Elegance at all times presupposed a minimum number of elements of various colors and shapes on one plane. At the forefront is a noble simplicity that goes back to the 19th century. A modern manicure that is done on short nails should be elegant and practical. The rigor of the design makes it appropriate for both parties and office environments.
General guidelines for an elegant manicure
Pastel and nude colors are used as the main color. Such designs are applied to any nail shape (oval, square, almond).
An elegant manicure is created on short nails using the following techniques:
- gradient;
- French manicure;
- lunar design;
- negative space;
- minimalism (drawings with thin lines, imitation of paint brush strokes);
- matte manicure;
- rub and powder ("velvet sand", flock).
One or two fingers on one hand are decorated. You should not use different techniques when creating a single design - this will break the harmony.
Elegant manicure techniques and methods
The pursuit of minimalism ensures the creation of elegant, sophisticated and original designs. Craftsmen add some decor to liven up neutral tones.
An elegant manicure on short nails is complemented by:
- drawing with a thin brush;
- stamping;
- sliders;
- holographic glitter;
- foil printing.
When choosing colors, you must adhere to calm tones. A combination of dark shades with pastels is allowed. For example, a gray color (from pearl to graphite) is used as the main coating, and two fingers under the design are covered with a pastel pink color.
It is possible to place a slider or design on them. These colors are harmoniously combined in a simple geometry on the surface of the nail.
Monochrome elegant manicure
Modern fashion allows you to apply different colors to the fingers of one hand. They can be either contrasting (black and white) or neighbors in the palette (beige and brown, gray and olive).
There are three ways to create a monochromatic elegant manicure:
- Apply polish of the same color to all nails. You should not choose flashy neon colors or varnishes with holographic shimmer.
- Cover fingers with one color and two (ring and middle) with a contrasting shade. There are 2 main colors involved in manicure.
- Connect 3 colors within one hand. The difficulty lies in the selection of colors, which should be neighbors in the color wheel. If the shades do not harmonize with each other, psychological dissonance will arise and the manicure will repel the views of others, causing bewilderment.
The main requirements for creating a monochromatic manicure are: a good selection of colors and a cleanly executed manicure.
In such a coating, the quality of application of the material at the side ridges and cuticles must be impeccable. When performing a manicure, you should pay special attention to the alignment of the nail plate.
This can be done with a buff and then a dense base coat. Since each bump or depression will be highlighted with a solid color, and the manicure will have an unkempt appearance.
Elegant manicure in different shades
An elegant manicure on short nails allows you to achieve a visual lengthening of the nail plate with a combination of two colors in the design. It is believed that the horizontal arrangement of shades makes the nail wider, the vertical visually adds length.
If there is no pronounced anatomical problem (wide or narrow nails, trapezoidal shape), you can combine horizontal and vertical orientation in one manicure.
Basic techniques for an elegant manicure with multiple colors:
- gradient;
- geometry;
- French;
- moon manicure;
- design with negative space.
A classic jacket can be performed on short nails of any shape, but the height of the "smile line" should be minimal.
For an elegant design, the proportion must be followed: the shorter the nail, the narrower the white part of the jacket.
Today, masters deviate from the classical canons in the form of a "smile line". It can be triangular or beveled. Often the place where the colors join is emphasized by a thin line of the third color, which makes the jacket more avant-garde, but no less elegant. It is allowed to change the color of the “smile line” from classic white to any suitable light tone.
Matte elegant manicure
An example of elegance is the absence of glossy sheen, regardless of design. Matte manicure looks strict and is appropriate both for visiting the theater and for working in the office.
An elegant manicure on short nails serves as a versatile coating for all occasions. Modern materials allow you to create a matte surface without effort, just purchase a special top coating.
Some cheap matte tops provide a matte effect at first glance, but it quickly wipes off during wear (gloss comes through). Therefore, to maintain a long-lasting velor effect, you should not skimp on the finishing coat.
When creating a matte design, remember that decorative elements with a metallic sheen (stripes, decor) may fade. Therefore, they are fixed after applying the matte finish.
