31-Day Nail Challenge #31DC2016 - Geek Girl Theme - Metallic

First, and most important (to a geek like me anyway) Happy 50th Anniversary to the original Star Trek series! I'll be creating a full-blown trekkie nail design later on in the challenge.

Now, to the mani at hand (pun intended). Today's prompt is "Metallic" and I have to admit - I didn't like my metallic nail art the last time I did the 31-day challenge and I don't like it now. Don't get me wrong, I think the C3PO design is cute (thanks to "Flight of Whimsy" for the idea) but I just don't like metallic polishes. My nails naturally have extremely pronounced ridges. I buff them and use a ridge-filling base coat, but there simply isn't any way to get rid of them completely. Metallic polishes show the ridges worse than any other, so I rarely use them. But, as I've heard other nail artists say, you have to "stand by your mani" so I'll stand by mine and the fretting, blustering protocol droid it features. :-)

I used bmc Liquid Gold as the metallic polish. As metallics go, I love how this one spreads smoothly and is almost a one-coat wonder. A fine point Sharpie marker and a black Kiss striper was used for the details on C3PO's face and chest plate. Different sizes of gold studs help complete the look.

Do you have a type of polish that you've tried but just don't like wearing? Let's talk about it in the comments. To see more nail challenge designs, look for the #31DC2016 tag, or browse through the In-Linkz posts below.

An InLinkz Link-up

31-Day Nail Challenge #31DC2016 - Geek Girl Theme - Black & White

I got hooked on Japanese anime in college, but many people in the U.S. had never seen it until Spirited Away won an Oscar in 2002 for Best Animated Feature. If you've ever been curious about anime, this film is a wonderful introduction. The animation is beautiful, the story's engaging, and it has many memorable characters including the subject of today's Black & White challenge: No Face.

No Face is a spirit that seems formless, except for a face that looks like a Noh theater mask. It's a lonely creature who's constantly hungry and eats everything including other spirits, people, and their emotions. It can be very large and frightening when it consumes negative emotions, but eventually it befriends the hero of Spirited Away and becomes a sweet, docile being who loves to knit.

To create the No Face design, I started with a base color of OPI Alpine White, then outlined the edges of the nail with Wet n' Wild Ebony Hates Chris. For the details of the face, I used black and gray sharpies. On my other fingers I created a negative space design with the same black polish with Kiss nail vinyls and a white striper.

Have you seen Spirited Away or are you a fan of Japanese anime? Let me know below in the comments. To see more nail challenge designs, look for the #31DC2016 tag, or browse through the In-Linkz posts below.

An InLinkz Link-up

31-Day Nail Challenge #31DC2016 - Geek Girl Theme - Violet

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

-- Isaac Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics"

Ever since Karel Čapek coined the word "robot" to mean an artificial humanoid in his 1920 play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) these mechanical creatures have been a integral part of science fiction. Whether they're portrayed as our friends (Robbie, Data, C3PO) or our enemies (Cybermen, Cyclons, Terminators) humans continue to have a fascination with creating machines in our own image. Every year, scientists and engineers create robots to help us with manufacturing, perform dangerous tasks, and improve health care. Talk about life imitating art!

I chose robots for today's Violet theme because I like the way silver and gold look on a dark purple background. For my base color, I used two Wet n' Wild polishes: Disturbia (for its deep purple color) and Black Light Party (to add some sparkle). The robots and other mechanical graphics come from the Born Pretty L004 stamping plate, using bmc Iced Silver and Liquid Gold stamping polishes. The little gold robot on the middle finger is my first-ever attempt at reverse stamping.

What robot from TV, film, or books is your favorite? Let me know in the Comments. To see more nail challenge designs, look for the #31DC2016 tag, or browse through the In-Linkz posts below.

An InLinkz Link-up

31-Day Nail Challenge #31DC2016 - Geek Girl Theme - Blue

Fezzes are red
The TARDIS is blue
Bowties are cool
And so are you!

-- a valentine from the 11th Doctor

When I created this year's challenge list of geek girl themes, Doctor Who was the only choice for blue on day 5. The color of the Doctor's trusted time machine, the TARDIS, is so iconic it even has its own BBC-approved Pantone color (Pantone 2955C - TARDIS Blue).

I started watching Doctor Who when PBS began broadcasting it in the US in 1978, so Tom Baker is my Doctor. I quickly became a fan and watched earlier episodes as they became available on VHS. The early years were cheaply made and sometime cheesy, but there was something intriguing about the Time Lords and their ability to travel in time and space. I had my doubts when the series rebooted in 2005, but fell in love with this new incarnation and have been a huge geek about the show ever since. I've been known to cosplay several different Doctor Who characters, so why should my nails be any different?

