First, decide which colors you’d like to use. The sky really is the limit here; choose your two favorite colors or coordinate your palette with the season or an upcoming holiday.
STEP:1CHOOSE YOUR COLOUR
Color contrast is important. Two identical hues won't look as well. One darker and one lighter color work best for checkerboard nails. White complements everything.
CHOOSE YOUR COLOUR
Preparing your nails beforehand will improve your DIY manicure. Clean and shape your nails with a nail clipper and file.
STEP:2PREP YOUR NAILS
A clear base coat protects your nail from the color polish you apply next. Darker nail polishes require a base coat. Don't color your nails permanently!
STEP:3APPLY A BASE COAT
A base coat will also give your nail art a smoother surface and prolong the life of your artwork.
APPLY A BASE COAT
Using a conventional straight nail polish brush, paint the left side of each nail with one of the colors you've chosen for your checkerboard.
STEP:4PAINT LEFT SIDE OF NAILS
Using the same technique, paint the right side of each nail with the other checkerboard color you’ve selected.
STEP:5PAINT RIGHT SIDE OF NAILS
Let nails dry with different colors on both sides. Avoid starting the following step with sticky nails. Rushing is pointless.
LET NAILS DRY
Use the nail polish color from Step 5 to paint a square on the upper-left-hand corner of each nail, over the color from Step 4.
STEP:6CREATE SQUARES
Once the first squares dry, reverse. Paint a square on each nail's upper-right corner with Step 4's shade over Step 5's. That's it for a checkerboard effect!
CREATE SQUARES
Once your squares dry, topcoat your manicure. Clear top coats, like clear base coats, preserve and prolong manicures. It also shines nails!