Monsters and Spooks!

Here are two different Halloween themed Manicures I tried this year.
First, I present the Spooks.

This obviously just includes eyes and a few mouths. As I've mentioned, Some of my patterns were a little overly cute, but I enjoyed them nonetheless. I didn't spend too much time on these, giving 2 coats of each base color, and then free-handing dots for eyes, and scratching out a couple mouths/fangs with a toothpick.

If I would have taken more time, I think these would have turned out really well. They were still a fun addition to my Halloween designs.

The second design used classic monsters:

I painted this pattern on my roommate, since I knew I couldn't add these to my own hands (particularly my left one!). Frankenstein, Jack O'Lantern, Dracula, and Mummy (the thumb has a cyclops).

• Frankentstein has 2 coats of green(I used Pure Ice's "Free Spirit"), followed by black in an angular hair design. His eyes are black dots with white on top (instead of the usual reverse). He has silver 'nails' drawn at the nail tip, and a straight black line for a mouth.  

• Jack O'Lantern has 2 coats of a light orange (Wet N Wild "Sunny Side Up"). A bobby pin, bent into a straight line and dipped it into the dark orange polish (Pure Ice "Hot Tamale") can be used to press on stripes. These were easier to move across the nail than it would be to try a free-hand line. There is a green dot at the top of his 'head,' and the jack o'lantern face is simply drawn in with black polish. 

• Dracula begins with a few coats of white polish as a base (I used Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear "White On" but it's about the texture of liquid paper white out. I can never find a good, white polish). Black is drawn in, following the nail's curve, and creating a widow's peak in the middle. His eyes have black dots, smaller white dots, and teeny, tiny dots of red (I used LA Colors Art Deco in "Red" for this... it has a little brush). I used a toothpick again for his smile, and added little drips of blood with my thin-brushed red.

• The Mummy has various shades of greens and browns, smudged together with part of a make up sponge. Once it reaches a 'gross' color, his eyes can be added. They are black dots with smaller red dots on top. The make up sponge is cut (or torn for better texture!) into strips, and used to apply the bandages. I mixed White On and a clear color on a strip of wax paper (only a little of each). The thin strip of sponge can be dipped into this color, and then just pressed across the nail to create the stripes of bandage. Using the sponge gives it a really nice textured look, rather than simply painting on stripes.

All of the monsters are finished with a clear top coat to protect the designs. :)