For modern fashionistas, black manicure for short nails is one of the most desirable in the office of a nail master. A variety of design techniques allows the classic black manicure to transform into the most unusual modifications and amaze others.
What shades is black in manicure combined with?
Black itself is monotonous and therefore can be successfully used as a base tone, as well as become the basis for any drawings. It is recommended to choose different combinations of black with other colors depending on the occasion and lifestyle.
There are classic tandems of black and red, gold, silver. It is on the black color that metals (gold and silver) look the most bright and expensive. Such combinations are ideal for office life or for girls who prefer a discreet style of dress.
However, in the last 5-7 years in the nail industry, black has been used to contrast with bright colors. Fashionable combinations of black with pink, beige, blue and even acid colors, such as fuchsia, bright green and yellow.
The uniqueness of black is that it is in great harmony with the natural color of the nail plate, which is why the design with black and unpainted areas of the nail plate is so relevant.
Black manicure for short nails
Experts believe that the most acceptable form of free edge for black manicure on short nails is the almond shape or the classic square shape.
For black manicure, nails are ideal long, the free edge of which does not exceed four millimeters. Long-length black manicure often looks too flashy and inappropriate for everyday life.
In addition to using black on its own, it can be used as a substrate for design techniques such as rubbing, cat's eye, casting or gradient. Black nails look stylish for any look from a gothic princess to a sophisticated lady in a little black dress.
Black French manicure
Such a manicure will be relevant for lovers of French manicure who want to diversify their usual image and bring something unusual to the usual nail design.
French black manicure has a number of significant advantages:
- You can use your favorite color, while not overloading the entire nail plate with black.
- Such a manicure will not be too flashy for a daily trip to the office, and can also become an elegant detail in an evening look.
- The technique of French manicure involves highlighting only a thin line of the free edge with color - this will be an ideal solution for those who abandoned black varnish in their manicure, considering it too gloomy.
- Black French is so easy to perform that you can easily repeat it at home.
- Such a manicure can become an elegant and sophisticated accessory if you add a few design elements to it, for example, small rhinestones or metal casting.
- Many nail service masters recommend such a design technique to owners of short nails, since the unpainted part of the nail plate visually enlarges the nail.
Lunar manicure in black
Lunar manicure is a classic in its own way. This technique of manicure is distinguished by the selection of the area in front of the cuticle, repeating the anatomical lines of the nail plate, which makes it quite natural.
For fans of moon design, a step-by-step instruction on black manicure for short-cut nails is presented:
- The nail is prepared for work: the cuticle is trimmed or simply pushed back, the free edge is shaped, and the surface of the nail plate is degreased.
- A semicircular stencil is located at the base of the cuticle with the rounded side to the free edge. For perfect results, the stencil must fit completely.
- The stencil divides the nail into two parts, the upper part is decorated with black varnish. After the varnish has completely dried, the stencil is removed, the free hole can remain unpainted or it can be filled with any color, for example gold. Also, the hole can be laid out with small rhinestones or made a bright color accent along the bending line.
- Covering with a glossy or matte top.
Black and white design
The design in black and white looks strict and at the same time interesting, and the execution possibilities are so diverse that they will allow any owner of a black and white manicure to look individual and stylish.
White and black design can be roughly divided into two types:
- When both contrasting colors are located on the same nail plate. Examples of such designs are gradient, graphic, moon, water, or French manicure.
- When some fingernails are black and some are white. This design can be presented in an alternation of white and black, when one or two nails on the hand have a light base and all the rest are dark.
A striking and trendy example of the perfect collaboration between black and white is marble manicure.
Geometric design on black nails
The severity and unambiguity of black allows it to become the ideal base tone in any geometric design.
To apply graphic design, professional craftsmen use brushes of different thicknesses and lengths, as well as special pigmented paints for painting.
If it is not possible to visit a specialist, and it is not possible to draw complex graphics on your own, then using stencils will help a beginner.
We present the instructions for creating a black graphic manicure for short nails using stencils:
- Prepare nails: filing and leveling the free edge, trimming the cuticle, burrs.
- The application of the base will allow you to align the nail plate, improve the wear of the varnish. And it will protect the nail plate from yellowness, which often appears after pigmented varnishes.
