How-To: 3D Art to Love

Yu Zhang (@popnailclub), who won the Black Tie Affair competition and placed third in the 3D nail competition for Nailpro's Master Challenge 2024, created three cute Valentine's Day themed designs for any client to rock on a date or at any galentine's event. 

Cat Charm

1. Apply a white base color and cure it under a UV/LED lamp.
2. Using a sheer blue gel, draw a grid pattern on the nail and cure.
3. Use 3D sculpting gel to form a round face and two triangular ears. Cure.
4. Paint the cat’s ears black and add the nose and mouth. Cure.
5. Paint the cat’s eyes and cure them.
6. Finish the eyes, then apply heart-shaped charms and some colorful glitter for extra decoration. Cure.
7. Seal everything with a top coat and cure.

Sweetheart Blush

1. Paint with a pink base color and cure it
2. Draw lines to position a grid for the checker pattern and cure.
3. Fill in the grid with alternating colors to complete the checker pattern and cure.
4. Sketch the outline of two heart shapes, cure.
5. Use 3D sculpting gel to form the heart shapes and cure.
6. Apply purple gel to the 3D hearts and cure.
7. Draw eyes, nose, mouth and blush on the hearts, then cure.
8. Apply decorative elements like star-shaped charms and cure.
9. Apply a top coat and cure.

Teddy Bear Hugs

1. Apply the base color: Paint the nails with a white base color and cure under a UV/LED lamp.
2. Outline the bear: Use brown gel to draw the outline of the bear and cure.
3. Fill the bear shape: Fill in the bear shape with various shades of brown for depth and dimension, then cure.
4. Add details: Apply a matte top coat, cure, then use colored pencils to draw balloons, hearts and a hat. Use black gel to draw the eyes and white gel for a bow tie. Cure.
5. Apply a top coat and cure.