Perfectly even nail designs, the finest color gradients and photo-realistic nail art are created by professionals using the airbrush technique . This special type of paint application offers fascinating possibilities and is also used in art and model making. The technical accessories were patented more than a hundred years ago and have been continuously developed. Even in the caves of the Stone Age, people used precursors of this extraordinary method to create paintings. Today, trends in nail art and nail design can be implemented perfectly and flawlessly in this way. But how does the modern version of airbrushing in nail design actually work?
Airbrush method for perfect nail art
In German, airbrush means Luftpinsel - this word is pretty accurate, because with this technique you “paint” freely or with a stencil like with a brush. However, this is not made of wood and brush hairs, but rather of air pressure and an atomizer gun. At the beginning of the 20th century, this technique was used, among other things, to add color to black and white photos. From the 1950s onwards, this interesting “painting” method was in demand for individual color games with car paint. Airbrushing is particularly popular in nail design because this method enables exceptional, perfect work. The secret to the great effects when airbrushing is the dry-on-dry technique. The color is sprayed onto a dry nail, which is almost dry when it touches the surface. Unlike painting nails, gel modeling or working with acrylic , no wet paints or moistened brushes are used here - color noses hardly have a chance and particularly detailed work is possible. Soft transitions between different colors or very precise lines – you can easily achieve both with airbrush.
- Fascinating effects
- No color noses
- Detailed motifs
- Exact lines
- Soft gradients
Professional airbrush: 3 questions for nail designers Stefanie
Our nail designer Stefanie works in the studio with professional airbrush equipment. The expert answered three questions for us about this interesting painting technique, also known as dry spraying, for the most beautiful nail design.
ND24: What fascinates you about working with airbrush?
Nail designer Stefanie: I like to use airbrush in the studio to create extraordinary nail art and achieve fascinating effects. I love this technique because with professional equipment I can create flawless and realistic nail art motifs - the nails are real little works of art afterwards. I couldn't achieve such great results with my free hand and a brush.
ND24: Can every nail designer work with airbrush?
Nail designer Stefanie: If you want great nail art and are willing to invest some time to learn how to use the tools and colors, you can definitely use airbrush. Of course, you first have to practice using the gun and the compressor and you also have to practice using the colors, but in my opinion it's definitely worth it because of the perfect results.
ND24: What’s your favorite look to create on your clients’ nails?
Nail designer Stefanie: Personally, I love the ombré look, which is super easy to achieve using the airbrush technique and always looks good. What I particularly like about this nail design is the large selection of colors - here every customer will find shades that are suitable for their own personal ombré nail art that suit the season or an upcoming event.
What you need for your airbrush nail design:
To work professionally with the airbrush technique, you need special accessories that you can use for your nail design. The components for this nail design are often offered in airbrush sets , so that you receive directly coordinated products.
- Airbrush gun
An airbrush gun is used for nail design with airbrush - this device looks a bit like a thick ballpoint pen and is held in the hand in a similar way. This painting gun is an atomizer that applies the color to the nail using compressed air.
- Airbrush compressor
A compressor is needed to build up the necessary air pressure and shoot the paint through the airbrush gun . This is connected to the atomizer gun via a hose.
- Airbrush paint
Normal nail polishes, gels or acrylic paints are not suitable for use in airbrushing. For flawless nail art using the airbrush technique, in addition to the atomizer gun, you need special airbrush colors that have been specially designed for this purpose. They contain particularly fine pigments that can be easily applied to the nail with compressed air and whose wonderful colors also have a high level of coverage.
Easy & flawless: airbrush stencils for perfect nail art
If you want to airbrush your motifs particularly cleanly onto your nails, our expert recommends using appropriate stencils . These will help you apply the nail art to the nail as flawlessly as possible - very easy and also suitable for beginners. Applying airbrush stencils to prepared natural nails, painted nails, acrylic or gel nails is quick and easy. Simply remove the sticker from the foil, press firmly onto the nail and then spray it with the desired airbrush color . The sticker is then removed again and the paint can dry. However, when working on gel nails, the sweat layer should be removed with a cleaner before applying stickers and color and the surface should be lightly buffered in order to achieve flawless and long-lasting results. You can create simple geometric shapes like lines and arches, but you can also use animal motifs, dragonflies and butterflies. Ornamental patterns and flowers look elegant and stylish on your airbrush nails.
- Quick & uncomplicated
- Clean nail art
- Flawless motifs
- For beginners & professionals
- Suitable for natural and artificial nails
- Many attractive motifs to choose from
9 steps to perfect airbrush nail art - here's how:
Are you a beginner and want to get the perfect airbrush design on your nails? We'll tell you in nine simple and uncomplicated steps how you can easily create your nail art with airbrush.
- Prepare nail
First, as with any nail design, prepare your fingers accordingly. To do this, old gel, acrylic or paint residues are removed and the cuticles are pushed back. The nail is shaped and, if desired, artificially lengthened with tips or stencils and the nail plate is degreased.
- Create protection
If necessary, you can protect your client's cuticles from the airbrush colors with a cuticle protector. You should wear a face mask yourself.
- Put the compressor into operation
Switch on the compressor according to the manufacturer's instructions and initially select a pressure of around 1.5 bar - especially if you are a beginner, you should work with lower pressure to get used to the behavior of the paint and the gun.
- Fill the airbrush gun with paint
In the next step, fill the airbrush gun with paint - here too, pay attention to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Apply primer
Now prime your prepared nail in several passes and let the color dry thoroughly. This layer of color forms the basis for your nail art. To apply this layer as evenly as possible, you should apply a fine spray mist from a distance of around five centimeters in circular movements. Opt for a wafer-thin version where you let each layer dry individually until you apply the next layer and have achieved the desired coverage - the effort is worth it and will give you particularly flawless results.
- Apply template
Choose an airbrush stencil and apply it to the nail - press firmly so that it has a firm hold!
- Apply contrasting color
Depending on which design you have chosen, you can now fill the stencil or create a classic airbrush color gradient - there are no limits to your imagination. To apply the color as precisely as possible, you can slightly reduce the distance between the spray gun and the nail. However, there should be at least three centimeters of space left in order to achieve flawless results without color streaks. After this layer has dried and another stencil has been applied, you can now apply another layer of a different contrasting color if desired.
- Dry & clean
After applying, let the two colors dry thoroughly. Then you carefully remove the sticker. Now you remove the skin protection and clean any unclean areas on the skin. Et voilá – your perfect airbrush nail design is ready!
- to clean a device
After using the airbrush, clean your device according to the manufacturer's instructions so that nothing sticks and the tool is always ready for use. You should also sort the colors away in a place where they are not exposed to direct sunlight or heat from a heater.
By the way: After airbrushing, you can add more nail art to your nail. Glittering crystals and other decorations make every nail unique!
Our top 3 expert tips for nail art with airbrush
To get perfect results with the airbrush technique for your nail design, we have put together three important tips for you.
- In order to atomize the color very finely on the nail, a higher pressure of the atomizer gun is selected. In order to obtain surfaces that are as uniform and opaque as possible, the pressure is set lower.
- So that the color does not run or even form noses on the nail, it should be applied thinly at first. After drying, another layer can be sprayed on if necessary.
- Choose high-quality airbrush paint , otherwise the color pigments may be too large and cannot be sprayed well, it may contain solvents or you may have to paint over it again after spraying to create shine. The skin and nail compatibility of the products should also have been tested.