Marbling, better known as water marble, is a great way to give your nails a modern look. It's not the fastest or the most practical to decorate them, but it's definitely fun and creative. Follow this tutorial to learn how to create a great nail art!
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the Marbled Water
Step 1. Apply a base coat to the nails
As always, apply a clear base to your nails to prevent staining and to extend the life of the nail polish. Then apply a couple of coats of chalk white enamel: this will make the colors more intense. Before continuing, wait until the last pass is dry.
Step 2. Protect your fingers
Your fingers will get dirty, so make sure the nail polish doesn't stick to them. You can cover them with petroleum jelly, vinyl glue, cuticle oil, or duct tape. Cover them at least up to the first joint, as well as under the nail.
Step 3. Choose a bowl
The right size is that of a small glass or a paper cup. There is a chance that the container will remain stained, so choose something that you can then throw away or turn into an "enamel bowl" for good.
Nail polish is toxic, but in small quantities it is not extremely dangerous. If you decide to use a glass bowl and eventually wash it thoroughly, it will likely be safe to use for other purposes as well
Step 4. Spread out some newspapers
Cover the table with newspaper to absorb any nail polish that may fall on it. With this technique it is easy to dirty the work surface.
Step 5. Fill the bowl with room temperature water
This should be able to keep the enamel together and prevent it from drying too quickly. You may need to try a couple of times with slightly warmer or colder water.
- Fill the bowl up to three quarters full to prevent water from spilling out.
- The filtered water seems to slow down the drying process of the nail polish, giving you more time.
Step 6. Choose the nail polish
Choose at least two colors that stand out from each other, but since not all glazes are suitable for the water marble technique, get a few more spare bottles of different brands. The marbled effect requires a lot of polish, so don't spend too much.
- If possible, choose a relatively new one - old nail polishes tend to dry too quickly.
- Unscrew all the caps and leave them loose, so you can carry out the next steps more quickly.
Step 7. Drop a drop of color on the water
Hold the brush above the surface of the water and wait for a drop to fall - it should spread slightly across the surface. If it remains concentrated in the center, rotate the bowl until the drop is slightly more diluted.
Some glazes sink. You may need to try a couple of times before you get a nice floating circle
Step 8. Repeat with the other colors
Choose a second color and pour a drop in the center of the first circle. You can decide to stop here, or continue with other drops. The right amount varies between three and four drops, but you can add up to twelve.
If you only have two colors, reuse the first for the third drop
Step 9. With a toothpick go through the circles
Gently place the tip of a toothpick in the center of the innermost circle. Drag it through the colors to create a pattern, but don't take too long - you need to soak your nail in it before the polish dries.
- For a simple but beautiful motif, draw lines that start from the same point and go outward, like the sun's rays.
- If you want to get a psychedelic effect, instead, move the toothpick recreating a spiral pattern.
Part 2 of 2: Decorate the Nails
Step 1. Keep the nail on the drawing
Slowly lower it to the pattern recreated on the surface of the water. Dip it directly over the design and hold it in place long enough for the polish to stick. It may take anywhere from a few seconds to a minute and you will probably need to do some preliminary tests.
Step 2. Lift it up carefully
When pulling out your finger, make sure you don't drag your nail over the remaining nail polish. The design should now be on your nail.
If the nail polish around your finger has solidified, use a toothpick to break it up and remove it before taking your finger out of the water
Step 3. Shake the water away
Too much water may leave bubbles or smudges on the nail. Shake the water droplets off the nail on top of the newspaper.
Step 4. Clean your fingers
With the help of a cotton swab, remove the nail polish around the nail: if you covered your fingers well at first, it shouldn't be too difficult to clean them. If the nail polish has dried on the skin, dip the stick in the nail polish remover.
- If you used duct tape, leave it on until the nail polish has dried.
- If you are not satisfied with the final result, remove everything and try again. It will improve with practice.
Step 5. Start over with the next nail
Rotate a toothpick in the water and the glaze will move to the edge of the bowl, giving you space to start with the next drawing. Repeat for all the nails you want to decorate.
If there are still stains of color on the surface of the water, add another drop of nail polish, spread it with the toothpick, let it dry for a few seconds, then remove everything: this way you should be able to remove the stains of color
Step 6. Once dry, apply a top coat
Secure everything to prevent chipping and enjoy beautiful nail art.
Advice
- If the nail polish dries too quickly, use slightly cooler water. If, on the other hand, the nail polish is too liquid, try slightly warmer water.
- Small differences in water can make a huge difference. If you can't get the nail polish to float, try changing the type of water: bottled, filtered, or tap water.
- Complementary colors create a bolder effect.
- It is difficult to apply this method to toenails, since it would be necessary to soak them upside down in water. Instead, try painting three or four thick strips of different colors on them and quickly dragging a toothpick over them, recreating a pattern before the polish dries.
