On holiday with evil purple clouds and lightning

A couple weeks ago I went to town with an awkward looking "sea foam" sponge and it actually turned out alright, first with the crazy pink sunset clouds and then layered with a silhouette of a forest treeline. Many asked for a tutorial and I was all lame and hadn't made one cause I had no idea what I doing or how I did it, honest.

Then the Lacquer Legion announced the mani theme for the end of June, and it was "on holiday". Another sunset, maybe a beach or an ocean, you ask? NOPE. Cause on my holidays to a tropical place there's always thunderstorms and shitty weather.

 

VIDEO TUTORIAL AT THE END OF THE POST!

So basically because the nature of this mani is SO random (literally sponging on random blobs of mixed paints as clouds), it's difficult to say exactly what I did here. But I do try at the end of the post. In the end it looks like evil purple clouds. Yes, Lacquer Legion, that's my "on holiday". Take it or leave it.

The thumb shot is always my fav for these cloudy mani things... more surface area and less blendy blendy?

Only a teeny tiny bit of this holo duochrome wonder was used on top of the lightning bolts for a hint of added spark.

Just for fun, take a look at the difference lighting can make when taking photos:

Clearly for this mani a daylight simulator bulb is much better at capturing the intensity of the polishes, and it is closer to the true colour in real life.

For some added entertainment, I actually tried to do a purple lightning mani last month but was not satisfied with my stupid thick lightning bolts as a result of not having a good detail brush. I now use the Pure Color 10 detail nail art brush you can buy online from Stylish Nail Art Shop. I do however like my cloud colour choices better in attempt #1. This seafoam cloud technique business is just totally random, you never know what you're gonna get, see what I mean?

Now, to the good stuff.

1 MIN OR LESS VIDEO TUTORIAL:

(see also 15sec version on Instagram)

Here's my to-the-point directions, which should be read in tandem with watching the video tutorial:

1. Paint nail with white polish as base coat.
2. Apply your sky gradient background colours to make-up sponge in order from lightest to darkest. Sponge on nail. Repeat 2-4 coats (leave a bit of drying time in between) or until desired opacity is achieved.
3. Apply clear polish to facilitate gradient blending (NOT an actual top coat - yes, there is a difference). This step is optional.
4. Rip a piece of 'sea foam' sponge (sometimes called silk sponges, can be picked up at any arts and craft store). Put a couple drops of black and purple acrylic paint (or just nail polish) on a tray and mix a little bit together. Sponge into the paint and then dab a few random irregular blobs towards the tips of your nails. THIS PART IS NOT A SCIENCE. It's actually just random sponging and up to you to work your magic.
5. Mix together white acrylic paint with some more colours, acrylic paint or nail polish (i.e., purple, magenta, you name it), dab it with the sponge and sponge over some sections of your first layer of evil clouds.
6. Repeat again with a bit more colour instead of black/white if you wish.
7. Use a thin detail brush to paint lightning bolts with white acrylic paint, the direction/number of branches/thickness is up to you. I use the Pure Color 10 detail brush from Stylish Nail Art Shop on Etsy.
8. If you feel like it, add a layer of a purplish holo jelly over the lightning bolts to give them a slightly glowy effect.
9. Top coat and you're ready to go scare some children!

Polishes used:
- Pure Ice 'Superstar' (white creme as base)
- piCture pOlish 'Altered state' (purple duochrome holo)
- Quo by Orly 'Lilac lust' (light pink-purple creme)
- Essie 'DJ play that song' (magenta-purple creme)
- Finger Paints 'Pop art purple' (neon magenta-purple creme)
- Nails Inc. 'St martin's lane' (dark magenta creme)
- Quo by Orly 'Infused' (neon purple jelly)
- Cult Nails 'Nevermore' (black creme)
- Assorted acrylic paints (black, purple, white)