How to Build Steady Brush Control for Nail Design

Once the brush hits the nail, control shows. If you have lines, it shows you aren’t steady. If you have curves, it shows you are applying too much pressure in some areas. If you have bumps, it shows you have a shaky hand. This is one of the steps that can be frustrating for new nail artists, as your hand isn’t cooperating with what you want it to do. Don’t worry about designs right now, let’s talk about brush control.

Let’s start with the basics. Let’s practice the motion of picking up your brush, placing it on the nail and drawing a straight line from cuticle to tip in one motion. Use a striper brush (very thin brush) and a small amount of polish. Attempt to draw a line from cuticle to tip in one motion. Don’t worry so much about getting a straight line as you are about applying the same amount of pressure throughout your stroke. If your line is getting thicker and then thinner throughout the stroke, then you are applying too much or too little pressure in those areas. It takes a while to judge the amount of pressure to use, but you will get the hang of it.

One thing you might be doing that you need to stop doing is trying to correct your line while you are still drawing. This will cause your lines to be wobbly and it causes you to apply too much polish to the nail. If you are going outside the lines, finish the stroke and then correct. It is better to start over than it is to try to fix as you go. You will end up with a worse looking line if you try to correct as you go.

Try practicing your lines (and later your curves) for 15 minutes without using any color combinations or embellishments. Practice on your nail, or a nail tip. Repeat the same motion over and over and over again. As you finish each stroke stop for a second and look at it. Where did you get too much polish? Where did you hesitate? Then try it again. Don’t overthink it, just do it.

When you attempt your curves, don’t just try to maneuver your brush into a curve. Use your wrist. Rotate your hand slightly as your move your brush. This will help you loosen up and prevent your hand from tensing. If your hand is tensing, your lines will be broken and shaky. Loosen up your grip and see if that doesn’t make a difference.

Another thing to pay attention to is how much polish you are using. If you are using too much polish, your lines will be thick and uncontrollable. If you are using too little, the brush will drag and skip. You need to find a happy medium. If you are dragging, add a bit more polish. If your line is too thick and running all over the place, use a bit less. As you practice, you will get a feel for how much polish to use.

The better your control, the better your nail art will look. You need to have good lines in order to be able to embellish them. So don’t give up. With a little practice a day, you will soon be drawing better lines than you ever thought possible.