Konad Nail Stamp Art First Attempts and Tools of the Trade

Here are my first few attempts at Konad. The first one was a total failure, LOL. The image wouldn't totally transfer to the nailbed, creating images of curly scribbles instead of flowers. =D I loved the color combination, though.



The second one was a lot better. The reason was because I filed the stamp in order for the image to adhere clearly on the nail. Also, I used lint-free pads with nail polish remover, which made it a lot easier to do nail stamping. Cotton balls have unbelievably annoying lint/fibers that would stick to the nails and would mess up the design. I bought the lint-free pads specifically for nail art at Sally's. I also bought Seche Vite top coat, and pads that are soaked in nail polish remover. This is a lifesaver. I was able to take out all the old nail polish on my nails in seconds, and I only used one pad for all ten fingernails. It even claims that one pad can take out nail polish on all tips and toes.



Here's my second attempt. It's a lot better, and the image is also a lot clearer. I'm slowly getting the hang of it, and although there is a learning curve, it is easier to use with each try.



Here are some things I learned from my Konad adventures:

1. Get lint-free nail polish remover pads. This will greatly improve your art and will make application a lot faster and easier. If you can't get lint-free pads, use paper towels instead of cotton balls.

2. File your stamp with your nail file to make the image adhere better on the stamp.

3. If possible, use a plastic scraper instead of the metal one. I used an old credit card as a scraper on my second try, and as you can see, it worked great. Also, a plastic scraper will not create scratches on your image plate.

I also learned the last two pointers from nail boards and tutorials; however, the first one was from my own personal experience.

That's it for now!