SILVER Swoon

Unwrap the career story of Daniela Blahova, the nail stylist & visionary behind this month’s stunning Scratch cover

ALEX FOX REPORTS

Daniela Blahova

slovakia native, Daniela Blahova, entered five Nailympia London – Division 2 online competitions this year, and was thrilled to scoop three gold medals: in the Runway Nails, Reality Nails and To Stiletto & Beyond categories. She also achieved a silver medal for her Design Nails for an Album Cover creation. These results have cemented her skills and sky-rocketed her into Division 3 for future Nailympia competitions. her skills and sky-rocketed her into Division 3 for future Nailympia competitions.

Adding sparkle to her accolades, Scratch approached Daniela and requested to use her entry into the new Nailympia category for 2025: AI Nail Vision Poster, to adorn this issue’s front cover. We’re living in a world where AI is trending and featuring prominently in our lives, and given the buzz surrounding the topic, this category may be controversial to some. However, the purpose of AI Nail Vision Poster is to explore what is possible and how it can be delivered using the tools now readily available. It’s not necessarily a sign nor prediction of things to come, but an artistic exploration that allows the user to engineer an image of beauty with depth, dimension and twists from a fresh perspective.

Looking at the entries into this inaugural category for Nailympia, it was interesting to see how AI was utilised. For example, some competitors crafted the entire image using AI, while others started with elements that were then built upon and sculpted using AI tools. For her entry, Daniela chose the former route, which resulted in a placing just one point behind the bronze medallist.

Introducing Daniela Blahova

Discovering a fascination for embellishing nails at an early age, Daniela was pushed in the direction of nail grooming when her enhancements for high school prom swiftly lifted and fell away. Desiring long-lasting wear and clean structure, yet unable to take time out to enrol in live classes, Daniela purchased a nail kit and turned to online learning alongside a full-time job. Using her own nails for practice, Daniela worked hard to improve her sculpting skills and nail decoration, sharing: “When I started, I kept it simple: prep and primer under UV gel, using a hand file and shaping mostly square nails. Now, I prepare my nail canvas more precisely, using both prep and a base, and my nail creations last considerably longer. My cuticle work has vastly improved over time, and I’ve transitioned from creating square shapes to long almond enhancements.”

On the subject of colour theory, Daniela cites: “I choose colours based on my mood by collecting various palettes online and spending hours refining them. However, I often return to my favourite pinks or styles with plenty of sparkle. For nail art, I began using basic gels and acrylic paints, before I discovered dedicated nail art gels and pigment mixing. My designs are sketched in a notebook and the materials are chosen to fit the plan that emerges: from UV gel to L&P acrylic or plasteline gel to sculpt and mould.

“I’ve recently committed to learning airbrushing techniques for more complex designs, to aid speed and create various finishes.

“Competitions are motivating, as they offer clear goals and feedback. I find joy in the process.”

Entering Nailympia has helped me evolve my repertoire, as I focus more heavily on the 3D look – particularly since submitting an entry into the To Stiletto & Beyond category. Social media also plays a big role in my nail work, as it’s so easy to explore new trends and ideas from around the world. Using AI tools, I can quickly visualise concepts before bringing them to life.”

When asked what nail art adds to her life, Daniela notes: “I love that nail styling lets me escape reality and dive into creativity. Competitions are motivating, as they offer clear goals and feedback. I find joy in the process: the transformation of an idea into a design. Watching a concept develop step-by-step into something beautiful is always deeply satisfying.”

Competition fever

“I first competed at Nailympia London in 2023 in the Invent a Nail Shape category (now called To Stiletto & Beyond),” recalls Daniela. “I didn’t know what to expect and I scored 57 out of 140 points, which was disappointing. However, it taught me that there’s always room for improvement. That experience encouraged me to study, practice and grow. Each competition since then has shown me how much progress I’ve made and how far I can still go.”

Preparation is key to success in the competition sphere, as Daniela has found. “Preparing for Nailympia takes over your life once you make the commitment to compete,” she shares. “Once I decide to take part, I look for inspiration everywhere: in daily life, social media, conversations with fellow nail artists and friends. I sketch ideas and refine concepts until the vision feels complete. This constant creative process keeps me focused and inspired until competition day.”

