My very first attempt at acrylic nails without my trusty nail trainer

[sarahnailz]

I have just finished my very first set on a live model. Lucky she is a best friend because they took almost 3 hours! but that could have been because we were chatting lol! I have zero confidence and I am worried I wont pass my course. What do you think for a first attempt? I am having trouble with symmetrical shapes on the fre edge.

Sarah xx

 

[Bagpuss]

They look good for your first real client...much better than mine did....so well done.

I looked at the thumbs and thought they looked a little flat...apex building not only gives you a lovely shape but also strength.

As a personal view i would like to see these with less white....if you filed down the length and reduced the amount of white they would look more balanced to the the pink.

Great smiles...lovely finish...well done.

 

[moosey]

well done you !! they are good for your 1st attempt but i would say watch the shape, like you sad the freeadge, just hold your file straight with the side wall and file in a stright line downwards, if that makes sence .... this will take the slight 'fan' shape away and give you a thinner look but great hun xx

 

[sarahnailz]

Thanks its nice to hear something good. Its been 2 days now and Emma my friend says they are still on!!! Lol although she has been picking at the glue i got on her finger.

The shape was totally down to her. I asked her what shape she wanted and she said as close to her natural nails as possible. I kept asking her if she liked the shape and she said, take a bit more off here and there. etc...

so, is it best toi have the free edge as short as possible if the tips are really white? it seems that the shorter it is the nicer it looks to me anyway. I guess its nicer to use natural tips for a longer nail?

Anyway, thanks for the feedback, I'm off to get my Handy Mandy out again to experiment with shapes. I'm having a real issue with that.

Sarah xx

 

[Katykitten]

Excellent first attempt. I second Bagpuss' comment about the thumbs, but keep up the good work! xx

 

[moosey]

hi hun, i would't say keek the tip - free edge -as short as possible as you have to keep the balance of the whole nail right. You don't want the white tip to be the dominant part of the nail and all you see,neither a thin white line, look at the whole nail as one and go from there hth's xx

 

[Miss Pink23]

Great first attempt.
The overall rule is 2/3 natural nail to 1/3 free edge or that the free edge should not be more than 1/2 the length of the nail bed, this will look aethetically pleasing to the eye.
With your friend having short nail beds the trick is to use an opaque acrylic and take the pink higher to give the illusion that the natural nail bed is longer than it actually is.
Well done tho.
xx

 

[milkshakerrr]

Wow, high five on your first attempt! Your zone 3 looks really awesome. :green: If you're worried about shaping, maybe you can try turning the hand around so that the palm is facing the client and the fingers are up to see it from the client's perspective. I find this key to perfectly shaping the free edge, especially if you're faced with a wonky finger. Also, as moosey said above, if you hold the file tight against the sidewall and file straight up and down, it will reduce the bulge at the waist and make your nail look slim and sleek.

I really wish my first set looked like that. *shudder*

 

[makova06]

hi there

Since you mention glue i guess you have usen tips and not sculpt. When you put on the tip, you should watch the angle. Some look very angled and some look a bit like spoon nails. The tips should be at a 45 degree angle. Hope this makes any sence to you.

Keep up the good work