Skull is a popular element that modern designers, stylists and beauty masters use very widely. The nail industry has not disregarded this trendy image, so it can often be seen in the works of the best nail art masters.
Our article will tell you how to make a manicure with a skull. Consider a few ideas made in different techniques.
Real trend
Gone are the days when decorating clothes, hair, accessories and own nails could only be done by informal teenagers who rebelled against stereotypes. Today, skulls can also be seen in the everyday collections of fashionable youth brands (for example, Zara and Pull-and-Bear).
This element has conquered even the world of high fashion. For example, Alexander McQueen, a true art hooligan and a great goth lover, decorates clutches and belts, magnificent shoes and ankle boots, and even evening dresses with sparkling grinning skulls. However, he is not the first who decided to bring out what once seemed gloomy andimpartial idea in a new direction: Vivienne Westwood, whom he adores, did it at the end of the last century. There are many such examples.
Special mention deserves the sugar skull, which gave the world culture of Mexico. The celebration of the Day of the Dead in many countries of Latin America is a real carnival, colorful and joyful, with luxurious costumes and sweets. Sugar skulls, decorated with flowers and sparkles, are a constant attribute of the festival.
No wonder nail artists have fallen in love with this trendy idea too. When the skull first came into fashion, everything had to be done by hand, but today, nail art manufacturers offer many ready-made solutions that can make the job much easier.
Skull in manicure art
Let's start with the styles in which this element will look appropriate. First of all, of course, it is worth mentioning rock, glam rock and grunge - styles that are characterized by the use of black, metallic elements and rhinestones. Today, these trends are very relevant, this nail design is chosen not only by the girlfriends of musicians and bikers, but also by the most ordinary girls.
The image of the sugar skull is characteristic of ethnic style and all sorts of variations on the boho theme. Such designs are characterized by the use of a bright palette of colors, often the design is complemented by rhinestones or bright kamifubuki.
Manicure with skulls and rhinestones looks organic on both short and long nails. But if you dothe choice in favor of extreme length and aggressive forms, the question of relevance arises. The age shape, arched almonds and stiletto nails decorated with skulls are not the best idea for an office or theater. But at a rock concert or a party in a nightclub, you will surely hear a lot of compliments.
As for the color scheme, the choice is not limited. Skulls look interesting not only on a jet-black background, but also in the company of bright yellow, dark blue, purple and even pale pink. The main thing is that all design elements and shades are harmoniously combined with each other.
Preliminary stage of work
It is advisable to decide on the design before starting work. But whatever it is, you need to start work with the preparation of nails.
Degrease the nail plates, gently move the cuticle with an orange stick or a sharp cutter. Remove the pterygium, cut and sand the cuticle. Give the nails the same length, if necessary, increase the broken corners. Make sure the shape is the same. Polish your nails with a buff or soft file. Apply primer and let it air dry. Cover the nails with the base, trying to form a flat surface, dry in the lamp.
Using Sliders and Stickers
This is a great solution for those who are not confident in themselves as an artist. Just choose a ready-made design.
Cover your nails with colored gel polish, dry in a lamp. Cut out the picture, leaving as little background as possible, and place it on a cotton pad moistened with water for a few seconds. Whenthe substrate will get wet, the slider will easily detach from it. Pry the picture with tweezers and lay on the nail. Align and press, smooth the surface. To do this, you can use an orange stick or a silicone brush. Wipe off any water droplets with a lint-free cloth and coat the skull slider with a thin coat of base. After baking, evaluate the result: do the folds stick out, are there any bulges. You can remove small errors with the help of a buff.
It remains only to cover the design with a top - glossy or matte, as you like.
Foil for manicure
When deciding on the idea of a manicure with a skull, you should definitely pay attention to decorative foil with a pattern. There are many options on sale that will suit our purposes.
This material is a coated thin film. You can print the decorative layer on a special adhesive for foil or on the stickiness of the top, but it is important to do this immediately after polymerization, while the top has not cooled down.
First, apply a polish that matches the color. Then the top layer. Removing your hand from the lamp, press a piece of foil to the nail, gently align it, press down with your finger. Peel off the backing with a quick motion. The design will remain on the nail. To make it last longer, apply another layer of top.
Drawing
This is a difficult technique that will require drawing skills, a thin linear brush, a round or flat brush and black and white gel paints.
It is better to draw a skull on a contrasting background, for example, on black. First, the so-called underpainting is done - the outlines of the skull. Draw the base and color it in. White paint is used for this.
To get a three-dimensional image, you need several shades. It is better to cover the skull with a light gray translucent color. To do this, mix a small drop of black and white paint and dilute with a base (or top). You will get a material similar to watercolor varnish. Cover the skull figurine with it.
Use black paint to draw the eye sockets and mouth cavity. Put highlights in white, refine the outlines of the teeth a little. Highlight the cheekbones.
Add shadows with black paint: under the cheekbones, in the nose, under the brow ridges.
You can decorate a black manicure with a skull with gold leaf, opals or rhinestones. Black velvet sand can highlight some nails.
Skull made of rhinestones
If you want a rhinestone skull manicure, pick the smallest crystals you can get. Clear, silver or petrol will do, but all black is a great idea. By and large, you can make a skull from rhinestones of any color.
The smaller the stones, the clearer and more detailed images you can get.
First, cover the nail with varnish - contrasting or matching the rhinestones. After polymerization, lightly walk on the surface with a buff, then it will be easier to draw. Make a sketch - a sketch of the skull. You can use a liner or a simple pencil.
Paint the outline of the skull with a thick rubber base or transparentbuilding gel. You can also use a liquid base combined with acrylic powder (transparent).
Using tweezers or a wax pencil, lay out the rhinestones starting from the middle of the pattern. If necessary, add small broths to match. Dry the nail in the lamp for 1.5-2 minutes so that the stones set well.
Dip a thin linear brush with top without a sticky layer and gently walk between the stones. Try not to get the top on the rhinestones themselves, otherwise they will lose their luster. Cure.
Stamping
This technique produces an image with great detail and very thin, crisp lines. All you need is a suitable plate with skulls, a scraper (spatula) and a stamp.
If this is your first time using stamping, before doing a manicure with a skull, practice on tips. It is advisable to choose a transparent stamp so that you can evenly place the image of the skull.
Before starting the design, cover your nails with colored polish, dry it and remove the sticky layer. Put a drop of contrast varnish on the plate, carefully rub with a spatula. Lean the stamp and press, then transfer the image to the nail. Cover with top.
Reverse stamping
This option of using plates deserves special mention. With it, you can make a multi-colored manicure design with a skull. To do this, the image on the stamp must first be painted with gel paints, as shown in the following video.
3D decor
The next photo is a manicure with a skull, for whichfinished decorative elements. They can be made of plastic, glass, metal. To fix such an element on the nail, use a special glue for rhinestones or a transparent sculptural gel. A normal base may not support a relatively heavy item.
It is worth noting that nails with such a voluminous design may not be very comfortable to wear. But if you are used to designs with cone rhinestones or candy balls, there will be no problem.
