Pac Man

Here's a cute little design that will fit on cute little nails.

Okay so for the first step: Paint your thumbs black, and your other four fingers should be orange, light blue, pink, and red. The pink should be lighter than what I used, but I don't have a light enough pink.

Step 2: The black needs to be thoroughly dry before doing anything else, so start with the four fingers first. Paint two oval-shaped eyes toward the top of the nail.

Now you want to add the black. Three small triangles at the bottom of the nail will do nicely, and one tiny dot in each white oval to make it an eye.

Cover these with a clear coat when they are dry enough not to smudge.

Step 3: Now to the thumbs. Since black is dark and yellow is light, you should start with a thin layer of white so that the yellow comes out yellow and not gross. You can start with an outline, then fill it in completely.

Now you want to cover it in yellow, because you want it to be right. This shouldn't be too hard.

And then you cover it in a clear coat and you're done! That's it! Simple as that!

Penguins

Here's another design I caught on camera before I started the blog. It's a little more complicated than the storm troopers (see label: themed), but I didn't get pictures of the process. Sorry!

I used a Christmas red for the background, and orange for the feet and beak. I also used a green background for my other thumb, but the darkness made the penguin look angry, so I only really liked it with the red background.

Note: Don't make the black too thick, because when you have to put the stomach on top, it will be really hard to get it sized right, and it will likely get really thick, and it takes a long time to dry. I made this mistake.

Storm Troopers

Here's a design I did before I started this blog. I didn't get pictures of the process, but it's pretty straightforward. Just do a white background, and follow the example of black lines and shapes.

Cute n Colorful

Step 1: Put a clear coat on first. This is especially important when you're not covering the entire nail with color. It makes them shiny, so when the natural color of the nail is exposed, it doesn't clash with the shiny-ness of the rest of the nail.

Step 2: Pick five colors that you want (one on each nail, and don't choose white!) and take one color per nail and swipe it across the nail, making a diagonal line across the center of the nail.

That's what it should look like close up. Some polishes, you'll have to do a second coat, but it really depends on what you have. I usually have to do a second coat with my yellow, but not the other colors. It may be different for you.

Step 3: Polka dot the colored section with white, using a toothpick. The number of dots will depend on how big you make them, and this usually depends on how careful you are. Medium sized ones look the best, but are the hardest. I usually end up with big globs or tiny barely-able-to-see dots. You'll get better with practice.

Step 4: Line the space between the color and the clear polish with sparkles. I prefer the look of silver, but I used gold in this example because the gold that I have is easier to use and faster than the silver.

Step 5: Cover the nails with a top coat of clear polish. This will help prevent chipping and allow the design to last longer.

Notes

A couple of things I'd like you to know about me:

• I'm a piano player, so my nails are likely to be quite shorter than you are used to, hence the idea for "nail designs for short nails." Also, I redo them quite often, because I am in constant need of clipping my nails. 
• I am not a professional. I am just a college student who likes doing nails, and is pretty darn good at it.
• Sometimes I will have one up for a holiday, but it is likely to show up the day before. I'll be sure to label them, in case I keep going for years, so I'll have multiple designs.
• I'll try to give enough of a how-to, but I don't have the technology for videos, so we'll have to make do with one-at-a-time pictures.
• I use the brushes provided by the nail polish and toothpicks almost exclusively. I do have some brushes specifically designed for nails, but I prefer toothpicks, so I use them. Someday I may invest in a nail pen, but for now I like what I use.
• I buy cheap nail polish. I am no advertiser for spending $5 or more on a bottle. It's a rare occasion if I spend more than $2. I like the dollar nail polish, but sometimes I'll splurge and spend $2.

Welcome!

Welcome to Nail Designs for Short Nails! I'll try to have some new designs in every couple of weeks. I'll probably have more in the first couple of months, then I'll probably slow down. But you can always scroll through! And I'll try to label them into what kinds of categories there are, such as fun and colorful, dressy, or simple and sweet. If you have any ideas, be sure to comment, and I'll get right to it!