SCRATCH COLUMNIST

Art with Jark

Scratch Stars Hall Of Fame pro & founder of Jark Nails, JIAK HING, shares a masterclass in gel polish design to elevate your artistic offerings

ABOUT JIAK HING

Jiak Hing is a bespoke nail artist from Bolton, Manchester. She specialises in unique, illustrative nail art under the business name, Jark Nails, and has scooped multiple industry awards, including the Scratch Stars Gel Polish Stylist of the Year accolade in 2022, 2023 and 2024. These three wins granted her entry into the Scratch Stars Hall Of Fame for the category. Jiak is committed to producing innovative and intricate nail art, and credits gel polish for offering creative freedom. The versatility of the medium allows her to experiment with a spectrum of colours and bring her artistic visions to life. She hopes to inspire nail professionals to step out of their comfort zones, embrace creativity and try new skills and techniques.

.OUT & ABOUT

I was delighted to represent the Moyra UK team at its pop-up event in the Manahatta bar, Nottingham. Organised by brand owner, Vonny Tuckley, the event featured workshops led by brand educators and ambassadors. Attendees enjoyed goody bags, a pop-up store, networking and plenty of hands-on learning. It was such a fun and inspiring day!

Follow Jiak: /jarknailartisan @jark.nails @jarknails

PARTY TARTAN NAIL ART

November marks the start of party season, with work events, Christmas gatherings and festive outings filling calendars. It’s the perfect time to embrace bold and vibrant nail art designs with sparkling twists.

This tartan shimmer nail style is fun, elegant and pairs beautifully with a black tie event outfit. The colour contrasts make the design pop, and tartan is a timeless autumn/winter pattern – seen everywhere from fashion to festive tablecloths.

You will need:

• Champagne-coloured or white cat eye gel polish.

• Jelly gel polishes in teal green, lilac-pink and blue.

• Gel polishes in green, blue and yellow.

• Glossy gel polish top coat.

Step 1 Prep the nails and apply a coat of Champagne-coloured or white cat eye gel polish. Cure, apply a second coat and use a magnet to gather a line of shimmer in the centre of each nail. Cure.

Step 2 Using a teal green jelly gel polish, paint two vertical lines in different thicknesses near the sides of the nails and cure.

Step 3 Paint over the remaining stripe of Champagne-coloured or white cat eye gel polish on all nails using a lilac-pink jelly gel polish. Cure.

Step 4 Use a blue jelly gel polish to paint a horizontal line across the nails. Cure, and witness the tartan pattern beginning to take shape.

Step 5 Paint a fine line above the blue shade using a green gel polish. Cure.

Step 6 Paint thin, vertical lines either side of the lilac-pink stripe using a blue gel polish and cure.

Step 7 Use a yellow gel polish to paint two lines – one vertical and one horizontal – across the nails and cure. This will complete the tartan pattern.

Step 8 Apply a glossy top coat and cure to finish.

Vary the placement of the stripes across the nails for an eye-catching finish.

TOP TIP

Cat eye gel polish is a trending art element this year, which adds light-catching shimmer to give designs depth and dimension. Keep tartan designs classic with red and black hues, or experiment with contrasting shimmer shades to match your client’s personal style.