November 25, 2014

Florentine Endpaper Manicure


I just love marbled papers, I can easily go crazy in a stationary shop! One of the best things about opening a really old hardback book is getting to see the gorgeous marbled end-papers on the inside of the cover. I decided that it wouldn't be too hard to recreate the look of old florentine marbled paper with the water marbling nail art technique. I think the most important trick of getting the right look is to choose the right colors. The easiest way to do this is to find an image of a paper you like the look of and then use those colors almost exactly. I really like how this manicure came out!


I used:

-Sinful Colors Unicorn
-China Glaze For Audrey
-Revlon Chic
-Sinful Colors Calypso
-China Glaze China Rouge
-Maybelline Color Show Bold Gold


Base color, Sinful Colors --
You all know how to water marble right? I mentioned it before in my malachite nail tutorial




Make your life easier when it comes time to clean up by wrapping scotch tape around your nail

Dip your nails in those swirling colors

I actually double dipped for this look, that is I marbled once, and then again for a layered look

Once your lovely marbled nails have dried, drop some of a mid-tone color ( Revlon's Chic) onto your "palette" and take a large sized dotting tool (or a disused ballpoint pen) to dot on some blobs of color randomly

Literally just add some misshapen dots and blobs to get that random marbled look
See, not perfect, just blobs

Once those blobs and dots have dried, add the final touch! shining metallic golden flecks. I used the smallest of my dotting tools but you could also use a toothpick or similar.

Add topcoat and your done!


I hope you like this fun vintage end-paper inspired manicure, you guys are book lovers right? Sorry to those of you who couldn't care less about nail art, I can't help but see ten tiny canvases! I promise I'll get back to the sewing room now....

2 comments:

  1. Show-stoppingly beautiful works of nail art. I too have always been taken with the marbled end paper that is to be found in many a vintage book and just adore that inspired you to such a degree.

    ♥ Jessica

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you Jessica! The look took a while to achieve, but was worth it in the end! :)

    ReplyDelete

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