#31DC2014 31-Day Challenge - Day 30 - Inspired by...a Tutorial

We've reached the second-to-last day of the challenge and I realized there's a nail art technique I haven't used yet—Splatter! I've watched several different tutorials to learn this technique, but I was never satisfied with how my final product came out. Finally, a few months ago, I developed my own method of doing splatter nails that works for me—maybe it can work for you too.

Anyone who does crafting probably ends up with some of these little bottles. They're a soft, squeezable plastic with a very slender nozzle. Another source for these bottles is to recycle them from "e-cig" liquid (that's how I get mine—I'm an ex-smoker and e-cigs are how I quit).

To use this method:

1. Gather your polishes, bottles, and acetone. 
2. Tape the fingers around the nails to protect from extra splatter (I've never found this to be necessary with this method).
3. Put a base coat and two layers of your base color on your nails.
4. Pour out a small amount of the first splatter polish color. Thin polishes can be used as-is, thicker polishes can be thinned with a drop or two of acetone.
5. Squeeze the empty bottle and suction a very small amount of polish into the nozzle of the bottle. Let extra air mix with the polish.
6. Hold the nozzle of the bottle about an inch above your nails. Squeeze the sides of the bottle with short, quick bursts to blow out the polish onto your nails.
7. Reload polish and repeat for each nail. If the nozzle gets clogged, you can suction pure acetone up into the bottle and squeeze it out to unclog.
8. Repeat with a new color until you're happy with the design. You can switch bottles with each color or use the same one (I usually change bottles).
9. Remove tape (if used) and clean the splatter off your fingers with acetone.
10. Finish up with your favorite top coat

I find this method is more accurate, less messy, and it gives me the smaller splatter drops that I prefer. Your mileage may vary.

The colors I used for this "Autumn Splatter" look are:

• Revlon - French Roast
• Revlon - Fall Mood
• Sinful Colors - Pull Over
• Sinful Colors - Big Daddy

Do you have a nail art technique you learned and then modified to fit your needs?