, this seemingly intricate design can in fact be easily reproduced at home, fits perfectly on nails of any length and shape (including looks great on short and pointed nails), and takes very little time.
You don't need any special tools - a leopard manicure can be easily done with improvised means if you have minimal artistic skills. I did all these variations of leopard manicure myself at home, and you can also repeat them with the help of this tutorial. :)
Manicure options with leopard print
To help you refresh your memory of the desired pattern and have a good idea of what you have to recreate on your nails, I have prepared a small collection of leopard prints to use as a sample.
Print samples
As you can see, leopard print manicure can be done in different colors, as well as with different frequency and size of the pattern - more on that below. And right now we will sort it out with you classic (black-brown) leopard manicure on short nails.
For a classic leopard manicure you will need:
- Nail polishes, 3 pcs. uki: light brown; dark brown; black
- Toothpicks, 2 pieces
- Scissors
- Palette (any surface that you don’t mind getting dirty, even a sheet of paper. In my case, it’s a sheet of polyethylene)
- Base coat, top coat (optional)
Leopard manicure step by step
0. Standard preparatory step: do a hygienic manicure, apply base coat to protect nails (optional).
1. Apply to nails light brown background, if necessary - in several layers.
2. Let's prepare toothpicks. We will need one toothpick for drawing large brown spots, and one for drawing smaller black details. Therefore, we take one toothpick and cut off about 3 millimeters from its end with scissors - thereby we will make the tip blunter and wider, and it will give wider spots on the nails. Cut the second toothpick (for drawing black details) by 1 millimeter from the end.
3. Let's start creating dark brown spots. We drop a drop of dark brown varnish onto the palette, dip the first (heavily trimmed) toothpick into it and, using trampling movements (not smearing! Because this is not a brush), imprint spots of arbitrary shape on the nail. Remember to leave enough space between the spots (we will still need to fit the black elements in there).
4. Finally, we complement the manicure black leopard pattern elements. Take a second toothpick (with a thinner tip), drip it onto a palette of black varnish, and draw the following elements on the nails:
- "Brackets" () : Around some of the spots we draw semicircular elements similar to brackets on both sides.
- "Half-outline" C : We outline some of the spots along the contour approximately half - three-quarters of the perimeter, so that we get black elements shaped like the letter “C”.
- "Underline" | or ) : Apply some of the spots on one side with a short black stroke. It can be straight or rounded.
- "Black Blots" ~:in the remaining large gaps we apply small black strokes or spots of arbitrary shape (from two or three “stuck together” dots).
As a result, you should have one of the elements a-c drawn around each dark brown spot. The remaining spaces are filled with d elements. Once this step is complete, your nails should have the desired "leopard" look.
5. Leave the finished leopard print until completely dry, then apply fixing coating or clear varnish to protect the design and ensure long wear.
Congratulations, you are now the owner of stylish leopard print nails!
(You can see other photos of this manicure in .)
Playing with colors and sizes
As I said above, in a leopard manicure you can vary the colors, as well as the size and density of the spots of the leopard pattern.
In case of flowers the rule is as follows: you take any light varnish + any varnish of a darker color + black or very dark varnish. The first of them will go on the background, the second will be used for spots, and we will complete the details with black. The first two polishes can be swapped, but make sure the light polish is strong enough in color to be visible against the darker background.
If you want to experiment with frequency and size of leopard spots, toothpicks should be replaced with a set of purchased dotters or any. With their help, you can draw spots of any size - both bolder and smaller and more frequent.
Here are the results of my own experiments:
1) Leopard print manicure in purple tones with a small print. Varnishes used: lilac, violet, black; A paper clip (for stains) and a stationery pin (for black parts) were used as dotters. More photos of this manicure.
2) Black-red-silver leopard manicure with large spots. Varnishes: silver, red, black. The dotters used were a thick ballpoint pen (for red spots) and a trimmed toothpick (for black parts). Big photo .
