30 Day Nail Art Challenge - Day 10

I can't believe that we are now 1/3 of the way through the Nail Challenge!!!  Only 20 more days to go!

Day 10 - Gradient.  For those of you who don't know what gradient is, it is where the colors get lighter or darker as they go down your nail, depending on what you want.  You can achieve this effect in multiple ways, however for this tutorial I used a sponge to create the gradient effect of a sunrise.  The tutorial is below.

First, paint a base coat of yellow.  You want full coverage as the other colors that will be sponged on top will not cover it completely.  I would recommend 2-3 coats depending on how light/dark your color is.

The three colors I chose for my "sunrise".  From left to right:

Pure Ice - Show Stopper

Pure Ice - Drive Me Crazy

Pure Ice - Siren

For the sponging, I put a little of each color on a paper plate and used a piece of a makeup sponge (in front of the red) for this tutorial.

For these next steps, I used a makeup sponge cut into small, rectangular-ish pieces, using each corner for a different color.  I only needed one piece the entire time but if you move slower you may need 2-3 pieces as the polish hardens and makes it difficult to "sponge".

Using your sponge, dip one corner in yellow polish and sponge over the entire nail.  This helps the colors blend a little better.  Next, use a different corner of your sponge (you may also use a completely different sponge) dipped in orange polish to sponge a thick line across the center of you nail, as shown above.  You also want to draw a little of it down onto the tip, just not as dark.

Moving pretty quickly, in this tutorial you DON'T want the colors to dry, dip another corner of your sponge (or get another sponge) in red polish and sponge a thick line across the tip of your nail.  Also pull a little up into the orange, to help create the gradient effect.  The bottom half of your nail will be a little dark, but that is how we want it.  We will lighten it up in a second.

Now, put a little bitty drop of yellow on the yellow corner of your sponge and lightly dab it all over your nail.  You can also dab a clean sponge all over after adding the yellow to get rid of excess paint.  Your nail should look something like the picture above.

                                       

Your sunrise is complete!  Join me tomorrow as we begin the second part of the Nail Challenge - Patterns!