- Black varnish is applied, after drying, reapplication is carried out so that the color is pigmented and without bald spots. The stencils are distributed on the nail plate depending on what result is expected.
- Top coat, optionally applying oil to the cuticles.
Graphic design options can be varied. For example, using several triangle stencils placed vertically one by one at equal intervals, you can create a fashionable herringbone design. Graphic elements can be highlighted with a gradient transition or have different colors on a black base.
Flowers on black
Images of any color will look great on the contrasting black color of the varnish.
Flowers can be chosen at will: it can be a scattering of small flowers, petals, or one large, well-drawn flower.In addition to the usual buds, berries can be depicted, for example, a bunch of red rowan looks great on a black background.
Whichever flowers are chosen, the main condition is the presence of a well-pigmented paint of medium density. Only special materials for painting will allow to overlap the black color of the base and make the drawing clear and saturated. Nail masters recommend painting floral images with a thin brush with black varnish.
Be sure to cover the work with a top coat at the end of the painting. If, according to the idea, glossy flowers are located on a matte background, then only the drawing is covered with a thin brush.
Black color and rub
With the rubbing technique, nail masters recommend first applying a black base to the nail plate. Thus, rubbing in any shade becomes much richer.
Also harmonious is the design, which combines both nail plates with rubbing and black. Monograms with rubbing, located on a black background, look luxurious. Experts do not recommend overloading the nails with monograms and decorating only one or two on each hand, and leaving the rest in black classics.
It is recommended to note that rubbing the pigment into a top with a sticky layer results in a more uniform coating, the so-called mirror effect.
And when rubbed onto the sticky layer, richer pigmentation is obtained, while visually the coating becomes less uniform. Rubs can be used in combination not only with black gel polish, but also with regular nail polish, however, in the second case, the black color can show through the rubbing pigment.
Black glitter manicure
Glitters of any diameter look spectacular on a black substrate: from large glitters to fine dust-shine. For several seasons, at the peak of popularity, stretching with sequins on black varnish has been held from one end of the nail plate to the other, and with a decrease in the density of the sequins. This nail effect resembles a shiny gradient.
Also, sparkles on a black background are able to highlight design techniques, such as French or moon manicure.
Leopard color combined with black
Leopard or animal design says a lot about its owner, because such a coating is for passionate and self-confident natures. But as with any striking designs, leopard print will not be appropriate for every setting and not for every look.
Therefore, nail masters offer lightweight versions of animal design:
- Only one nail on the hand can be marked with an imitation leopard color, while all other nail plates will remain discreetly black.
- Leopard spots can be located on a small area of the nail, leaving most of the nail area black.
- Drawing spots with a glossy top on a matte background will also give a zest to the usual manicure.
Black manicure with stripes
The stripes can be strictly horizontal or vertical, parallel to each other or at different angles, creating a chaotic design. The stripes can be made in different colors or create a conservative manicure with a minimum of shades.
The stripes themselves do not have to be strictly graphic, they can have a non-uniform outline, imitating, for example, the color of a zebra.
The imagination of professionals is limitless, and for home use of a manicure with stripes, the following step-by-step lesson is presented:
- Preparation of hands and nails.
- Application of a pigmented base.
- Overlapping the nail plate in black. Thorough drying.
- Using a thin brush or straight stencils, lines are applied to the nail.
- Everything is fixed with a top.
"Polka dots" on black nails
Polka dots on black can be as monochrome, for example, only white, or only red dots, or make up a colored scattering of a wide variety of shades.Also, "polka dots" on a black substrate can be located not chaotically along the nail plate, but make up some kind of pattern of dots.
"Peas" are applied with a special dots. This instrument is an elongated metal tip with balls of different diameters at the peak. The width of the dot also changes depending on the diameter of the ball. Today, there are whole sets of dots on sale for creating a unique "pea" design at home.
Gradient featuring black
For those who feel that black looks too gloomy, a sophisticated alternative, the gradient black design, can be offered.
Gradient black designs can be done in a graphic technique using several rows of color-shifting quadrilaterals. A popular multi-step gradient repeating a reverse moon manicure and, of course, the most common type of gradient is haze.
Step-by-step instructions for black manicure for short nails using the printed gradient technique (haze):
- Preparing the nail plate and cuticle for painting.
