You see them across all social networking sites: ladies (and some gents) displaying their colored nails for the world to see. Whether it's on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter, the craze is on to showcase the most beautiful nails. It's a refreshing departure from the more ubiquitous selfie, but one that takes considerably more time, resourcefulness and creativity to achieve. And don't get the wrong impression that it's only the young teenaged girls who are at the forefront of this trend - far from it. While they may be the most visible in terms of flaunting the latest style and design that they have put on their nails, even older women and a few men are not to be outdone -- they, too, are in on the action.
Despite the seeming obsession of today's women to adorn their nails with colors and designs of varying range, nail art is actually an ancient art form. It traces its origins thousands of years back when nail color was used as a signifier of class and social standing. In ancient Babylonia, for example, male members of the nobility had their nails painted black, while the common menfolk had to make do with green. Elsewhere, from ancient Egypt to ancient China, the same dynamics applied: nail color was used as a way to distinguish those who came from the upper echelons of society from the ordinary members of the population. These days, nail color isn't any longer used as a way of identifying social standing. Instead, it has morphed into what is generally referred to as nail art. Coloring finger nails on both the hands and feet has progressed into some sort of art -- one that involves various materials, techniques and an almost limitless range of designs to choose from.
Far from being political, contemporary nail art is primarily a fashion trend. In most cases, pop culture has a direct influence on the majority of colorful and dynamic designs that are radically different from the more traditional single-colored approach.
Celebrities with wacky fashion taste are also a major influence. Otherwise, purveyors of nail art have to rely on their own creativity and artistic sense, often to results that are by turn delightful and just outright crazy. As a way of legitimizing the nail art form, there is also now a Nail Art Olympics. In this contest, participants from all over the world compete against each other. Bordering on the outrageous and over the top, the relatively new contest gathers a wide assortment of characters and designs that push the nail art form to new and exciting limits. Nail artists usually have a bag of tricks up their sleeves. Their usual tools include nail varnish, nail gel, nail art pen, glitters, nail strippers, nail file, acrylics and stickers, among many others. The secret stands in the brushes and you can find details on My Blue Fairy page. They play on colors, textures, and sometimes just plain playfulness to achieve different looks including the cracked effect, holographic effect, thermo chromic nail effect and nail sticker effect.
The main challenge for nail art is how to make the design last long in the face of the fact that the hands are among the busiest parts of the body. Add the fact that with nails continuing to grow, the designs put on them are bound to be short-lived. By all indicators, nail art is here to stay and grow even further.
Despite the seeming obsession of today's women to adorn their nails with colors and designs of varying range, nail art is actually an ancient art form. It traces its origins thousands of years back when nail color was used as a signifier of class and social standing. In ancient Babylonia, for example, male members of the nobility had their nails painted black, while the common menfolk had to make do with green. Elsewhere, from ancient Egypt to ancient China, the same dynamics applied: nail color was used as a way to distinguish those who came from the upper echelons of society from the ordinary members of the population. These days, nail color isn't any longer used as a way of identifying social standing. Instead, it has morphed into what is generally referred to as nail art. Coloring finger nails on both the hands and feet has progressed into some sort of art -- one that involves various materials, techniques and an almost limitless range of designs to choose from.
Far from being political, contemporary nail art is primarily a fashion trend. In most cases, pop culture has a direct influence on the majority of colorful and dynamic designs that are radically different from the more traditional single-colored approach.
Celebrities with wacky fashion taste are also a major influence. Otherwise, purveyors of nail art have to rely on their own creativity and artistic sense, often to results that are by turn delightful and just outright crazy. As a way of legitimizing the nail art form, there is also now a Nail Art Olympics. In this contest, participants from all over the world compete against each other. Bordering on the outrageous and over the top, the relatively new contest gathers a wide assortment of characters and designs that push the nail art form to new and exciting limits. Nail artists usually have a bag of tricks up their sleeves. Their usual tools include nail varnish, nail gel, nail art pen, glitters, nail strippers, nail file, acrylics and stickers, among many others. The secret stands in the brushes and you can find details on My Blue Fairy page. They play on colors, textures, and sometimes just plain playfulness to achieve different looks including the cracked effect, holographic effect, thermo chromic nail effect and nail sticker effect.
The main challenge for nail art is how to make the design last long in the face of the fact that the hands are among the busiest parts of the body. Add the fact that with nails continuing to grow, the designs put on them are bound to be short-lived. By all indicators, nail art is here to stay and grow even further.