Varnishes: blue, black. The spots were drawn with a toothpick. Scotch tape was also used to create smooth black tips. Big photo .
4) White and blue leopard manicure with small spots and a gradient. The peculiarity is that in front of the leopard print there is a light blue gradient superimposed on a white background. Unfortunately, the light blue varnish turned out to be so light that it is almost invisible in the photo. If you still see blue-white background transitions on your screen, keep in mind that this is due to a gradient (how to apply it is described).
Varnishes: white, light blue, light blue, black. The print was drawn with a paper clip and a toothpick. Big photo .
The features of this design are that, firstly, the leopard print is not placed on the entire surface of the nails, but in pre-selected areas; secondly, in softening the overall color scheme of the manicure by mixing all varnishes with white. The varnishes were mixed before application, on a palette, in a 1:1 ratio (one drop of colored or black varnish + one drop of white), and stirred with a toothpick. The result was dull spots framed by gray. Although, if you have muted color varnishes in your arsenal, you can do without mixing.
Varnishes: white, black and several colored ones. The print was drawn with a toothpick. Big photo .
6) Dark manicure with colored spots based on leopard print. Of course, there is little left of the leopard here, but the principle of creating a manicure is the same. As in option No. 4, a color gradient is made on the background, which gives a shimmering effect. Next, multi-colored spots are applied using the leopard print technique. When applied over clear varnish/fixer, a Murano glass effect is achieved.
Varnishes: black, dark pink, orange, yellow, green. The spots were drawn with a toothpick. Big photo .
Leopard manicure is modern and remains always relevant. If you want to decorate your nails with something interesting and original, leopard print is perfect for this purpose. In addition, the spots can be of any color, which gives a wide field for experimentation.
Note that leopard manicure requires some practice among beginners before the design fits perfectly on the nails, so don't give up, try again and again.
Animal prints have always been present in designer collections in recent years. You can see them mainly in accessories - shoes, bags and belts.
Leopard print shoes
Leopard dress
Leopard print handbag
However, animal motifs prevail not only in the creations of catwalk designers, but also in women's manicure. This fall, one of the latest fashion trends is leopard manicure.
The women's site will help you learn about the most common and successful manicure color combinations that you can use at work.
How to do leopard print nails
- Cover the nails with light beige nail polish and allow it to dry.
- Then, using a thin brush and acrylic paints or black (or other) varnish, create an outline of the spots.
- The spots should be different in shape and size, made with varnish or paint several shades darker than the base.
- If desired, you can use other available color and speck combinations.
Even for classic fans of French manicure, there is something creative and unusual in leopard prints.
Nails with delicate tones: milky white, light beige, caramel, pale coral, peach will serve as an excellent basis for a leopard manicure on short or long nails. If you want, you can additionally decorate your nails with decorative elements (stones, rhinestones, flat glass beads) that match the color of the nail art.
An original manicure with spots is not just one of the types of nail art and a way to keep your nails beautiful; such nail designs are accessible even to beginners.
Bright varnishes create a more extravagant manicure. If you want a more dramatic and less realistic effect, you can use neon polishes as a base.
Manicure is easy and simple to perform at home; for more sophisticated patterns on long and durable nails, visit a gel or acrylic nail extension specialist.
Video tutorials on how to do leopard print nails
Classic leopard manicure on a beige basis
Minx manicure
Pink long nails with leopard print
Leopard print with shadows
Leopard is a bright print that gives the image a little predatory, sexy and charm. It has long ceased to decorate only clothes, but gradually moved to numerous details: shoes, accessories and nails. So noticeable and beautiful, many people find it too difficult to perform on their own. If you figure out how to do a leopard manicure yourself, then everything will turn out to be much simpler than it initially seemed.
Basic tools for creating a manicure
Before you start painting the much-coveted leopard spots on your nails, you need to prepare in advance all the necessary tools that will be needed in the process.
