Charlierush1983
Well-Known Member
Can anyone recommend somewher in Essex that does nail art courses. 
Nail Art
- Thread starter Charlierush1983
- Start date
Help Support SalonGeek:
Have a good look round on here for tutorials. You can learn the basics on a course, but its all down to your imagination honey.
Get a good set of brushes, a decent dotter and some tips for practice. Lots of blue tack, stick your tongue out in concentration and practice!
As I said, tutorials on here, have a look on youtube, there are loads of vids on there showing different techniques.
Honestly, once you've mastered the basics, flicks (with a long thin striper brush) flowers, hearts etc ( with a little delicate detail brush) and steady handed dots (with a dotting tool, or an embossing tool from a craft shop) You're laughing.
At least have a go honey, then if you find you need training have a look then.
Always basecoat or polish your tips you are practising on, as its quite hard to use paints on bare tips, its quite slippy.
Water based acrylic paints come in allsorts of colours and last forever (if you put the lid back on lol) I personally prefer 'Anita's Acrylics' from my local craft shop. I've used loads of different brands in the past and these are the best for consistensy. Cheap too.
Hope any of this helps. I only did the basic nail art techniques at college, I didn't even get shown flicks properly, which is the most popular. I just kept on and kept on. Now i'll do everything asked for and more. x
Get a good set of brushes, a decent dotter and some tips for practice. Lots of blue tack, stick your tongue out in concentration and practice!
As I said, tutorials on here, have a look on youtube, there are loads of vids on there showing different techniques.
Honestly, once you've mastered the basics, flicks (with a long thin striper brush) flowers, hearts etc ( with a little delicate detail brush) and steady handed dots (with a dotting tool, or an embossing tool from a craft shop) You're laughing.
At least have a go honey, then if you find you need training have a look then.
Always basecoat or polish your tips you are practising on, as its quite hard to use paints on bare tips, its quite slippy.
Water based acrylic paints come in allsorts of colours and last forever (if you put the lid back on lol) I personally prefer 'Anita's Acrylics' from my local craft shop. I've used loads of different brands in the past and these are the best for consistensy. Cheap too.
Hope any of this helps. I only did the basic nail art techniques at college, I didn't even get shown flicks properly, which is the most popular. I just kept on and kept on. Now i'll do everything asked for and more. x
Charlierush1983
Well-Known Member
Than you for the advice honey, i can feel a nail art shopping trip coming on today. x
Charlierush, what do you actually want to learn? When you say nail art - do you mean simple decoration for salon customers or are you really seriously interested to learn the discipline of real nail art to a high or the highest level?
There are a lot of misunderstandings about what nail art is - at least in western europe and the usa, etc. In Russia, Ukraine and other east European countries there are professional nail art schools and nail techs there understand the difference.
From my perspective there are two catagories, nail decoration and nail art. Decoration involves using stickies, clay canes, rhinestones, glitter etc in the salon. Aplying this is not difficult and requires the minimum of practice.
Nail art for me involves a structured educational program to teach basic brush and material techniques so that the nail tech has the capability to create fine work and their own intricate designs using the different materials. Being a master nail artist not only requires the best education but almost daily practice to keep and develop their skills.
What do I mean by fine and intricate? Take for example making a 3d acrylic flower - the vast majority of nail art I've seen on the web (and I've seen a lot) the acrylic is thick and clumpy. That's because the nail tech has a poor technique and doesn't understand how to make a thin design. Very few nail techs do know how to do this. I'm not even a nail tech but having lived with Iryna I can spot a nail tech that seriously needs education and one who has been to a good school.
To give you an example, Iryna and I visited the International Beauty Show in Düsseldorf two weeks ago - where they also held the international gel and acrylic championships. Nearly all the nail art demonstrators on the manufacturers stands were either hired-in Russians or Ukrainians - we spoke to them all. They drew large crowds. Talk to any top nail tech and they will respect the Russians especially.
