As I haven't had a lot of time for individual Halloween nail art looks this year, I've decided to pool all my ideas together on a colour wheel, which actually works out quite well because you get to see 18 ideas all at once! Read on to see the colours I used plus a brief how-to on each design.
The purpose of these designs is to be simple and things that anyone can have a go at. I've left out stamping and gradients, so you just need basic tools - a nail art brush or two, a dotting tool, striping tape and bits of makeup sponge. For the black and white detailing, you can use acrylic paint if you prefer; and of course all the colours I've used are just suggestions. Go wild!
Also, It's kind of obvious, but I always feel I should point it out: Always let your polish dry in between steps or you'll ruin it! Especially if you're using tape or sponge. I always have some quick-dry top coat handy to speed things up.
1. Fuzzy Spider
Start with a grey base, then use a piece of cut up makeup sponge to dab on a lighter grey for a distressed look. For the spider, draw a big black circle and fill in. Add the fuzz by using short sharp flicks of a nail art brush. Draw on 8 legs and finish by giving him some eyes with a dotting tool.
Polishes used: Illamasqua DWS, Barry M Elderberry, Models Own White Light, Barry M Black
2. Green Slime
Start with a purple base, then draw on the slime in white polish or white acrylic paint. Once dry, go over the white with your green shade. Add white detailing to the slime if you wish.
Polishes used: OPI Purpleicious, OPI You Are So Outta Lime
3. A Grave Scene
Start with a medium blue base, then dab on a lighter blue and blend downwards so it's lighter towards the bottom. Draw on some tombstone shapes and crosses, and add bits of grass. For the moon, I painted it on in yellow then swirled in some grey. Finish with some tiny bats.
Polishes used: Barry M Blue Grape, Barry M Elderberry, Nicole by OPI Hit The Lights, Illamasqua DWS, Black acrylic paint
4. Stitched
Use a flesh toned pink for your base, then draw on the red tips (you could use hole reinforcers if you don't fancy freehand) then add the stitches with black acrylic paint or polish.
Polishes used: OPI Chillin' Like a Villain, Barry M Blood Orange, Barry M Black
5. Peeking Pumpkin
Paint on half a heart shape for the pumpkin and fill in. Use a lighter or darker orange for the detailing. Add on a stalk and green twirly leaf.
Polishes used: Barry M Mango, piCture pOlish Autumn, Illamasqua Taint, Barry M Spring Green
6. Witch's Cat
Start by painting on the outline shape of the cat's head, followed by 2 triangles for ears. Fill in, then paint on the curly tail. Paint 2 almond shapes for eyes using white polish or acrylic paint, then go over the white with a yellow shade. Add 2 black lines for pupils.
Polishes used: Illamasqua Omen, Barry M Black, OPI Life Gave Me Lemons
7. Witch's Socks
Start with an orange base, then use striping tape to tape off the stripes. Make sure they're fully pressed down! Paint over the tape with black polish and remove immediately.
Polishes used: Barry M Mango, Barry M Black
8. Toxic Leopard
Start with a bright green/yellow base. Use a nail art pen or a nail art brush to paint on the leopard print with acrylic paint or black polish.
Polishes used: OPI Life Gave Me Lemons, Barry M Black Nail Art Pen
9. Crossed
Start with a red base. Paint vertical lines in the same formation as you would polka dots, then add a horizontal line to make crosses.
Polishes used: Models Own Red Alert, Barry M Black
10. Mini Spiders
On a white base, use a dotting tool to make circles for the bodies. Use a small nail art brush to add on the legs.
Polishes used: Models Own White Light, black acrylic paint
11. Distressed
Paint half of your nail orange, and half purple. Use the dry brush technique to achieve the distressed look. This is similar to the look I posted last year.
Polishes used: Illamasqua Poke, Barry M Mango, Barry M Black
12. Mrs. Frank
Paint your nail green. Draw a wavy line 3/4 of the way down, and fill in with black. Use a small nail art brush to add zig zags for the hair detail, and for her features.