I don't have the official TARDIS Blue nail color, but Sinful Colors Rain Storm is pretty close. OPI Alpine White was used for the time vortex (ring finger) and bmc Liqiud Gold was used to create the Doctor's most feared nemesis, the Daleks. A single nail vinyl from Espionage Cosmetics' Nailed It Nebulae set is on my thumb and I used bmc Iced Silver and the L004 stamping plate from Born Pretty to finish off the look. The details were completed with Wet n' Wild Ebony Hates Chris and a black sharpie.

So, like Doctor Who itself, this nail design has a little bit of everything! I'm still not happy with my freehand skills, but I keep practicing and hope to get better. Comment below if you have any freehand tips for me or you want to geek out about Doctor Who. To see more nail challenge designs, look for the #31DC2016 tag, or browse through the In-Linkz posts below.

An InLinkz Link-up

31-Day Nail Challenge #31DC2016 - Geek Girl Theme - Green

Donatello...Leonardo...Michelangelo...Raphael. To some, they are the greatest Renaissance Italian artists of all time. But to comic book fans in the 80s, they are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Originally created as a one-off goof on popular comics of the early 1980s, they became one of the most successful series of all time, expanding from the original comics to animated series, video games, films, toys, and a shell-load of turtle merchandise.

My favorite TMNT was always Donatello. Not only does he wear my favorite color (purple)  but he's the smartest of the turtles and the least likely to solve problems with violence. He always seemed to be the one who embodied the teachings of Sensei Splinter (a mutated Japanese rat who is the Turtles' teacher and adoptive father...yes, really...) who taught them the ways of ninjutsu.

To create this Ninja Turtle design, I started with a base of  Sally Hanson Lickety-Split Lime for the Turtles' heads and Pure Ice Shore Bet for the shell. The mask ties were painted with bmc Sky Blue, China Glaze Spontaneous, bmc Orange Peel, and Wet n' Wild I Red a Good Book. For the shell pattern, I sponged a combination of bmc Lucky Green, Revlon Entice, and Lickety-Split Lime over a Yi Kou nail vinyl from Born Pretty.

Who's your favorite of the "heroes in a half shell"? To see more nail challenge designs, look for the #31DC2016 tag, or browse through the In-Linkz posts below. Turtle Power!

An InLinkz Link-up

31-Day Nail Challenge #31DC2016 - Geek Girl Theme - Yellow

This year, Pokemon celebrated its 20th anniversary commemorating the release of the original game. My son, along with the rest of the world, celebrated by making the game Pokemon Go a worldwide phenomenon. Although I never really got into chasing and capturing the little pocket monsters, I know the names of many of them - including, of course, Ash's best friend Pikachu. When I saw this adorable nail art from @grillednails, it seemed like the perfect fit for today's Yellow theme, so I've modestly tried to recreate it.

The yellow base is Sinful Colors Pull Over and the face details were created using bmc colors Noir Black and Angelic White and finishing off with Wet n' Wild I Red a Good Book for his blushing, electric-shock-throwing cheeks. My original choice for the yellow base was bmc Sunshine Yellow, but it wasn't bright enough. It looked more like a Dijon mustard color - pretty, but not the right "Pikachu yellow."

Have you been playing Pokemon Go? Which team did you choose (my son and his friends are Team Mystic) and how many have you caught? Let me know in the comments below. To see more nail challenge designs, look for the #31DC2016 tag, or browse through the In-Linkz posts below.

An InLinkz Link-up

31-Day Nail Challenge #31DC2016 - Geek Girl Theme - Orange

Unlike many sci-fi fans, I don't argue Star Wars vs. Star Trek; I like them both for different reasons. Star Trek was the first fandom I "geeked out" over, but the original Star Wars trilogy brought the science fiction genre back into the mainstream.

However, like many Star Wars fans, I was apprehensive about the new set of movies helmed by Disney and J.J. Abrams. Between our dislike of the second George Lucas trilogy (I'm looking at you, Jar-Jar) and our extreme disappointment in the new Abrams' directed Star Trek movies (blowing up Vulcan...really, J.J.?) we weren't sure what to expect. Thanks goodness we were worried for nothing. Star Wars - The Force Awakens had a wonderful story, mind-blowing action sequences, and a delightful mix of old and new characters. And one of the biggest fan favorites was a little orange and white droid named BB8.

To create these orange nails, I started with two coats of OPI Alpine Snow. The details were created using bmc Orange Peel, L'Oreal Greycian Goddess, Wet 'n Wild Ebony Hates Chris, and Born Pretty silver studs. Everything was topped off with Sephora Matte Top Coat. A special thanks to my son's BB8 clock for acting as model. (Yes, the geek girl is raising a geekling.)

Are you a Star Wars fan? Star Trek? Or do you geek out over both (or neither)? Let know in the comments. To see more nail challenge designs, look for the #31DC2016 tag, or browse through the In-Linkz posts below.

An InLinkz Link-up