To me I personally think the nails been sculpted too long and thats why the apex is too far up,but thats as a hazodorous guess,with the nail art on we cant see how long the natural nail was underneath.

Just because the nail is long doesn't mean the apex is automatically in the wrong place ... the apex is where you put it.

Yes the nail is heavy in zone 1& 2 which makes the transition between zone 2 and 3 a little too dramatic instead of a lovely symmetrical, gentle curve.

To me the apex of the nail should never be in zone 2 alone anyway, but down the centre of the entire enhancement forming a beautiful backbone of strength to the nail not to mention a beautiful C-curve as well. If technicians perfected the art of creating this back bone to the nail, they would have less breakages and a more beautiful, sleeker result.

Hey there, good job on posting your funky design. I have a minute so I thought I would pop in to highlight a couple areas that you could tweak that would make a huge difference in your work. I have to start by saying I'm with Klassy on this regarding the pics - the angles make it hard to give solid feedback - but here goes.

Your apex is sitting as a point between Zone 1 and 2 which is too far toward the free edge. Depending on the length of the enhancement, this is supposed to be the point where (usually) the apex would start tapering down to the free edge.

Remember that the apex isn't a point, its an area half way between the free edge and the eponychium. The longer the nail, the longer this 'zone' is. Most of Zone 2 should generally be your apex.

The other area that would really help make a difference is not found by looking at a side view of the enhancement, but rather down the c-curve. The c-curve should be crescent shaped: slightly thinner on the sides and slightly thicker in the middle. This 'middle' area we will call the vertical apex.

Your vertical grows wider the closer it gets to the free edge when in fact you want it to stay the same. Now this isn't easy to explain via typing, so I used the magic of windows default (and crappy) graphic program to try and highlight the area you want to focus on:



The red area you want to thin down a bit. This is really evident in the c-curve. The C-Curve is thick and even instead of crescent shaped.



Consider this pic. The dark brown 'planes' are the thinnest when looking down the barrel of the nail. The reddish brown areas are a bit thicker and the red (the apex) would be the thickest part when looking down the barrel. The red part plane is the apex in both width and length (though in fairness I would make the apex just slightly 'longer' for this nail). The uncoloured areas are those that are tapering down to the free edge or eponychium.

HTHs.

Very clear explanation with the images.
Thank you, The Geek!

Meg

Thanks to all those who gave extensive constructive critique.
A good thread for reference in every respect.


A week has gone by. The nail is OK. Has not broken or chipped of lifted. So, certain well-meaning candid friends may eat their heart out.

I think I've figured out why the nail looks so top-heavy. It is because the natural nail is a bit 'pointed'. It's not quite straight. It's peaked - hope that's understandable. So there's really not so much material where the wrong apex is. Doesn't change the fact that it's still in the wrong place. I will work on it.



ps) I must say this: I don't appreciate '1' for design and originality - that's a bit too obvious that the person who gave it wanted to get at me. Especially in light of recent threads about people not daring to post and so on.. And also because there so many nails in the critiques to compare with... I did that earlier. I won't do at the moment, but...
For you double standards rule - IMO. And you who rated only showed it. Don't just sit there smugly and think that it's a matter of taste - it's so obvious that it stinks.

At the end of the day you got opinions that you asked for when you asked for critique. Surely the point of critique is to see what people think. So, anyone who posts what you don't agree with isn't being constructive and who ever didn't like the nail art is getting at you. All it means is one person (if thats what it takes to get a 1) didn't like it, not a swipe getting at you.

You have just had the most amazing critique from The Geek himself (of which,personaly, I would have been honourd and humbled to recive )and you sit there and squabble about the flaming 1 for the nail art
Enough allready PLEASE!

Ok you asked for opinions by allowing people to rate your critique so if someone doesn't like your design then you have allowed them to say by rating it.

If you didn't want people to rate it you shouldn't have allowed it

Ris, i mean this in the nicest possible way....you are reading too much into something that isn't there and taking all this way to personal. You posted your pic for critique...thats what people have done....they have given you their thoughts and opinions on the nail....you don't have to agree with them but you cant blame them for doing what YOU asked them to do.

Don't take everything so personal.

I am assuming by your post that you think I rated your nails. For the record, and I am sure the mods can check who rated, I certainly didn't!

I am actually more than willing to critique any nails, but felt if I even said anything on your thread you would take it the wrong way, so I left well enough alone. However, since I am being accused of something that I have certainly not done, I feel the need to respond.

When I give any critique, I don't often rate, and if I do I state that I have and to boot for what!

Don't flatter yourself love that I would even go there with your nails.

If you have a problem with me pm me!

I personally dont like the art work, The nails looks a tad thick too. I have rated the nail from my own personal taste.

Um no sorry I rated 1 and no its wasnt because I wanted to get to you, I personally dont like the design, the shape, the form or esthetics of your nail.
I feel that I gave constructive criticism in my earlier reply, but I cant sit here and keep quite when you are obviously out to get a fellow geek.
Just because someone has different taste to another doesnt mean that they are out to get you.
If you act this sensitivly to honest critique then I suggest that you dont ask for it less you be offended by others responses.
Jen

Jen

Oh, this is really fun – in a wicked way!

My chief message wasn’t about my nail, geeks. It’s you who are reading something into it and missing something else that you don’t feel like admitting My message was about double standards that some people have.

Just consider:
I can easily point out a couple of critiques with weird fan-shaped clumsy top-heavy nails without apex sitting on top of flat natural nails that are already damaging the nail plates! Yet! These nails have highest possible ratings on shape, sidewalls etc )).
The only reason I don’t point them out directly because I don’t want to name any newbie personally. But if you push it I may think again. Also, anyone really qualified will easily see what I mean if they just skim through the first three top pages – it’s enough! And there goes my poor nail… Oh! I already feel so sorry for it – though it’s not even a living thing .

There are nails here that got top-ratings that aren’t even extensions at all! This is ridiculous – how can anyone rate - with the same system that you use for artificial nails - ‘sidewalls’ and ‘shape’ that weren’t even created (sculpted).
Yet, somebody did and it was somebody qualified! And it just makes me wonder why they did it – was it just lack of care or worse…?

Do I need to go on?

I kept coming to this forum chiefly to read posts of geeg and people like her. And I really appreciate their input. If I do a search on a topic I often filter those threads that have her replies in them. Can you guess why? Because other information may be just as irrelevant as in the critiques I have mentioned! And I don’t want to be dumbed down reading some of your nonsense!
Wake up! It’s not about me or my poor nail. I did want critique on it as it’s really my first l@p – and not as bad as it was rated. But this critique has clearly demonstrated attitudes and something even worse I am afraid…
As I said, hope it would be a good reference. And not only on nails but also on the way this whole thing works!


PS) If you have a personal (not professional) opinion of something – you just write it you don’t rate .

Please revisit the geek commandments Commandments of a Geek especially this one:

Thread now closed.