Flooding the sidewalls and lumpy application

[bimbogeri]

I'm working on my minimum-five-sets homework for my ONS course and I'm getting so fed up. Unfortunately it's a (v bad) personality defect on mine to expect to do things well quickly, or have a little toddler tantrum :o .
I've done 10 tip and overlays on Harold Hand and by the last few I was getting relatively pleased with myself - no air bubbles in the glue, nicely blended tips, and a relatively uniform shape. I was still having problems with getting a nice even finish in terms of doing the old shine-the-light-down-the-nail-and-see-if-it-goes-straight, but I was quite pleased with my shape and the acrylic was pretty smooth. Passable for a beginner, anyway.
Now I'm working on my mum, and everything's gone wrong!! :Scared:
She has quite wide, flat-ish, wonky nails (sorry Mum!) and it's very hard to get the tips on without bubbles. I ditched my IBD glue (both the 5 second and the gel sort) in favour for my Edge glue and the last few tips went on much better, but blending time seems to be taking forever!!! (Bearing in mind I had it down to 4 mins per tip on Harold). Is it detrimental to the final nail to cut off the corners of the well end of the tip, as I just can't seem to blend them in....
My overlays are a big fat pile of poo :sad: . I can't seem to be able to pat it out across the nail evenly, and I'm also ending up with a lot at the sidewalls in the middle, so the finished nail bulges in the middle in a most unattractive fashion (round about where those nasty-to-blend corners are!). I'm not sure if I'd benefit from a different brush or if I'm just blaming my products, or even just holding it wrong. It's the ONS size 8 oval brush... whenever I push/pat the product, even though I'm trying to do it with just the tip, the fat part of the brush is pushing it too, generally to where I don't want. Should I be holding the brush at more of a right-angle to the nail?
I'm considering buying a vid/DVD to keep by my side once the course is over. The instructor was really good, but I just can't picture in my head how she was showing us to do it and feel like if I had a visual aid to go back to, and compare my actions to, it would help.
I've gone from being really happy with my Harold nails, and feeling like I was achieving something, to wanting to cut my mother's fingers off :evil: .

Any tips for an over-dramatic toddler who keeps wanting to stamp her foot and throw her files across the room?
Lol x

 

[Tickled Pink!]

take a deep breath and relax!
You are on your first training course - that's exactly what it is - training! Every single one of us started out building lumpy, uneven 'enhancments' - you've got to practice loads, read loads, watch your trainer and then practice all over again. When you watch the trainer - don't look at the nail she is creating, look at the angles of her brush and what she is doing with it. I for one used to ooh and aah over the fab end result but then realised i hadn't watched how she did it. If you're not sure about something, ask the trainer to repeat it until you are.
It's very frustrating when you are a perfectionist and impatient to boot, but perserve and you will enjoy it when you are producing good nails. Don't even think about changing brushes etc as you will still have the same problems.
pratice, patience and perserverance - you'll get there and you obviously have the enthusiasm which is fantastic!

 

[Sarah Lou]

I totally agree with Dianne. I have been where you are now and it is very very frustrating. It is different on a real person rather to ummm Harold lol, just one thought are you letting your bead settle on the nail for around 5 secs, cos I know I steamed in like a bull in a china shop when I first started and was shoving the bead all over the place before it had a chance to do its thing, this caused problems for me. Chin up hun, practice practice practice and good luck for your exam xxxxx

 

[Fab Freak]

Hi lol....

Dont cut you mums fingers off - its really not that bad....we have all gone through the same learning curver as you - the amount of times i could have chucked in my files - but hell no i just keep on practicing....

Anyway I find that pre-blended them tips before the application of them as much I can really helps it makes like a lot easier I try to get mine almost transparent. then far less blending...see Geeg's tutorial on this (i'd do a link but I dont now how to :irked: )

I've never heard of cutting the ears of tips really they should be adhered to the nail and blended in so they can't be seen....remember start from the free edge of the tip (or distal as furthest asway) and work you way back to the where the tip meets the nail plate you will find this works well...again see Geegs post...

Dont give up it will become easier the more your practice