Do you think you could ever be as good as Tom H?

[Jindalee]

Which just goes to show - never enter a competition!

 

[*Glynis*]

Which just goes to show - never enter a competition!

Actually, I am very glad I entered. It was a fantastic day and I learned an awful lot. It makes you look at your nails differently and I think it makes your every day nails better.

It was nerve wrecking but really exciting and well worth the effort.

 

[Urban Geek]

I totally agree with Glynis - I loved competing and certainly came away more knowledgeable. It was a fab experience and I learned loads.

 

[The Geek]

Interesting thread.

I have never been a big fan of the style of nail that he wins with - however it has to be said again: He kicks ass at doing them.

All nail comps differ in their criteria for judging but most are the same in 1 fact: you score based on consistency not on design.
Seldom have I looked at nails more constantly consistant Time and time again he (and other winners) win on the execution of consistency.
I disagree that he 'played the system' as such. Instead I think he knew how to create a set of nail that would win to that criteria and he did it.
If the criteria had been different would he have won? No one knows for certain however I am sure that he would have stood a damn good chance at doing so.

Though I dislike competitions where the person who knows the most tricks stands a better chance at winning - the fact is that he is very talented and could have stood just as good of a chance at sweeping the competion regardless of the rules.

This does allow a great opportunity to ask: Why the hell is the mother of all nail competions allowing the use of kindergarten techniques like French Tips? Isn't that like having the goal posts at the World Cup be 100 meters wide and 50 meters tall? The guys at the world cup shouldn't need crutches and neither should the cream de la creme of competitors.

Just my thoughts

 

[Peter Pan]

If I could give any advice to those reading this thread, it would be this. STOP judging your work against the work of competitors like Tom H. It is NOT the same and it is not a bench mark you should be aiming at (thank goodness) and unless you too want to 'play the system' to win in competitions, then what is done by the likes of T.H. and his clones has no bearing in the reality of the salon. What we do there, takes a greater skill of a different kind.[/QUOTE]

thanks for that geeg - i love the look of T.H. nails but after reading this thread its opened my eyes

 

[sambam]

The 1st time I saw his nails were the set that won in the world championships I think. It was a link from cesars secrets.
And I thought I was the only one that didnt like them! Soon after that, I saw a set of Ruths and they were stunning and the fabric ad that Gigi did, (like somebody else mentioned) and too thought they were stunning.
I dont understand why smile lines have to be so deep in comps when it looks so false. Id love to be able to see all your beautiful salon nails in a comp. Now that would be good!

 

[Peter Pan]

I dont understand why smile lines have to be so deep in comps when it looks so false. Id love to be able to see all your beautiful salon nails in a comp. Now that would be good!

i like the deep smiles tho - i think they make the nail bed look more elegant - jut my thoughts tho - i know that comp nails arnt like salon nails but i just think the deep smiles look good on the right nails- maybe they should bring out a comp JUST FOR SALON NAILS - now this would be good as we all doing those - this is only my personal opinion tho

 

[Debz]

Interesting thread.

I have never been a big fan of the style of nail that he wins with - however it has to be said again: He kicks ass at doing them.

All nail comps differ in their criteria for judging but most are the same in 1 fact: you score based on consistency not on design.
Seldom have I looked at nails more constantly consistant Time and time again he (and other winners) win on the execution of consistency.
I disagree that he 'played the system' as such. Instead I think he knew how to create a set of nail that would win to that criteria and he did it.
If the criteria had been different would he have won? No one knows for certain however I am sure that he would have stood a damn good chance at doing so.

Though I dislike competitions where the person who knows the most tricks stands a better chance at winning - the fact is that he is very talented and could have stood just as good of a chance at sweeping the competion regardless of the rules.

This does allow a great opportunity to ask: Why the hell is the mother of all nail competions allowing the use of kindergarten techniques like French Tips? Isn't that like having the goal posts at the World Cup be 100 meters wide and 50 meters tall? The guys at the world cup shouldn't need crutches and neither should the cream de la creme of competitors.