In Russia and Ukraine (and perhaps other east european countries) there are many excellent nail art schools. They, to a very large extent not only started nail art but have refined it to the highest level - although today there are also excellent nail artists in Asia.
Whatever you want to do - I love your enthusiasm and openness to ask your question! And good for you that you are interested to develop your skills.
To answer your question, if you want to learn simple decoration - nearly every manufacturer has training courses to teach you that. But if you are interested to learn real nail art and by this I mean a structured educational program in hand painting, gel design, flat and 3d acrylic, mixed media or fantasy - you simply will not be able (in my honest opinion) to learn this from the web and will find it very difficult to find a school in the UK.
If making even french gel or acrylic nails was so easy, then all nail techs would be trained on the web. It simply doesn't make sense to then say that you can become a nail artist on the internet - when the vast majority of nail techs don't (and I am sorry to say this) have the basic nail artist skills. Could someone paint like Constable or Rembrandt by watching a few web videos? Yet some of the best nail art is really miniature art to a very high standard. If you want I will post photo's to show what I mean.
As I said there is a great misunderstanding what nail art and a nail artist is. I am not trying to shoot anyone one down - but it's like some one who buys an expensive camera thinks they can be a great photographer. There are no short-cuts, proper education is needed as a basis, followed by artistic talent and a ton of regular practice.
There are a lot of misunderstandings about what nail art is - at least in western europe and the usa, etc. In Russia, Ukraine and other east European countries there are professional nail art schools and nail techs there understand the difference.
From my perspective there are two catagories, nail decoration and nail art. Decoration involves using stickies, clay canes, rhinestones, glitter etc in the salon. Aplying this is not difficult and requires the minimum of practice.
Nail art for me involves a structured educational program to teach basic brush and material techniques so that the nail tech has the capability to create fine work and their own intricate designs using the different materials. Being a master nail artist not only requires the best education but almost daily practice to keep and develop their skills.
What do I mean by fine and intricate? Take for example making a 3d acrylic flower - the vast majority of nail art I've seen on the web (and I've seen a lot) the acrylic is thick and clumpy. That's because the nail tech has a poor technique and doesn't understand how to make a thin design. Very few nail techs do know how to do this. I'm not even a nail tech but having lived with Iryna I can spot a nail tech that seriously needs education and one who has been to a good school.
To give you an example, Iryna and I visited the International Beauty Show in Düsseldorf two weeks ago - where they also held the international gel and acrylic championships. Nearly all the nail art demonstrators on the manufacturers stands were either hired-in Russians or Ukrainians - we spoke to them all. They drew large crowds. Talk to any top nail tech and they will respect the Russians especially.
In Russia and Ukraine (and perhaps other east european countries) there are many excellent nail art schools. They, to a very large extent not only started nail art but have refined it to the highest level - although today there are also excellent nail artists in Asia.
Whatever you want to do - I love your enthusiasm and openness to ask your question! And good for you that you are interested to develop your skills.
To answer your question, if you want to learn simple decoration - nearly every manufacturer has training courses to teach you that. But if you are interested to learn real nail art and by this I mean a structured educational program in hand painting, gel design, flat and 3d acrylic, mixed media or fantasy - you simply will not be able (in my honest opinion) to learn this from the web and will find it very difficult to find a school in the UK.
If making even french gel or acrylic nails was so easy, then all nail techs would be trained on the web. It simply doesn't make sense to then say that you can become a nail artist on the internet - when the vast majority of nail techs don't (and I am sorry to say this) have the basic nail artist skills. Could someone paint like Constable or Rembrandt by watching a few web videos? Yet some of the best nail art is really miniature art to a very high standard. If you want I will post photo's to show what I mean.
As I said there is a great misunderstanding what nail art and a nail artist is. I am not trying to shoot anyone one down - but it's like some one who buys an expensive camera thinks they can be a great photographer. There are no short-cuts, proper education is needed as a basis, followed by artistic talent and a ton of regular practice.
Last edited:
I've drafted four replies and I still don't know what to say to that!!