- Base coat application.
- Applying a black base varnish to the entire nail plate, painting with a second layer if necessary.
- On a special sponge or a clean sponge for washing dishes, varnish is applied, which will be a printed and black base varnish. The printed color can be any varnish except black.
- The entire nail is worked with a sponge with varnishes with patting movements. This creates a smooth transition between the two colors.
- Securing the result with a top.
Black manicure with rhinestones
Another great decoration for a black background is decorating nails with rhinestones. Such a manicure will be the perfect accessory for an evening out or a New Year's party.
Nail service masters shared several recommendations regarding black manicure with rhinestones:
- Even if you really want to, you should not sprinkle all ten fingers with rhinestones, it is enough to place a composition of rhinestones on a pair of fingers.
- It is recommended to choose rhinestones of the smallest diameter - this will create more shine and make the manicure more accurate.
- Rhinestones of any color will look actual on a black background, but the most classic are stones of a neutral color.
- The combination of several nail techniques with rhinestones on a black background looks most advantageous.
Black with red in manicure
A special elegance and passion is embodied in the manicure in black and red tones. Perhaps such a manicure is not the most suitable for a strict office dress code. But for that, with him, the woman clearly will not go unnoticed.
Such a color tandem can be presented using the gradient technique, matte and glossy contrast, drawing on a black background, or black lace on a red background. There can be many variations.
Gold on black
The combination of gold and black looks solid and non-trivial. It is recommended to leave such a manicure for a holiday or publication, for every day it can be too pretentious, although this is a matter of taste.
The combination of gold and black will be relevant in any technique of execution from a gradient to gold casting on a black background.
Black with silver
The union of black with silver is as attractive as the tandem of black and gold. In addition to these two colors, you can use other varnishes, such as white.
Silver stretch on black varnish looks unobtrusive and stylish.
Matte black manicure
The top coat with a matte finish has become a real breakthrough in the nail industry. The velvety coating on black varnish looks especially unusual and expensive.
To diversify the design, you can take black varnish as a basis and supplement it with elements of other colors, and finally cover it all with matte varnish.
Combination of matte and glossy in black
The combination of matte and glossy finish is in itself a complete design solution.However, this composition can be supplemented with a variety of decorations, such as rhinestones or glitters.
Fashionable and not losing its relevance over the past couple of years is a matte black manicure with a glossy free edge.
Instructions for applying black matte-glossy manicure on short nails:
- Preparing the nail plate.
- Application of a transparent base coat and subsequent drying.
- Applying two coats of black varnish and drying. Experienced professionals advise applying the varnish as thin as possible and letting each layer dry well, because if the lower layers are poorly dried, the coating will be sloppy and will soon begin to deteriorate.
- Cover the entire nail plate with a matte top. Let dry.
- Using stencils or a thin brush with a top with a glossy finish, highlight the free edge of the nail, imitating a French manicure.
Black manicure with volumetric elements
A black manicure with 3D elements creates a special eye-catcher. The volumetric design will become a highlight and surprise others with its uniqueness. The most popular volumetric elements for black backing are snakeskin designs, dew drops, and a rhinestone and broth ring.
The snakeskin technique is based on the alternate placement of elongated drops of the top coating, which creates the desired optical volume and similarity to snakeskin, and the edging of the drops with metallic varnish will make the design truly royal.
Black "Cat's Eye"
Many amazing design variations can be created using the cat's eye technique. This design move looks especially interesting on the basis of black lacquer. It is thanks to the dark background that the effect of the cat's eye is amplified at times. The technique is simple and straightforward, even for a beginner.
Below are step-by-step recommendations for applying black cat manicure on short nails:
- The nail plate is prepared and degreased.
- A transparent base coat is applied.
- Black nail polish is applied in two layers.
- A layer of cat's coat is applied over the black varnish.
- As close as possible, but without touching the surface, bring the magnet coming in the set, after a couple of seconds the magnet can be removed. The magnet attracts metal particles in the varnish and forms a shiny line that resembles a cat's eye.
- The result obtained is fixed with transparent varnish.
Black color can become not only a background for a cat design, but also complement it, alternating nails with a cat technique and simply painted with varnish.
Video about black manicure
Black manicure:
A selection of black nail design ideas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W8McriqL2o