DIY Mosaic Nails! A Tutorial by Madeline Poole!!

A new book from Los Angeles–based nail stylist Madeline Poole, Nails, Nails, Nails! is packed with tons of creative nail art ideas—25, to be exact. Inside, you'll find easy to follow, step-by-step instructions, photos, and illustrations for each. It's an inspiring must-have for DIY mani enthusiast! Here's one of our favorites from the bunch, the Mosaic. It's cute and clever, with geometric patterns, sharp edges, and plenty of ways to customize. You can make every nail look different by alternating shapes, then outline in gold for a kaleidoscopic effect.

You Will Need

• Red polish
• Maroon polish
• Pink polish
• Blue polish
• Gold glitter
• Striper polish
• Clear top coat

Notes: This look can feature any color assortment, but top color polishes should be opaque enough to cover the bottom colors. Also, the book recommends working with a partner for best results on this one.
Mosaic Nails Instructions

Step 1

Apply one coat of red polish to all nails and allow to dry.

Step 2

Apply maroon polish to the nail in angular shapes. For example, paint one corner of the nail maroon, or add a maroon triangle to one side of the nail. Make every nail look different by getting creative with maroon color placement. (Don’t worry if edges are uneven; you will soon outline the shapes in gold glitter striper polish.) Apply to all nails and allow to dry, then apply a second coat if denser color coverage is needed and allow to dry.

Step 3

Apply pink polish wherever you like, in complementary angular shapes as you did with the maroon polish. Apply to all nails and allow to dry.

Step 4

Repeat step 3, applying blue polish in complementary angular shapes and allow to dry.

Step 5

With the gold glitter striper polish, paint lines where the different colors meet, applying light, even strokes. Repeat until you are happy with the density of the glitter, allowing time to dry in between coats.

Step 6

When dry, apply clear top coat and allow the completed look to dry.

By Jill Russell