Polishes used: OPI You Are So Outta Lime, Models Own White Light, Barry M Black and black acrylic paint
13. Bloody Fingerprints
Start with a white base. Blob some red polish onto paper and dip the pad of your fingertip in. Dab your finger on paper first to blot away excess polish, then dab it randomly onto your nails to create the bloody prints.
Polishes used: Models Own White Light, Barry M Blood Orange
14. Spooky Tree
Start with an orange base. Use a small piece of cut up makeup sponge to dab on a couple of other shades of orange to make the background interesting. You could dab on some glitter too! For the tree, paint a half moon on one side of your nail and fill in. Add some large branches followed by some jagged smaller branches.
Polishes used: Barry M Mango, piCture pOlish Autumn, piCture pOlish Totes, Black acrylic paint
15. Maleficent
Start with a bright green background. Paint a half circle for her head and fill in. Paint some horn shapes and fill in (it helps to have a picture up of Maleficent so you get the right shape) Use white polish or acrylic paint to paint on her face, and don't forget the eyebrows!
Polishes used: Illamasqua Omen, Black and white acrylic paint
16. Watched
Start with a glittery purple base. Draw on circle shapes for the eyeballs, and draw some squiggly red lines across them for the veins. Use a dotting tool to create the dots which make up the eyeball, and finish with a white dot for detail. Inspired by Chalkboard Nails
Polishes used: piCture pOlish Karma, Models Own Red Alert, Barry M Damson, Illamasqua Taint, Barry M Cardamom, Barry M Black, Models Own White Light
17. Candy Corn
Begin with a black base and paint on little triangles using white polish or acrylic paint, making sure some are going off the nail for a proper pattern effect. Add stripes of yellow and orange.
Polishes used: Cirque Colors Memento Mori, White acrylic paint, Barry M Mango, Nicole by OPI Hit The Lights
18. Hallo-dots
Start with a white base. Use different sized dotting tools to make large, medium and small dots.
Polishes used: Models Own White Light, Barry M Mango, Illamasqua Poke, Barry M Black
Hopefully you can find some inspiration in here somewhere! What's your favourite design here? If you try any, tag me on instagram so I can see.
I love these ideas!
ReplyDeleteYou genius! I've been wanting to do Halloween nail art but have been feeling so uninspired. This is just what I needed! I will be trying a few of your designs for sure! Thank you for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteTHESE ARE SO COOL!!!!
ReplyDeletecharlotte // charlottespicks.blogspot.com
Oh my gosh!! These are all so amazing! I feel inspired by almost all of them and I love that you gave a little tutorial to go along with each design. Really great post!
ReplyDeleteWow these are amazing, I love them all =]
ReplyDeleteI loved all of them!! They're striking and yet fairly simple to achieve! I'm 100% taking your bloody finger print idea with me and using it for this Halloween season ;)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea and full of inspiration! I adore your Spooky Tree. This is an excellent post!!
ReplyDeletei found this post on tumblr and im so glad for found it haha your blog is amazing look this zoom
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! <3
ReplyDeleteThese are so much fun! The cat nail is my favourite!! I've done a similar design a few times on my friends but didn't add the tail, that really finishes the look. Great inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThat's great Allie, I'm so so happy you're doing more nail art! And I like so may of the looks you did, especially the Maleficent is easy and I haven't seen it done like this before
ReplyDeleteCool ideas, love the 6th one :)
ReplyDeleteThe stitched french is such a fun look! I really like it :).
ReplyDeleteSome awesome ideas here, especially the cat and the cute pumpkin. I've been so uninspired for Halloween looks this year, so I might steal one or two ideas :)
ReplyDeleteLove these ideas, especially the stockings, candy corns and distressed looks!
ReplyDeleteLove these x
ReplyDeleteThe fussy spider looks like those little creatures in Anime movies.So cute!
ReplyDelete