“One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself."-- Leonardo Da Vinci; Painter, Architect, Engineer, Inventor, Creative Genius
Do you need to be a trained artist to create amazing nail art? Let’s talk about whether or not nail techs need to have art backgrounds to incorporate nail art in their services. Is it safe to assume that you chose life as a nail tech to satisfy a creative itch? Scratch it, then. The thing about being a great nail artist is that it has nothing to do with any intense classical art training. To be a successful nail artist, you have to rely on being a creative thinker and embracing your true talents.
ART IMITATES LIFE
There is a giant misconception by nail techs who think they have to be naturally talented artists who can illustrate DaVinci’s “Last Supper”, Michelangelo’s “Sistine Chapel”, Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” or any work of art by Picasso on a set of nails in order to officially offer nail art services. Guess what, it’s highly unlikely that even these world famous artists could have been able to recreate these same masterpieces on a set of nails either. Does that make you feel better? When you look around at what your hero nail artist can accomplish, it’s intimidating. We can often fall into the trap of self-judgement. We make the mistake of unreasonably comparing our God-given talents against other people who’ve come into their own abilities through a unique set of their own life experiences. Your art imitates your life.
NOT AN ARTIST
How experienced do you need to be in art before you can bring nail art into your salon business? You don’t need to be an art major in college or have grown up in a creative family to be a successful salon nail artist. Nowadays if you have the desire to be a nail artist and the discipline to practice; the option is readily yours. There is no shortage of online nail art demos and strategies for improving technique. Take full advantage of it. No previous drawing experience. No problem. Zero drawing or hand-painting experience is not an excuse to avoid putting nail art on your menu of services. It’s an invitation to learn to trust your creative process and discover what kind of nail artist you can become. It’s important to understand that when you are new to this, sometimes it’s not going to look pretty. It takes practice to build up your confidence. You cannot underestimate the hypnotic power of blinging nails out in glitter. Rolling almost anything in glitter and applying a shiny top-coat is literal nail art magic with a reasonable entry point.
In the beginning, do not attempt nail art looks beyond your actual skill level. Please step away and leave the detailed hand-painting to someone else. The key is to identify and embrace the artistic talent you do have. What is the nail art that you love to do? Like a mantra, say to yourself “I am good at Nail Art; it’s just my kind of nail art.” If you have nail art that you love to do; respect that work even if it’s more abstract and not what other people are doing. There’s room for your unique creative voice in the nail art market. Now utilize your social media. Start posting nail art that you know you are good at, thatyou feel good doing, and what will surely make your clients feel good, too.
NAIL ART BASICS
New to nail art? Consider glitters and mylar as a great place to start; especially if you don’t consider yourself a natural artist. If you offer just one nail art service with glitter, you have the option to do a set with a sugaring or an embedded technique. It’s super simple and beautiful. Clients will love it all day long. If you go into an art gallery, the artwork can be anything that inspires. If the work makes a impression and speaks to you of beauty, that’s what’s important. Sometimes what resonates is a simple gorgeous canvas with just one color. Simple nail art does not mean you are less talented. Endless options can be created when you use just glitter, acrylic, color/glitter acrylic mixes to show off your artistic flair.
While we adore and deeply respect the nail techs who can deliver those incredibly complex hand-painted sets of nails, sometimes it might be better to not be a trained artist. There is a comfort and serenity not having to chase that kind of perfection. In a salon setting, time is an issue. The salon rules dictate being able to swiftly move through the set and a steady stream of clients. If you are delivering museum-quality nail art masterpieces, we hope you are charging the same impressive museum-quality prices for your time. As a nail artist, you have to enjoy what you do and be compensated for it accordingly. In a nutshell, we are saying that you need to offer nail art based on where your skills are and not feel bad about where you are today. Take in all the positive and leave the negatives behind. Don’t let envy/jealousy/self-judgement take control of your career. So much amazing nail art is out there and your creative talent is really a gift your are offering to your lucky clients.
SIMPLIFY THE FORMULA
Own your creative talent with confidence. Don’t make the mistake of comparing yourself to the rest of the crowd. Be proud of what you can do and trust that it’s enough to offer up to the world. The true goal is to be yourself and like who you are. Your authentic vibe and your ability to communicate confidently is what attracts the best clients. They are coming to you as the pro. Embody being a nail pro with ease; even if it means you have to practice this in front of the mirror or alone in the car. Don’t try to impersonate someone else or promise something that you cannot deliver. Who needs that kind of stress? You don’t have to be a Picasso or VanGogh to be a great nail artist. As always, Young Nails is here to help you along the way. We believe in you. Our YN social media accounts are designed for pops of daily inspiration. Whatever you need, we’re just one DM away.
**This is an adaption from our YN Biz Talk playlist on YouTube, “
DO NAIL TECHS HAVE TO BE ARTISTS?”
Follow our YN YouTube Channel and click here to watch the full discussion here: