this year felt very halloween-y with a side of uniqueness, meaning and fancy touches. i just do the nails as the download instructs, so join me in the fun of reviewing and interpreting the art. here are the highlights:
"trend monsters" for B King
she brought in a few inspo pics, so I mashed them together and gave her these. chrome, blooming gel, the dragon eye; all super tr*ndy and are all being used the same. I'm watching trends eat the creativity of the nail art world UP. too easy of a fall back to just go on the net and do what's been done 2 seconds ago.
beware of the monsters.
"smoke n mirrors" for Leslie
the product of two separate freestyles I have on display, so, as usual, I did both! the "smoke" art was originally an orange jelly base, but we went with the jelly black to make it make sense, feel me?
I created the mirror art for halloween-not-halloween (youtube tutorial coming) with the thought "vanity will destroy us all," but together a whole new piece was birthed. The art creates itself. I find meaning later.
"dia de los robots de muertos" for Echo
she was torn between going cultural or alien, but dare I ask, why not both? from my view of Mexican culture, it's full of soft natural elements, so adding chrome from one of the inspo pieces took us to dia de los futura, okaaaayyy? the designs are all freestyled, straight off the dome.
though the plan is for us all to be swapped out for robots, I believe that culture will prevail. poder a la gente!!!!!!!!!
"killer views" for Nneka
the thought was gothic window designs plus an ode to her costume this year as Marceline from adventure time. I can see it. yet the more I look, I see a few other things; protective gates to keep hell at bay; an "amazing view" some realtor would try to sell in an alernate dimension.
as I write, memory of a nightmare I would have back to back as a shorty comes to mind. I'd wake up from my bottom bunk, walk to the living room of our 3rd floor apartment to find the front facade of the building ripped off and fire engulfing the west side as far as I could see. interesting.
"mixed messages from church" for Bri
ahhhh, what to say of these. stained glass windows, living roses, dead roses, old cross, new cross, heads on a platters, blood red everywhere. beauty, pain, death, glitz, symbolism. so much going on, yet a sense of togetherness. scary, yet glamourous. relevant, yet dated.
so much to say.
"lifeless" for Doris
four pieces of inspo in one. she usually prefers neutral tones with touches of brightness kissed by opulence, but she wanted to try something new. though it's stylistically her, the colors are a tribute to halloween. dead flowers, dead trees, and a mirror that can hold no true reflection.
if you're reading this Doris, I better understand you sitting with them for that short time and wanting them gone. grateful you kept them. you're more powerful everyday.
"city girl morticia" for Daria
what would a powerhouse like morticia get from lil ol me? these. her signature red, cold silver jewelry with black diamonds, and beautiful black roses. though her garments are always sleek, I can't imagine a face that beat wouldn't want the nails to compliment. at least in a city girl world! all of the elements were per Daria's request with my creativity freedom. we even fake argued about parts! so fun ❤️
no you can't see the thumbs, them is our business...
"bless the mother, bless creation" for Cynthia
halloween is said to be the witches new year and witches are just people who work with the earth instead of against it. but people also fear witches and just about everything they don't understand. I just know the thoughts of creation scare the hell out of people and messes with their mind. what's more mind altering than realism on a lil nail?
how did I create these?
am I witch?
WHY DID I PAINT FACES?!!!
BOO!!!!!👻👻👻👻
she sent me a moodboard so powerful, I had no interpretation. only direct mimicry.
this year went hard. here are even more spooky beatz that I hope shook the public 🫢
love the nails! interesting perspectives as well