I have been experimenting with gradients lately, which are a great base for so many summery nail designs! In the process I have found that there are a lot of great related contests that I thought I would share and enter myself.

BCN Summer Gradient Nail Art

Here are the two looks I have come up with so far. The first is a purple “Vine Outline” gradient nail design.

Get The Look

For this look I used two of my new polishes:

• Sinful Colors – Beverly Hills
• Wet n Wild – On A Trip (megalast)
• Bundle Monster – Small brush

I really LOVED the outline effect on this purple nail, and I have always wanted to try a border nail so I decided to do a “Border Sunset”. Lots of first on this manicure:

• First sunset gradient and tree painting
• First border nail attempt
• First time using Seche Vite (Love it – smoothes out all kinds of imperfections!)

Get The Look

For this look I used:

• Sinful Colors – Snow Me White
• Kleancolor – Neon Yellow
• Pure Ice – Drive Me Crazy (orange)
• Kleancolor – Neon Pink
• Kleancolor – Neon Purple
• Sinful Colors – Black On Black
• Seche Vite – Dry Fast Top Coat
• Bundle Monster – Small brush
• Make-up sponge

Summer Gradient Nail Art Contests

So are you ready to try your hand at your own gradient art? I really like competitions for so many different reasons:

1. Contests give you a theme to practice on. I love focused practicing!
2. Get better at one specific technique by entering multiple times.
3. Allows you to find all kinds of similar designs to get inspiration from all conveniently grouped together with the contest’s hashtag.
4. Discover new artists to follow and interact with.

Gradients Theme Contest!

Hosts: @blackcatlacquer and @kellytattoo

Contest Deadline: August 15, 2013

Hahstags:

• #KellytattooBCLcontest
• Rules – #kellytattoobclcontestrules

Rules:

• You must be following @kellytattoo and @blackcatlacquer
• You must have a hand written note in the same frame as your nails with your Instagram name and #kellytattoobclcontest
• They must be your own natural nails or acrylics no press ons
• You must tag them with #kellytattoobclcontest
• The manicure must include a gradient of some kind wether it’s a simple beautiful gradient or a gradient with detailed nail art.
• Be creative and stamps are allowed!!
• There will be a first and second prize. 10 finalists will be picked and reposted for voting.
• You must be 18 or older or have parental consent!
• This contest is open to the US and Canada only sorry lovely international ladies
• Limited to 5 entries per person

Prizes: There are two prize lots, for first place and second place winners.

1st Place – Full list of prizes for first place:

• 5 full size bottles from Black Cat Lacquer’s newest collection
• 2 Ruby Wing color change polishes
• 2 full size Urban Decay eyeshadows
• 1 Hard Candy polish
• 2 Funky Fingers color change polishes
• 2 Funky Fingers glitter polishes

2nd Place – Here is a full list of the prizes for second place:

• 3 full size bottles from Black Cat Lacquer’s newest collection
• 1 Hard Candy polish
• 2 full size Urban Decay eye shadows
• 2 Funky Fingers color change polishes
• 2 Funky Fingers glitter polishes

Gradient Skittle Ombre Contest!

Hosts: @danicaj and @fckyeahnailart

Contest Deadline: August 9, 2013, 11:59 pm EST

Hahstags:

• Beginning Category – #danicajGSObeg
• Advanced Category – #danicajGSOadv
• Rules – #danicajGSOrules

Rules:

• You must be following @danicaj and @fckyeahnailart
• Follow the theme of gradient, skittle, ombré or a combination of the three
• Two categories: beginner #danicajgsobeg and advanced #danicajgsoadv
• Must include a HANDWRITTEN note in the same frame as your nails of one of the hashtags, signifying which category you are entering in with your @username on the same note (ie #danicajGSObeg @danicaj)
• Must be YOUR own hand. No painting other peoples’ nails or nail wheels
• No pedicures
• Stamps and rhinestones/fimo are allowed
• Stickers/decals are NOT allowed
• Nail art is allowed
• Account must be public
• Prizes vary depending on category
• No age restriction, but if you win and are under 18 you must receive parents permission
• International
• Unlimited entries

Prizes: There are two prize lots, one for each category.

Beginner – Full list of prizes for the beginning category:

• Island Girl Mini Neons
• Island Girl Molokai Dream, Big Island Volcano and Island Coast
• Julep Emma and Barbara
• Julep Freedom Polymer Topcoat
• Orange glitter pot
• Striping tape
  

Advanced – Here is a full list of the prizes for the advanced category:

• Max Factor Fantasy Fire
• Entire Sinful Colors Candy Rush collection: Sweet Tooth, Sweet Nothing, Sugar Rush, Sugar N Spice, Candy Coated, Orange Cream, Unicorn, Cotton Candy
• Island Girl Mini Neons
• Island Girl Surfer Babe, Island, Paradise, Royal Hawaiian, Island Surf
• Julep Oxygen Nail Treatment
• Black glitter pot

I hope you will enter one or both of these and may the odds be ever in your favor!