Salon style nail art, flicks and dots and pretty hand painted designs are a very good starting block for your nail art, and can look absolutely stunning! Not all clients like nailart, but a lot love it, and want something different everytime. If you want to extend your skills further after time there are heaps of courses and workshop days with CND and Ezflow and other reputable companies.
Practice practice practice and master the basics, and then when you feel confident, see where that takes you, if thats into other more intricate areas of 'nailart' then brill, if not and you are super happy finding your own style and doing your own thing then go for it!
I don't think in my opinion that nailart is misunderstood by a lot of techs. Whether it be painted designs, canes, rhinestones, 3d designs, I know I call my designs nailart, and a heck of a lot of gallery pics on here are artistic!
I know charlierush you'll knock out some really great designs when you've had a bit of a play, and you'll be posting them for us to have a look at. I can't wait! And i'll maybe see you on a design course with me soon.....
Salon style nail art, flicks and dots and pretty hand painted designs are a very good starting block for your nail art, and can look absolutely stunning! Not all clients like nailart, but a lot love it, and want something different everytime. If you want to extend your skills further after time there are heaps of courses and workshop days with CND and Ezflow and other reputable companies.
Practice practice practice and master the basics, and then when you feel confident, see where that takes you, if thats into other more intricate areas of 'nailart' then brill, if not and you are super happy finding your own style and doing your own thing then go for it!
I don't think in my opinion that nailart is misunderstood by a lot of techs. Whether it be painted designs, canes, rhinestones, 3d designs, I know I call my designs nailart, and a heck of a lot of gallery pics on here are artistic!
I know charlierush you'll knock out some really great designs when you've had a bit of a play, and you'll be posting them for us to have a look at. I can't wait! And i'll maybe see you on a design course with me soon.....
jellybean83
Well-Known Member
hi girls.. i trained with CND in acrylic l&p... now looking to do practice nail art....bought lots of glitter to have a go at glitter tips... not got far with that yet though just doesnt seem to come out right but ill get their.would like to have ago at free hand painted nail art and will be taking yoour advice "hnybee26" !!I would like to have ago at cane nail art too so if anyone can advise me on this also would be nice What would be a good idea..if we could all find others in local area from here.... and help one another one to one sort of thing we could all learn something then and have a guinepig to practice on just an ideaxx
I would like to have ago at cane nail art too so if anyone can advise me on this also would be nice What would be a good idea..if we could all find others in local area from here.... and help one another one to one sort of thing we could all learn something then and have a guinepig to practice on just an ideaxx
I agree, there's a lot of what I'd call decoration ;-) that's very artistic. I don't knock it at all and for most customers it's all they want. It's also a great place to start the journey.
If anything, just think it's a bit of a shame that nail art schools aren't available as widely as in east europe and that the manufacturers in Germany two weeks ago needed to fly in nail artists rather than use home grown talent. The government should do something about that - that's what I think :lol:
Whatever you do, even the clients that don't want it will see that you have developed your skills and give you extra respect.
Hi
I'm also from Essex, Basic Nail art can be done at Southend College, Basildon College. They cost about £100. You can also do courses at some of the private schools like the brentwood academy. The Brentwood Academy also do advanced nail art like 3D nail art (Acrylic - But you need to have a qualification in Acrylic's to do this course)
I would have a quick check with your local nail salon & make sure they recognise qualifications.
We have a private school on Canvey but all our local salons will not hire you if you have qualifications from there as they have a bad reputation.
(better to find out before paying out for a course)
Hope that helps
Carla
I'm also from Essex, Basic Nail art can be done at Southend College, Basildon College. They cost about £100. You can also do courses at some of the private schools like the brentwood academy. The Brentwood Academy also do advanced nail art like 3D nail art (Acrylic - But you need to have a qualification in Acrylic's to do this course)
I would have a quick check with your local nail salon & make sure they recognise qualifications.
We have a private school on Canvey but all our local salons will not hire you if you have qualifications from there as they have a bad reputation.
(better to find out before paying out for a course)
Hope that helps
Carla
