Leopard print does not go out of fashion for years, appearing everywhere: on clothes, interior items, and even dishes. So why not recreate leopard print in a manicure? Moreover, this seemingly intricate design can in fact be easily reproduced at home, fits perfectly on nails of any length and shape (including looks great on short and pointed nails), and takes very little time.
You don't need any special tools - a leopard manicure can be easily done with improvised means if you have minimal artistic skills. I did all these variations of leopard manicure myself at home, and you can also repeat them with the help of this tutorial. :)
Manicure options with leopard print
To help you refresh your memory of the desired pattern and have a good idea of what you have to recreate on your nails, I have prepared a small collection of leopard prints to use as a sample.
Print samples
As you can see, leopard print manicure can be done in different colors, as well as with different frequency and size of the pattern - more on that below. And right now we will sort it out with you classic (black-brown) leopard manicure on short nails.
For a classic leopard manicure you will need:
- Nail polishes, 3 pcs. uki: light brown; dark brown; black
- Toothpicks, 2 pieces
- Scissors
- Palette (any surface that you don’t mind getting dirty, even a sheet of paper. In my case, it’s a sheet of polyethylene)
- Base coat, top coat (optional)
Leopard manicure step by step
0. Standard preparatory step: do a hygienic manicure, apply base coat to protect nails (optional).
1. Apply to nails light brown background, if necessary - in several layers.
2. Let's prepare toothpicks. We will need one toothpick for drawing large brown spots, and one for drawing smaller black details. Therefore, we take one toothpick and cut off about 3 millimeters from its end with scissors - thereby we will make the tip blunter and wider, and it will give wider spots on the nails. Cut the second toothpick (for drawing black details) by 1 millimeter from the end.
3. Let's start creating dark brown spots. We drop a drop of dark brown varnish onto the palette, dip the first (heavily trimmed) toothpick into it and, using trampling movements (not smearing! Because this is not a brush), imprint spots of arbitrary shape on the nail. Remember to leave enough space between the spots (we will still need to fit the black elements in there).
4. Finally, we complement the manicure black leopard pattern elements. Take a second toothpick (with a thinner tip), drip it onto a palette of black varnish, and draw the following elements on the nails:
- "Brackets" () : Around some of the spots we draw semicircular elements similar to brackets on both sides.
- "Half-outline" C : We outline some of the spots along the contour approximately half - three-quarters of the perimeter, so that we get black elements shaped like the letter “C”.
- "Underline" | or ) : Apply some of the spots on one side with a short black stroke. It can be straight or rounded.
- "Black Blots" ~:in the remaining large gaps we apply small black strokes or spots of arbitrary shape (from two or three “stuck together” dots).
As a result, you should have one of the elements a-c drawn around each dark brown spot. The remaining spaces are filled with elements d. Once this step is complete, your nails should have the desired "leopard" look.
5. Leave the finished leopard print until completely dry, then apply fixing coating or clear varnish to protect the design and ensure long wear.
Congratulations, you are now the owner of stylish leopard print nails!
(You can see other photos of this manicure in .)
Playing with colors and sizes
As I said above, in a leopard manicure you can vary the colors, as well as the size and density of the spots of the leopard pattern.
In case of flowers the rule is as follows: you take any light varnish + any varnish of a darker color + black or very dark varnish. The first of them will go on the background, the second will be used for spots, and we will complete the details with black. The first two polishes can be swapped, but make sure the light polish is strong enough in color to be visible against the darker background.
If you want to experiment with frequency and size of leopard spots, toothpicks should be replaced with a set of purchased dotters or any. With their help, you can draw spots of any size - both bolder and smaller and more frequent.
Here are the results of my own experiments:
1) Leopard print manicure in purple tones with a small print. Varnishes used: lilac, violet, black; A paper clip (for stains) and a stationery pin (for black parts) were used as dotters. More photos of this manicure.
2) Black-red-silver leopard manicure with large spots. Varnishes: silver, red, black. The dotters used were a thick ballpoint pen (for red spots) and a trimmed toothpick (for black parts). Big photo .
Varnishes: blue, black. The spots were drawn with a toothpick. Scotch tape was also used to create smooth black tips. Big photo .
4) White and blue leopard manicure with small spots and a gradient. The peculiarity is that in front of the leopard print there is a light blue gradient superimposed on a white background. Unfortunately, the light blue varnish turned out to be so light that it is almost invisible in the photo. If you still see blue-white background transitions on your screen, keep in mind that this is due to a gradient (how to apply it is described).
Varnishes: white, light blue, light blue, black. The print was drawn with a paper clip and a toothpick. Big photo .
The features of this design are that, firstly, the leopard print is not placed on the entire surface of the nails, but in pre-selected areas; secondly, to soften the overall color scheme of the manicure by mixing all varnishes with white. The varnishes were mixed before application, on a palette, in a 1:1 ratio (one drop of colored or black varnish + one drop of white), and stirred with a toothpick. The result was dull spots framed by gray. Although, if you have muted color varnishes in your arsenal, you can do without mixing.
Varnishes: white, black and several colored ones. The print was drawn with a toothpick. Big photo .
6) Dark manicure with colored spots based on leopard print. Of course, there is little left of the leopard here, but the principle of creating a manicure is the same. As in option No. 4, a color gradient is made on the background, which gives a shimmering effect. Next, multi-colored spots are applied using the leopard print technique. When applied over clear varnish/fixer, a Murano glass effect is achieved.
Varnishes: black, dark pink, orange, yellow, green. The spots were drawn with a toothpick. Big photo .
Many girls have a leopard print swimsuit or dress in their wardrobe. It is not surprising that leopard nail designs are also in great demand. Even beginners can recreate a tiger print on their nails. This manicure looks equally good on short nails and long ones.
Don't mistakenly assume that animal prints(leopard, zebra, etc.) can be decorated exclusively in natural colors. They can increasingly be seen in completely unexpected designs. The spots can be a calm beige or stand out in a bright red color. Each fashionista decides for herself what color she wants to create a leopard print manicure.
How to make a spotted nail design
First, decide how you will make such a design - using regular varnishes or gel polish. Of course, in the latter case, the pattern will last much longer, delighting you with its beauty. Nails can also be anything - any length, any shape, extensions or natural.
After this, carefully prepare your nails. Remove the cuticle and treat the side ridges. File your nails, moving the file strictly in one direction so as not to injure the plate. Sand the plates with a buff if you decide to use gel polish.
Next, prepare the varnishes you need, an orange stick or a thin brush and acrylic paints. Everything should be at your fingertips. It is worth noting that if the ornament is drawn by hand, then it looks more elegant and natural. But if you don't have experience, then ordinary varnishes and an orange stick are suitable for starting.
Consider the option with gel polishes:
As you can see, there is nothing complicated here. If you wish and have the necessary materials, you will quickly master the technique of applying an animal print to your nails.
Leopard print jacket
You can make a French version with “leopard”. It looks stylish and elegant. You can make it with rhinestones. Only rhinestones should be added in small quantities so as not to overload the nails.
An office option might look like this:
- Get a classic manicure.
- After the base, apply the main calm shade (beige or soft pink).
- Highlight the smile area with animal spots.
Or make a classic version of the French jacket, but decorate the ring fingers on both hands with an animal print.
And for a holiday or party, make a bright leopard-print jacket. Do you like to be the center of attention? Then the main color will be red. But remember that both red and animal print are a little aggressive on their own. Don't overdo it or create an off-putting design on your nails.
Requirements for short and long nails
Of course, any animal print looks attractive on long nails. But owners of short nails shouldn’t be upset either. They just shouldn’t cover all their fingers with such patterns. It is enough to decorate two fingers with it, adding stones or sparkles to the design.
At the same time, the shape of the nails can also be any - round will add femininity to the image, and square is more durable. Therefore, the form is selected individually, depending on the girl’s preferences.
Manicure with stamping
Stamping is a unique technique with which you can transfer a variety of designs to your nails. Animal ornament is no exception here. You will need to buy a stamping kit, which includes:
- several boards with different images;
- silicone or rubber stamp;
- scraper;
- special varnishes with high pigmentation.
But it’s better to purchase all this separately, because you will need a board with a certain image.
It will be very easy to do a manicure using this technique. But you must first practice transferring the design onto artificial tips, since the special varnish dries quickly - you have no more than ten seconds to transfer the image. Then the already dried varnish will not adhere to the surface of the stamp or nail.
Of course, these are far from the only ways to create such an interesting and individual design. Acrylic modeling paired with “leopard” is also used. And if you don’t want to spend a lot of time with drawing or stamping, you can buy special stickers with the image you want. Nowadays you can even order sliders with a specific image.
Transferring the sticker to the nail is easy, but it will require some skill. To make the gel polish sticker last longer, you need to cover it with two layers of top coat. By the way, with its help you can diversify your manicure. The top comes in glossy and matte finishes. With each of them, the same manicure will look different.
Don't be afraid to experiment and recreate the most unexpected designs on your nails. Show your individuality and imagination.
In recent seasons, animalistic nail art has become very popular among fashionistas. Leopard print manicure deserves special attention, as it gives the image expressiveness, catchiness and sexuality. He can act as a bright accent.
The real trend of this season is leopard manicure 2018. It is used by many stylists; when creating original nail art, they are guided by the following fashion trends:
- extreme variety of color palette. On the eve of summer, bright, saturated colors become especially relevant, and one tone or a combination of several at once can be used;
- Design solutions that are as close as possible to natural shades are also in demand; these are those that resemble the coloring of a leopard, beige, brown, muted yellow and orange;
- When applying fashionable nail art, a variety of design options and techniques can be used. This could be a leopard-print French manicure, lunar design, ombre, the use of glossy and matte finishes, shiny powder;
- When creating such nail art, it is recommended to carefully consider what wardrobe items you plan to wear it with. It will go well with plain items or with items containing a similar print. If the clothes contain any other pattern, for example, it is better to refrain from choosing such things, since the image may turn out to be overloaded.
Leopard manicure 2018 – trends
Leopard manicure for short nails
Short nails will look more catchy if a neat and beautiful leopard manicure is applied to them. There are such variations of this type of design:
- the pattern can completely cover all nail plates;
- can be located only in certain areas, for example, on the side surface of the nail;
- can alternate with a single-color coating, which will be applied to several fingers.
Leopard manicure for long nails
You can create an extremely impressive look if you use elongated leopard nails to complement it. They can be issued using the following methods:
- covered exclusively with animal prints;
- made in the form of a jacket, and the spots can cover both the tip and the main part of the nail;
- a similar design can be used when creating lunar nail art;
- Since long nails provide a lot of scope for realizing your wildest fantasies, they can contain all sorts of additional decorative elements. These can be rhinestones, sparkles, kamifubuki, shiny powder.
Leopard Manicure Ideas
Stylists, when creating leopard nail designs, use a variety of design solutions. Among them are the following:
- the animal print can be located on the entire surface of the nail plate or only in a certain part of it;
- the design can be combined with some other design, for example, a green cat’s eye drawn on one nail will look very interesting. As a stylish detail, there can be an image of an animal on one of the fingers;
- leopard manicure can be effectively decorated with rhinestones, sparkles, and sequins;
- the spotted print can be made in different shades, either close to the natural coloring of the leopard, or in bright saturated colors, for example, red, blue, pink;
- The usual jacket or jacket, decorated with spots, looks very original;
- The combination with gold looks extremely impressive.
Leopard Manicure Ideas
A leopard print manicure can make your look incredibly catchy and attractive. The drawing can be made using different techniques; it comes in the following variations:
- all nail plates can be covered with spots and contain the same design;
- spots can be voluminous, applied using a glossy or matte finish;
- the base and the design can match in color or be drawn in similar shades or create an effective contrast.
Manicure with leopard pattern
Leopard manicure with rhinestones
To make a leopard print nail design even more spectacular, stylists use rhinestone decoration. The following placement options are allowed:
- rhinestones can completely cover one finger, often the ring finger; the rest of the nails do not contain them;
- with the help of rhinestones a certain area can be highlighted; they can serve as a border between the main part and the tip when creating a French manicure, between the hole and the base when applying a moon leopard manicure;
- a design or pattern can be laid out with rhinestones, it can be a vertical line separating different types of images or coatings, original curls.
Red leopard manicure
A leopard print manicure with red will be truly luxurious; it is perfect for complementing evening looks and will attract everyone's attention. Among the variations in its design are the following:
- Specks that are depicted on the basis of a different color can be drawn in red. At the same time, it is recommended to choose restrained pastel colors as a background, similar in color scheme, for example, raspberry; a black or white base will look good;
- Some nail plates may be painted red, while others will contain an animal print.
Leopard French Nails
A very stylish and original variation of the usual French manicure is the French leopard manicure. It can be formatted using the following methods:
- the main part is painted in pastel, seasoned tones or completely transparent, and there is an animal print at the ends;
- it is possible to combine a spotted pattern at the tips with a bright base, in which case you will get an incredibly catchy and memorable leopard print manicure;
- the main part can be painted in leopard colors, and the tip can be made in some solid color, often black.
Leopard manicure with holes
Lunar nail art can also be made in an extraordinary design, this is a leopard manicure with gel polish or applied using a regular coating. Common design solutions include the following:
- the holes may contain a spotted pattern;
- there may be a classic transparent hole combined with an animalistic one on the main part;
- All kinds of colors can be used to draw the hole: black, white, yellow, orange, red and other shades.
Black leopard manicure
One of the interesting ways to create a leopard-style nail design is to use two coatings to apply it: glossy and matte. At the same time, this design looks extremely impressive in black. The following variations are allowed:
- glossy leopard spots applied to a matte base;
- coating the nail plate with gloss, and on top there are spots made with matte varnish;
- leopard black manicure can be combined with other elements, for example, rhinestones, transparent stripes, gold powder.
Pink leopard manicure
Leopard print nails done in pink shades look extremely feminine and romantic. Common design techniques used in their design include the following:
- a pink base is relevant, which can be made both in muted light pink shades and in the brightest shades, such as rich pink or crimson. In this case, spots painted in red, black, white or some other tones are applied to it;
- Another option would be a leopard print nail design, which involves applying pink spots on a base of a similar color or some other shade.
Leopard is a bright print that gives the image a little predatory, sexy and charm. It has long ceased to decorate only clothes, but gradually moved to numerous details: shoes, accessories and nails. So noticeable and beautiful, many people find it too difficult to perform on their own. If you figure out how to do a leopard manicure yourself, then everything will turn out to be much simpler than it initially seemed.
Basic tools for creating a manicure
Before you start painting the much-coveted leopard spots on your nails, you need to prepare in advance all the necessary tools that will be needed in the process.
Lucky
The first is a set of varnishes. You need to immediately decide which color will become the base, and which color the spots themselves will be. Making leopard print nails that are closer to the classics by choosing brown tones, or choosing contrasting tones is a matter of personal preference. A white base looks good - absolutely all colors go with it, and the spots do not have to be the same color: it will be original if you make them different and bright. Besides them, a leopard is unthinkable without black varnish.
Thin brush, needle, toothpick or special manicure pen
A large set is available to choose from, depending on what is more convenient to work with. All of them are required for one purpose - to draw spots and frame them in black. In this regard, a manicure pen is one of the most convenient tools; you can buy it in any specialized place, but even with improvised means, leopard nails will turn out no worse.
Animal print - step by step instructions
Making a leopard print manicure at home is easy. A little free time, desire and accuracy - and soon bright animal spots will appear on your nails. 
If you didn’t succeed in making a beautiful leopard the first time, don’t despair! Constant training and careful execution will soon help make your manicure indistinguishable from a professional one. And if someone asks the question of how to do a leopard manicure without resorting to outside help, you can safely say - on your own!
Fashion goes in circles, bringing forgotten trends back into modern times. This wave-like popularity is also typical for leopard manicure. The number of admirers of the most beautiful natural patterns is constantly growing. But ardent opponents of the print claim that there is a certain impudence and even vulgarity in it, because the spotted cat’s disposition is not at all timid.
Nail service professionals race to create new interesting designs and improve existing ones. Transformations also occurred with leopard manicure. It came back to us in completely new colors. And each of them has a different mood! Take a closer look at the updated color solutions and choose the one that suits you best!
Leopard print on nails in new colors
Golden leopard manicure
Gold on nails is trendy in 2018, so any inclusions of precious metal will make the manicure modern and original. These can be specks on a gold base or shiny dots, and even a sparkling outline.
Leopard print design in silver tones
Silver is no less (or maybe more) popular in nail design and clothing. In the metallic variation, leopard print takes on a completely different mood. The intelligence of silver completely erases any insolence from the familiar form.
leopard
The combination of delicate pink and fashionable gray is no longer new, but quite persistent. It has been approved by stylists several years ago, but women have not yet had time to play with it enough. Therefore, such a connection is perceived almost as classical. read a separate publication about on our website.
Green leopard spots on nails
Turquoise, emerald, mint, aquamarine and even herbal shades will look good with a pattern. The manicure is particularly soft. And in the modern concept of combining shades, it is quite universal.
Blue leopard manicure
Make leopard spots on a rich blue surface to add a new and noble touch to the design.
Pink glamor
The color pink has many shades: from a glamorous hot pink to a romantic nude. Leopard skin in a purely feminine color looks really unexpected! Use two contrasting pink colors or complement it with turquoise, blue, mint or beige for other on-trend print variations.
Beige leopard print on nails
Nude shades make the design gentle and romantic. This manicure is suitable for girls with a gentle and calm disposition. It will go perfectly even with dresses in a romantic style.
Purple Extravaganza
The fashionable purple color symbolizes feminine mystique. The shade of the base can be completely different: from dark purple to light lilac.
Leopard print manicure: ideas and forms
Matte plus glossy
The symbiosis of a matte base and glossy spots creates a feeling of soft contrast. The design technique is simplified, the provocative notes of coloring evaporate.
Gradient and specks
The graduated transition on the records has established its position in the lists of the year. We described how to make a smooth transition of shades in one of our publications. For the base, you can choose both calm shades and bright ones! What's your mood today? Reflect it in your manicure!
Rainbow leopard print
Can't choose a color for your leopard print nails? Confused by the abundance of shades? Then use them all together! Create a rainbow manicure with colorful specks. But remember that in this case the base should be calm and neutral, and the outline of the spots should be a classic black color.
Leopard print jacket
Almost every design exists in French form. Do you think classics cannot be successfully combined with leopard? You are wrong, look at the photo!
Leopard and rhinestones
Shiny pebbles can be a great addition to the design. The non-standard print palette is free of vulgarity, so a few sparkling elements will be acceptable, especially for festive events.
Two prints
Just a few years ago, combining clothes with different prints (for example, stripes and polka dots) in one look was considered the height of bad taste. But today we see that the rule of using colors separately is not so strict. For example, the leopard print on the nails in the photo quite successfully made friends with the zebra. 
Leopard print heart design
The newest invention of the designers is a “heartfelt” variation of leopard print, which will be especially relevant for Valentine’s Day. The technique for making the spots is identical, the only difference is that they take the shape of hearts. Intermittent strokes highlight the design. In the photo, the bezel is made in black, but you can choose another one.