Lucky
The first is a set of varnishes. You need to immediately decide which color will become the base, and which color the spots themselves will be. Making leopard print nails that are closer to the classics by choosing brown tones, or choosing contrasting tones is a matter of personal preference. A white base looks good - absolutely all colors go with it, and the spots do not have to be the same color: it will be original if you make them different and bright. Besides them, a leopard is unthinkable without black varnish.
Thin brush, needle, toothpick or special manicure pen
A large set is available to choose from, depending on what is more convenient to work with. All of them are required for one purpose - to draw spots and frame them in black. In this regard, a manicure pen is one of the most convenient tools; you can buy it in any specialized place, but even with improvised means, leopard nails will turn out no worse.
Animal print - step by step instructions
Making a leopard print manicure at home is easy. A little free time, desire and accuracy - and soon bright animal spots will appear on your nails.
If you didn’t succeed in making a beautiful leopard the first time, don’t despair! Constant training and careful execution will soon help make your manicure indistinguishable from a professional one. And if someone asks the question of how to do a leopard manicure without resorting to outside help, you can safely say - on your own!
Leopard print manicure, made in different versions, including with a classic French manicure, is always popular. Knowing the intricacies of applying the coating, you can decorate your nails yourself, and in any color scheme based on the general design.
Peculiarities
The animal print design looks equally impressive on the hands of both young and mature women. Of course, it must suit the occasion, so it is done in bright or pastel combinations of varnishes. This decoration is also relevant for those whose nail plates are uneven and have some flaws: with the help of leopard spots they can be made as invisible as possible.
Additional decorative elements are also allowed:
- sparkles and rhinestones that make nails more expressive and bright, they are mainly suitable for festive events and parties;
- on the other hand, the same rhinestones and small beads, when they are placed on the nails in doses, or even even decorate one or two fingers, can make the manicure especially sophisticated, so they are suitable for more serious events, and sometimes for everyday life.
In general, nails of any shape and length are suitable for this design option, but spectacular spots look best on oval and square nails of medium and long length. Artificial and natural nail plates are suitable for decoration.
If you are decorating short nails, it is better if you decorate just a couple of fingers with this design.
Color palette
The leopard print itself involves a combination of black, yellow and orange spots on any suitable background, but this is a stereotypical idea of a “predatory” design. Modern fashion also includes other unusual combinations of colors and shades:
- black with pink or purple;
- silver with lilac;
- white with black, red;
- yellow (golden) and brown;
- blue with different shades of blue.
For a youth party, a girl can choose more extravagant combinations, for example, burgundy and pink, emerald green and light green.
For a manicure with a spot print, three design options are usually used:
- traditional classic style involves the use of nude, natural shades, as well as silver and gold;
- if the spots are done according to a French manicure, then the main part of the nail remains its natural color, and the animal print runs along the “smile” - the edge of the nail;
- A variety of bright colors are used for visiting a club or other youth events.
Of course, it is important to respect their compatibility, but sometimes opposite shades look stylish and expressive.
For a more effective combination with a manicure, it is better to choose plain clothes, but you can always complement them with glasses in a leopard print frame, a belt or a small scarf of the same color. If there is a blouse or even a dress in this style, the combination may look tasteless.
In addition, you need to take care of the minimum of jewelry on your fingers, at least get rid of massive rings and rings, choose simpler options without stones.
How to choose a coating?
Different products are chosen as a coating, and the least suitable for this are simple varnishes, which quickly wear off, which means the appearance of the nails loses its beauty and attractiveness.
Leopard print manicure can be performed with stable compositions:
- acrylic paint using a thin brush (No. 1, 2);
- if your nails are extended, it makes sense to use acrylic or gel polish;
- The best option for natural nail plates is shellac, which is available in a wide range and allows you to choose any shades; moreover, this coating is durable and will help preserve the unusual decor for 2-3 weeks.
A leopard print jacket can be made using a stamping kit, which allows you to create any design. This kit includes:
- rubber or silicone stamp;
- plates with different designs;
- highly resistant varnish compositions for application;
- manicure scraper - a scraper for cleaning the nail surface.