For the Nailympia London 2025 Runway Nails category, the theme of ‘Self-Portraiture – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly’ saw Daniela create a deeply personal and emotive entry.

The To Stiletto & Beyond category at Nailympia London 2025 had a theme of ‘Cultural Identity’ and Daniela chose to highlight community and the connection between people and nature in Africa. The piece layers symbols of a guardian with a spear, a child harvesting alongside their mother, portraits shaped like the continent and animals. Beaded, crystal and floral details refer to festive adornment. The goal was a clean, respectful story that is readable both from a distance and up close.

“Nailympia has given me clarity and taught me to think about my designs through the eyes of the judges: to not just see what’s being generated by me, but to look from different perspectives.”

The road to success may be cobbled – however, when combined, perseverance, skills and an imaginative mind can reward the hungry. Daniela shares: “I’ve taken part in Nailympia London three times. In 2023, I didn’t place but gained valuable experience. A year later, I placed third in Reality Nails, third in Design Nails for an Album Cover and first in Mixed Media Boxed Art. I really value the Nailympia score sheets, as the judges’ comments give me clear guidance on how to improve. This year, at my third Nailympia London, I earned a beautiful collection of medals – my reward for staying motivated and enduring many sleepless nights!”

The driving force that fuels the need to compete may be different for every individual; however, for Daniela, it’s direction. She asserts: “Nailympia has given me clarity and taught me to think about my designs through the eyes of the judges: to not just see what’s being generated by me, but to look from different perspectives. I’m more systematic in my approach and focus on the details that make the results cleaner.

“Competing has showed me what to prioritise: making the design readable in photographs, understanding the judging criteria and working in stages,” Daniela continues. “I’m grateful that work I create from my homestead can stand on an international stage. Now I’ve moved up to the highest Nailympia division, I’m even more motivated to improve and refine my art skills, and I’m already making plans for Nailympia London 2026.”

Em Da

@emdanails

Daniela’s entry into the Design Nails for an Album Cover category at Nailympia London 2025. The theme was ‘Folk Music’ and she focused on Slovak folklore, combining ornaments from different regions and depicting folk musical instruments.

“I look for inspiration everywhere: in daily life, social media, conversations with fellow nail artists and friends.”

Cover creation & styling

With a passion for discovering how AI can expand artistic boundaries, Daniela entered Nailympia London’s AI Nail Vision Poster category this year to challenge herself and see what was possible. “I had already experimented with AI tools and was fascinated by the ways they can help visualise creative ideas,” Daniela explains. “My goal was to create the most realistic AI Nail Vision Poster entry possible – one that looks like a real photograph, yet keeps the nails as a clear focal point.”

Choosing ChatGPT to refine and adjust the creative direction through interactive feedback, Daniela fashioned the image through multiple rounds of adjustments. “After experimenting with Midjourney, I decided to use ChatGPT’s image generation capabilities, as they aligned more closely with my expectations,” she confirms. “I spent time tweaking lighting, composition and realism to create a hand that looked natural, with lifelike nails, skin texture and an elegant posture. Once I had the base image, I enhanced it for print by upscaling and fine-tuning colour and clarity.

“I was inspired by my wn nail looks because I love sparkle and silver paired with clean simplicity,” Daniela continues.

“The nails in the image are symbolic for me, since I was wearing milky nails with crystal accents in 2024, when I received my first Nailympia London medals. To accessorise, I chose shimmering elements, and I composed the hand so that both the hand and nails are clearly visible. The woman’s eyes are closed, as if briefly lost in thought, adding softness and femininity. I chose a black background to make the sparkle stand out and give the image a subtle winter feel.

“The biggest challenge I faced was achieving a realistic hand with five clear nails,” Daniela continues. “AI tools can sometimes create unexpected or imperfect results, so I experimented with different prompts and visual adjustments until I achieved a look that matched my expectations. It took many rounds of refinement, but each iteration brought me closer to the result I wanted.”

Daniela adds: “I always write my ideas down, then expand on them over time. For this project, I explored different directions to find a ‘wow’ moment that shows what AI can achieve when guided by artistic vision. The message I wanted to convey was ‘calm feminine beauty’, alongside the power of detail.”