Just my thoughts

Its not very often I say this but i agree with GMG.
On the day Tom H nails were clearly judged the best and in my opinion its because he does kick ass.
Ok so you may not wear comp nails everyday, you don't wear the stuff on the catwalks of London fashion week either but that doesn't stop the designers winning comps.( they prob don't hand sew each garment for comps and find quicker, easier ways too, whats the diff?)



Debz xx

 

[mooredianne]

just my opinion, but i want to be the best i can be. not like anyone else, just me!!yes I do agree that there is a lot to be learnt from watching other people and to a certain degree, measuring your performance and output against theirs, but at the end of the day, I am an individual and so is the work I produce. I stand by it, my clients are happy and at the end of the day, I am only as good as the last set I did. That's what I have to beat/improve on and better. My work, not anyone else's.

 

[Mrs Geek]

My opinion now. I feel that to really show what you can do as a nail tek you must be able to produce smiles so I didn't agree with the white tips however Tom had to sculpt his whites for that division and he won so of course he can do it. Now, what if Tom hadn't competed but Beachneck (Tom Bachik) had instead - no doubt he would have won too! Tom B also won a salon style nail competition a couple of months ago in the states too. The guys know what they are doing and they do it - simple. I am not a fan of the 'look' but if I lived in the states and wanted to win comps I would learn how to do it. I will be very pleased to see comps in this country that show ALL potential - but here's the thing - you STILL have to be consistent and that is what Tom H and B do brilliantly!! Hats off to them....:Grope:

 

[Jeni Giles]

I have competed, and boy did I learn a few things, competition nails are not meant for the average person, but for competition. I also achieved a new perspective on my own work, where my strengths and weaknesses were, so I used it as a learning experience. The score sheets gave me ideas for improvement and made me take a closer look at what I was doing. The judges looked at every aspect of the nails and gave an honest unbiased opinion according to the criteria given. Clearly my clients don't want ultra long, super thin, extremely square nails, but they do want the consistency, product control and finish of a competition nail.

My clients benefited from my experience, it open my eyes to things I hadn't heard of or learned. Would I make a job of competing? NOT FOR A MILLION DOLLARS...OK maybe if I was paid in advance:o ... Would I compete again, sure, just to make sure I hadn't lost any skill, and maybe to get another interpretation of my work. I encourage all my students to enter at least one competition, not for the glory of winning, but for the feedback and knowledge that can be gained, besides I met some great people and saw some incredible work!

I would never try to put competion nails on a client, competition nails are only meant for competition, the nails we do every day are more technically demanding and in a way each day at the table is competition, we are constantly seeking to improve and we judge each finished set or re balance against the last set or re balance, sometimes it's nice to let someone else do the judging for us, and tell us where we might improve.

 

[nail technican]

dear Geeks,
It´s a realy interesting thread about the style and work about Tom´s nails on nail olympics...my opinion about this style is simple..
deep smile lines for competitions incl. perfect c-curve and arch is the restrung to win competitions around the world. This style is also made on the last World Nail Competition in Austria! Why? It´s the hardest way to sculpt perfect deep smile lines (perfectly in shape and consistency), C-Kurve like tunnels and a arch the look like more natural with forms what you have ever seen!!
there must be a difference between, Salon and Competition...
You see on Hair Shows and Catwalk different hair stylings and dressed fashion that you can´t use to going for dinner too?!?
I think, it´s very important to understand the difference between competition and Salon.....
yours
nail technican

 

[liza smith]

i dont know how i missed this thread!
i must add my 2p's worth
i feel that i am approaching a skill level in the uk based compititions that im more happy with than i have been in a while.
like geeg and GMG, i much prefer the "look" of the best designed nail rather than one that looks like it has been digitally re-touched
however, i made a decision to want to compete internationally a few yrs ago, and i was gutted to realise that to compete on this arena, i would have to totally rework the way i approached my techniques if i was going to stand a chance.
the ultimate US looking nail aka tom holcolm, looks the way it does because the ultimate aim is to acheive perfect consistancy.
i soon realised why the nails were left soooo long when using white tips.
even when you heat the tip to put in an extreme c curve, the more you trim the tip down, the less exaggerated the c curve becomes!