When decorating your nails, you should keep in mind that you need to transfer the design quickly, because the special varnish hardens quickly. Having certain skills, you can also use sliders - custom-made stickers. For durability, they are coated with a double layer of finishing varnish.
At the same time, it can be glossy or matte; you will need to choose the most suitable one.
Design nuances
First of all, you need to choose the method by which the “predatory” manicure will be performed and prepare everything you need.
In the usual version it is:
- tools for creating spots - a thin brush, a toothpick or needle, a manicure pen;
- bath, towel, cotton swabs and pads;
- cuticle correction tweezers;
- nail polish remover;
- clear base coat, varnishes for foundation, contour, stains.
The step-by-step procedure is performed as follows:
- at the first stage, the old coating is removed, the nails are processed, cuticles and hangnails are removed, the plate is given a round or square shape, which must be degreased;
- a transparent base is applied and dried;
- the base varnish, which will contrast with the spots, is applied in two layers and both of them are dried in turn;
- You can draw spots with a brush or a toothpick, the main thing is to do it carefully so that they do not blur, it’s good if your elbow rests on the table, this will make the movements more accurate and precise;
- “leopard” does not require special symmetry at this stage and when the contours of the spots are outlined in a darker color, because in nature, real spots on the skin of a predator are not impeccable;
- white dots and semicircles on the spots themselves will give them a more lively, “leopard-print” look, so it’s even good if they are located randomly;
- then all these strokes are also outlined with black varnish, but you should leave them open, so they will look more realistic.
How to make leopard print nails: step-by-step instructions, photos, videos
Fashionable leopard print can decorate both everyday and festive manicures. It’s not at all difficult to do even if you don’t have any nail art skills. The main thing is accuracy and having enough time, since it won’t be possible to make leopard print nails very quickly, because we will paint every spot with our own hands.
You will need a thin brush to paint on the nails, black polish to paint the edges of the spots, and a clear topcoat that will be used to cover each nail at the end to add extra shine. You will also need a base varnish of any color and varnish for painting the leopard spots themselves.
As for the colors of leopard manicure, it can be very different, ranging from the standard brown-black animal print style to any other. Leopard spots look beautiful on a white or beige background.
How to do a leopard manicure: step-by-step instructions
We will do a leopard manicure in soft pastel green and beige tones. You will need a beige base varnish, a green varnish for drawing spots and a black varnish for drawing the edging. A clear top coat varnish will also come in handy.
1. Cover your nails with beige varnish and wait for them to dry completely.
2. Using green polish and a brush, place spots of different sizes on the nails. They should not have a perfectly round or oval shape; let the pattern be a little careless for a more natural look. We are waiting for the spots to dry well.
3. Take a thin brush for painting on nails or a black marker for nail art and begin to carefully draw the edges of the spots. Do not circle the spots entirely, but draw them as if they were two halves. If you paint with a brush and not a marker, then apply a drop of black varnish to the cap and dip the brush into this drop, not into the bottle. This is much more convenient, as you can put exactly as much varnish on the brush as you need. You will have to trace a lot of spots, and the lines should be thin. By dipping your brush directly into the bottle, you will pick up excess polish, which you will have to constantly shake off.
4. Between the large green spots, make a few small strokes of black varnish to give a natural look to the design and fill in large empty areas.
5. Once the leopard spots are completely dry, coat your nails with a clear topcoat polish to further strengthen your manicure and add shine to your nails.
Here are more examples of leopard manicure:
You can cover all your fingernails with a leopard pattern, or just some of them. For example, you can paint four nails on your hand with pink polish and one with white. And on this white nail make a pattern of pink and black leopard spots. You can take other colors.
Here's how to do leopard print nails. If you are uncomfortable drawing on your inactive hand yourself (for example, right-handers on your right hand), then you can ask someone to help you, or use a black marker for nail art. It is much easier to paint with them than with a brush. Good luck and have beautiful nails!
Tags: