Before & After: Pointillism

Hello!

This week in the Llama Nails 'Inspired By Artists' challenge, we're on Georges Seurat. Seurat is an impressionist who used a technique called Pointillism, which is the use of very small brushstrokes, often just dots, to make paintings. I've seen some of his stuff up close, and it's amazing what he manages to do with just teeny little dots.

I wanted to start off with a nude-ish base so that I could try to do something pretty over it, but I still wanted the base to be pretty too, because I knew it would be visible. So I started with a base of Julep Cassie, a soft peach creme that is near nude against my skin:

Julep Cassie, direct sunlight (two coats with topcoat)

Then I decided not to self-sabotage too much, and set about making a flower with itty-bitty dots. :) Here's how it turned out:

For the background nails, I used Finger Paints I Spy-Der; for the flower petals I used Finger Paints Itsy Bitsy Spider, Julep Joanna and Impala Alegria; and for the center of the flower I used Zoya Jancyn and Julep Nadia.

I never thought this type of painting was easy--I was always pretty darn impressed by it. But attempting it, even in this ridiculously simple format made it clear to me the sort of talent that goes into assembling something beautiful from little points of color. There is no blending, except what your eyes do from a distance. And keeping the dots the same size? Oh, just forget it. I thought that since I've had a little experience with dotting tools at this point in my nail art career that might help--no way no how. It's crazy talk, I tell ya. In fact, the more I look at it, the more I think I should have pretended I was making a sunset, lol! So this was a fun and informative exercise into this type of painting, and even if it didn't come out quite like I saw it in my head, I do like the effect and I'm pretty happy with it.

Don't forget to check out the other manicures inspired by Seurat, linked below! And thanks for taking a look. :)

Hugs and love,
M.