the other reason, as has been said earlier, is that the skill level is raised to its highest when the length is extreme, due to the need for consistancy.
my nails in vegas came the closest to acheiving this look.
they were the longest i've ever done, they were white tips, the smile lines were extreme.

however, i didnt like them as much as any of my winning nails ive done in the uk.

i will continue to work on the "look", because i've started something and i dont like to leave something half done!
i will continue to compete internationally, and hopefully climb the ladder as i have in the uk.

my ultimate aim however would b to acheive that kind of consistancy, but keep the design element that im more happy with.
tall order, but ive got the bit between my teeth, and with the mentors that i have i will give it my all!
liza

 

[twinkletoes910]

If I could give any advice to those reading this thread, it would be this. STOP judging your work against the work of competitors like Tom H. It is NOT the same and it is not a bench mark you should be aiming at (thank goodness) and unless you too want to 'play the system' to win in competitions, then what is done by the likes of T.H. and his clones has no bearing in the reality of the salon. What we do there, takes a greater skill of a different kind.

oh gigi! i just adore you-but not in a stalker way!

 

[geeg]

oh gigi! i just adore you-but not in a stalker way!

Well it's true isn't it?

If I wanted to churn out the exact same 'cookie cutter' nails ... I would have been a baker!
WHAT I LOVE IS THE CHALLENGE THE SALON REPRESENTS. What we do there requires a completely different skill (many of them in fact). I would be bored out of my brains doing the same old thing every day on every customer or in every competition on every model.

These competitions do not have anything to do with reality.

By the way ... I adore the image of the baby's feet.

 

[nail2heart]

I think i could definately with more training.


Florentina Alexander

 

[nail technican]

Well it's true isn't it?

If I wanted to churn out the exact same 'cookie cutter' nails ... I would have been a baker!
WHAT I LOVE IS THE CHALLENGE THE SALON REPRESENTS. What we do there requires a completely different skill (many of them in fact). I would be bored out of my brains doing the same old thing every day on every customer or in every competition on every model.

These competitions do not have anything to do with reality.

By the way ... I adore the image of the baby's feet.

my opinion is, when he made competition nails with his experince and skills on competitions world wide and win?!?
what you think? wich nails he sculpt in salon?!
when Formula 1 racing pilots like Shuhmacher from germany wins world champion with over 900 Horsepower, they are more than professional drivers on normal streets!!
think about it....
I´m shure that Tom is one of the best COMPETITOR & NAIL SALON Nail Artist
of the World, he´s fab and was brought many nail champions, new products, skills and experience into the nail world...so to honour him this!
AND of course, wich many educations,trainings and years, I can be same perfect as him!!
yours
nail technician

 

[mandy121060]

No-one should ever rate themselves against another person in the same business. You will never do nails like anyone else. You do nails in your own way and technique. It doesnt matter who is judging, even Gigi admitted she was influenced by him. So at the end of the day, was his work the best.
I think it is all a bit too much for the everyday techs on here.
Who is really gonna go around wearing competition nails?
I think that at the end of the day, I would like to just do my best and be able to send my client away feeling really happy with the work I've done for her/him. We can all learn so much more about techniques, different products and find challenges along the way. Its a learning curve we all crave for and that's healthy.

 

[melissaq]

I read all the post and feel I must reply .......I personally love all of Tom H's work I have ever seen ...I think he does beautiful work and if I could walk around with compition look nails I would ....I do think certain people have the talent for things and clearly he does have talent...I've seen people in this biz who have just started and do excellent/ beautiful work .........on the other hand have seen people in the biz forever who could still use some help.....as said earlier..... compition nails are way different from Salon nails and we can all just hope to do the best 'WE' can. IMO who can't use a little compition every now and then?.....I think it makes us strive to only better ourselves....I could only be blessed for Tom to use me as a model someday......

 

[talented talons]

I did vote "Yes with training and practise" but to be honest i want to be good in my own right and not really compared to anyone else. I know you will always be compared to others, but i don't feel we can really say we are as good or better than someone who has been in the industry for a lot longer and has loads of experience.

I myself aspire to be as good as my educator Georgie Smedley, her nails are to die for, as well as Antony Buckley, if i could produce nails half as good as both of these gifted people, i would be happy. Roll on training.