Dabbling with Sharpie Markers

I've resisted getting into Sharpie marker mani's; I find that I have enough nail art supplies (polishes, plates, stamping polishes, numerous varieties of studs and rhinestones, striping tape, vinyls, stickers, loose glitter and flocking powder, nail art brushes, hole punches, stencils, foil, dotters...did I forget any?) spread out in my space and didn't want to add yet another component to them. But then I seen some on sale and thought why not?  So I watched a few YouTube or IG mini tutorials and went for it.  This is what I came up with. Oh, and be forewarned, this post is probably a lot of what you shouldn't do relating to Sharpie marker mani's!

Started with a base of two coats each of Pahlish Bespoke Mauna Loa II and OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls, top coated with Girly Bits What A Rush QD TC.

I had scribbled on the bottom of a glass cup a bit, then added a spray or so of rubbing alcohol, then using a brush, put some of the ink on my nail.

After that colour had dried, did it with a couple more colours until I got a design that I was happy with.

Top coated it with Girly Bits What A Rush QD TC, then stamped with an image from UberChic 6-02 using Funky Fingers Dark Knight. But as you can see, the vibrant inks faded to a very faint hue.

When I top coated the stamping, the inks blobbed and went even more yellow.  This wasn't the bright, vibrant Sharpie marker colours I had seen in videos, so went and watched a few more to see hopefully see what I was doing wrong.

I seen or read on a couple blog posts about applying the Sharpie marker directly to the nail, then using some alcohol on a brush to disburse it, so tried this method instead.  I did get them to look a little bit more vibrant. I had also read that the inks shouldn't be top coated until really dry so waited about an hour to topcoat them, but it still faded them a bit, not as bad as a couple pix above, but still not the vibrant look I was looking for.

I guess I'll have to work on this method a bit more.  I did get some tips from the Digit-al Dozen gals who have successfully done this method, but from what they said, you have to use pretty vibrant markers and "some" fading is normal unless top coated with proper gel topcoat.  I am not getting into another product, so I'll have to live with whatever I have already.  But I'm somewhat disappointed that only the more vibrant colours work well with this method because I bought the Sharpie pack with the lighter pastel colours thinking they would be cool, but by the sounds of it, and from what limited experience I have, they will pretty much wash out.  I think they might be OK for direct marker on holo/glitter which I've seen too, but I like the disbursed look with the alcohol.  

Thanks for looking!

After Last Week, Hope You're Not Tired of Gradients!

Last week at the beginning of Digit-al Dozen week, I was thinking that it might be kinda boring only sharing pink and/or purple gradients for the entire week as I had already uploaded the mani's and knew what I was going to post (except the Friday mani BUT as it turns out, the 40 Great Nail Art Ideas weekly challenge happened to ironically be pink and purple so it too was going to be same colours).  So during the week, I did a few other mani's with the intention of sharing them instead to change things up a bit.  But when I went to actually post them, I got to thinking heck, there's nothing wrong with only posting the pink and/or purple ones, so I'll post what I already have uploaded!  But now, I have these other gradient mani's to share....... so this is one of them!

Started with one of my favourite grays, Colors by llarowe The Good Old Days;  two coats, no top coat.

Did a tri gradient using Colors by llarowe The Frenchy Klein and Colors by llarowe Believe in Miracles.  I know that the colours don't blend to a gradual gradient as a typical gradient but when I did them to blend a bit more, the darker colours pretty much overpowered the gray, so did them with less of a fade than a more graduated gradient.  If that makes sense!

Topped with Girly Bits What A Rush QD TC before stamping.

Stamped using an image from Sugar Bubbles SB 040 using Funky Fingers Gesso.

Top coated with Girly Bits What A Rush QD TC to finish.

Thanks for looking!

A Little Pick Me Up

I did these quick and easy nails not too long ago when I needed a little pick me up so went with something to brighten my day after a day that just wasn't the best. Here's what I came up with!

Started with a base of Colors by Llarowe Coral-dly Yours, which was part of the February 2016 A Box, Indied.  Shown with two coats, no top coat.

Added a coat of Girly Bits What A Rush QD TC before stamping.  