Modern fashion suggests combining areas with a glossy shine and a matte effect in one design. This allows you to create an elegant manicure only with the contrast of textures.
Elegant manicure options with patterns and drawings
In creating an elegant manicure, a combination of bright, large patterns is unacceptable. Restraint in the selection of colors and minimalism of lines are the determining factors of a beautiful design. Drawings and patterns are quite appropriate for creating elegant designs.
Patterns for short nails:
- Thin lines, which are applied with black gel paint with a thin brush. For beginners, it is recommended to use the "spider" (cobweb) gel, which allows you to draw perfectly straight lines of different thickness. To draw lines, contrasting colors are used: on light colors - black lines, on dark ones - silver or white. Gold is appropriate for all options. Lines can be parallel or intersect, but they should not be more than 2-3 pieces. Additional decor can be dots, which are put down by dots only on one of the lines.
- Simulated brush strokes brush should decorate 1-2 fingers on the hand. The pattern is placed at the cuticle, directing it up or down from the free edge. If you make thin strokes, then their mirror reflection on one nail is allowed. The drawing is done with a thin brush. Lines of different lengths are applied tightly to each other.
- Simple monograms, located in the area of the nail hole or on one of the sides, look elegant and gentle. As a rule, white is used for drawing. It is not recommended to make monograms voluminous and multi-layered.
- Thin lines that connect to form a flower, it is recommended to place it on one finger of the hand. Thin drawing of petals, without excessive detail, will create a delicate, elegant design. In this case, white or black is chosen as the color.On short nails, not the whole flower looks beautiful, but only its part located at the edge of the cuticle or on one of the lateral sides.
Taking into account the peculiarities of modern gel paints, they can not be overlapped with a top layer on top.
To do this, choose a paint without a sticky layer, then the drawings look brighter, and the lines are sharper.
Decor on elegant manicure
To create such designs, you should not use rhinestone inlays and gilding in decor. The basic principle of elegance is simplicity. Small rhinestones will be appropriate in the moon design on one finger.
If you want to use gold decor, self-adhesive tapes are acceptable. With their help, they create geometric patterns and decorate a jacket and moon manicure. The edging of negative space in the design looks original, when unpainted areas are separated from the main color using a shiny tape.
You can also stretch with holographic sparkles on one finger. It is not advisable to use colored glitters. Most of the sequins are placed at the cuticle, and then, with a thin brush, stretch them upwards along the wet top coating, gradually decreasing the density.
Fashion trends of elegant manicure in 2020
Elegant manicure on short nails remains popular in 2020. Women choose short nails because of their practicality in everyday life. Moreover, such a length of nails allows you to wear any shape: a soft square, oval, almond, a clear square.
Featured Fashion Designs in 2020:
| Vehicle name | Description | Recommendations |
| design with negative space (negativ space) | in the design, part of the nail is left uncoated, as if a natural background, it can be geometric patterns or a drawing with thin lines on one of the fingers without coating | the design is carried out not on a regular base, but on a camouflage nude shade. |
| "Smear design" | imitation of work with a paint brush | it is allowed to use bright colors for drawing, but then the design should be located on one hand nail. |
| Foil decoration | creating a shiny print using craquelure technique | perform in any one part of the nail, for example, at the left side roller. Then the imprint of the shiny decor is made on other fingers in the same place. It is not necessary to cover the entire nail with glitter, the design should be overlapped with at least 2 layers of top to ensure its durability. |
| Using flock or velvet sand | creating a velvety or rough monochromatic (possibly with a light shimmer) texture | the color of the powder is chosen to match the tone of the main coating, it is applied to one finger (ring or middle), women who gnaw or scratch the surface of the nail due to psychological characteristics cannot wear such a design, do not overlap with a top. |
Striving for minimalism is the main principle of elegant manicure. Regardless of the chosen color, you should not decorate more than 2 fingers on one hand.
Masters do not recommend using only horizontal lines when creating an elegant manicure on short nails. It is better to place the design lines along the nail plate, this visually increases the length.
Videos with different design ideas for short nails
How to make a beautiful manicure for short nails:
Author: Anna Beauty