I didn't want to cover up this gorgeous shade too much so went with an image from Apipila P.2 using Funky Fingers Gesso.

Added small square stud to accent.

Topped it all off with Girly Bits What A Rush QD TC to finish.

Thanks for looking!

Digit-al Dozen Does Gradient - Day 5

It's Day 5 of Digit-al Dozen gradient week challenge!  All of my mani's all week have been pink or purple or pink and purple and today, I have good reason for wearing them both again as this Day 5 mani is doing double duty for 40 Great Nail Art Ideas as this weeks theme for it is pink and purple; I had added prompt of reciprocal gradient.  Here's what I came up with!

My very first task was to see what pink and purple polishes and stamping polishes were a match or pretty close anyway for the reciprocal part of the challenge as I knew I wouldn't be doing a reciprocal gradient with striping tape.  So I picked out a few pinks and purples and went from there.  This actually was one of the longest processes for this mani.

For the pink, I went with Nvr Enuff Pink Sprinkles; this is two coats, no top coat shown below.  It was an added bonus that there was some purple shimmer in there!

Did a sponged gradient using piCture pOlish Wisteria.  In hindsight when I was done, I wish I had have sponged about half the nail as it would have evened out the reciprocal gradient a little bit more, but didn't think of it at the time.

Added coat of Girly Bits What A Rush QD TC.

For the reciprocal gradient, using an MdU 16 and MoYou Pink! which matched the base polishes pretty good.  The images are from MoYou Holy Shapes Collection-07 on all fingers except the larger image from MoYou Holy Shapes Collection-08 was used on the thumb.  The stamper was the DRK XL which helped with lining up pretty good and because its not overly squishy, the lines stamped pretty straight except on the index and its only visible in the close up so overall, happy with how these lines stamped on.

Finished with Girly Bits What A Rush QD TC to finish.

Here's the other ladies Day 5 manis!  

An InLinkz Link-up

Here's the 40 Great Nail Art Ideas pink and lilac mani's!

An InLinkz Link-up

Hopefully you've enjoyed all these gradients!  Right now, it's one of my favourite type of bases for stamping as it adds a little base interest so I have quite a few more done and will be sharing at some time!

Thanks for looking!

Digit-al Dozen Does Gradient; Day 4

For day 4 of Digit-al Dozen gradient challenge, another pink and purple (gasp!) gradient.

Started with two coats of L'Oreal Violette, no top coat.

Did a sponged gradient using Chaoes & Crocodiles Wishing Star Sky and Spun Sugar Magic.  Both of these beautiful shades are from the Once Upon a Unicorn collection.

Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top. 

Stamped using Funky Fingers Gesso using an image from Apipila Super Placa B.

Apipila Super Placa B.  There are so many great images on this XL plate especially if you love full size designs!

Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top to finish.

Here's the other ladies Day 4 mani's!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for looking!

Digit-al Dozen Does Gradient; Day 3

This is probably one of my most favourite gradient mani's EVER!  Purple!  Holo! What's not to love!  Well, I guess you might not be too impressed if you're not a purple or holo lover lol but it is right up my alley!  Here's what I came up with!

Started with two coats of Polish II Another World; shown with no top coat.  I haven't seen much posted about these Polish II's but I get them at local supply place at a great price so have a bunch of them! 

Added coat of Girly Bits What A Rush QD TC.

For the gradient, sponged on Colors by Llarowe Fall-o Me.  This was the October 2015 polish of the month.  In hindsight, I'm not sure why I top coated before sponging.....but I did.

Added a coat of Girly Bits What A Rush QD TC before stamping.  

Stamped using an image from UberChic Love & Marriage-01 using Funky Fingers Guesso.  I picked this image so just enough stamping while still allowing the cool base to show through.  I put different pieces of the image randomly on the nail for added interest.  

This isn't the best swatch picture but it shows the amazing rainbow of colours in Colors by Llarowe Fall-O Me so post worthy!

UberChic Love & Marriage-01

Finished with a coat of Girly Bits What A Rush QD TC to finish.

Here's the other ladies Day 3 gradients; there have been some amazing manis posted already this week so hopefully you've had a chance to check them out!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for looking!