Sometimes inspiration hits me between the eyes when I least expect it. *Ouch* Hehe…
Originally I was just going to do some nail stamping with Bundle Monster Image Plate BM-206. But when I finished my nails, the more I looked at the pattern, the more I thought about Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles! (I used to watch that show with my brother when I was little.)
The nail-art light bulb turned on. Eureka! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Nails were born!
From index finger to pinkie, let me introduce you to the pizza-eating-ass-whooping-sewage-dwelling crew: Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo.
This design is extremely easy to do, and it’s pretty fast to do, too. However, the one major drawback of this nail art is that it requires lots of different polish colours.
But…for those who have the supplies, I’d love for you to try it out and show me how yours turn out! 🙂
And before I continue…I have one very important thing to say: Heroes in a half shell! Turtle power! 😛 Haha, I’m such a nerd, I know…
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Swatches
All swatches have:
- Nubar Foundation Base Coat
- 2 coats of OPI Gargantuan Green Grape
- Turtle Shell: Nail stamping using Konad Special Nail Polish in Green & Bundle Monster Image Plate BM-206
- Face: Nubar Forest (Green)
- Eyes: OPI Alpine Snow (White) & China Glaze Liquid Leather (Black)
- Donatello’s Mask: China Glaze Grape Pop (Purple)
- Leonardo’s Mask: China Glaze Aqua Baby (Blue)
- Raphael’s Mask: Rimmel Rapid Ruby (Red)
- Michelangelo’s Mask: China Glaze Papaya Punch (Orange)
- Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
Direct Sunlight
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Natural Light
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Flash
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*~* Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Nail Tutorial *~*
What I Used:
- Nubar Foundation Base Coat
- Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
- OPI Alpine Snow
- OPI Gargantuan Green Grape
- Nubar Forest
- Konad Special Nail Polish in Green
- China Glaze Aqua Baby
- China Glaze Grape Pop
- China Glaze Liquid Leather
- China Glaze Papaya Punch
- Rimmel Rapid Ruby
- Konad Stamper
- Konad Plastic Scraper
- Bundle Monster Image Plate BM-206
- Daniel Stone Dotting Tool #1
- Piece of foil
Step 1: Apply a Base Coat
Step 2: Paint Your Nails a Light Green
I chose to use OPI Gargantuan Green Grape, which is a nice, minty green that goes on opaquely with 2 coats. Then wait about 20 minutes or longer to make sure that this is fairly dry. If you get impatient and start stamping onto this when it’s still wet, it’ll ruin the manicure and you may have to start over.
Sorry that I don’t have a swatch of Gargantuan Green Grape to show you. Originally I wasn’t going to do TMNT nails and was just going to do nail stamping. So I didn’t think to take photos of each step like I normally do for tutorials.
Step 3: Stamp the Circular Pattern from the Bundle Monster Image Plate BM-206 onto Your Nails
I used a medium-green stamping polish (Konad Special Nail Polish in Green) so that it would stand out on the minty green base. When you’re done this, wait about 5 minutes to give the pattern a chance to dry a little.
Tip: If you’re new to Konad and Bundle Monster, you may want to check out my Nail Stamping Tutorial where I have step-by-step instructions and photographs that show you how easy it is. (I actually wrote that post when I was a beginner at nail stamping, so it includes tips and tricks I discovered through trial and error.)
P.S. I know that one of the Bundle Monster image plates has an actual turtle-shell pattern (BM-215), but, I used this stamp already and actually, I like these circles better – they look more cartoony to me anyway. But feel free to use whatever stamping design you want to.
Step 4: Paint the Tips Dark Green
I used Nubar Forest because it’s dark green without looking black. And it’s highly pigmented with a smooth formula to boot! 🙂
Wait about 10 minutes to let this dry a bit before continuing to the next step.
Step 5: Add the Masks
This is the fun part because you get to use 4 different colours!
From left to right, I used China Glaze Grape Pop (purple), China Glaze Aqua Baby (blue), Rimmel Rapid Ruby (red), and China Glaze Papaya Punch (orange). You’ll want to choose similar colours that are opaque within 2 coats and that have a creme finish. Stay away from jelly finishes because they won’t show up well on the dark green.
Try to keep the lines as straight as you can and not too thick. Ideally, you want the masks to be like the purple one (and not the blue one, which I made too thick).
You may need to apply more than one coat to ensure opacity. Once you’re done painting these, wait around 5-10 minutes to let this dry a bit.
Tip: You may find it easier to hold the polish brush on one side of your nail and then just turn your nail while keeping the brush in place. I find that gives me a smoother line. But do what you find works best for you.
Step 6: Start the Eyes
Add a few drops of white polish onto your piece of foil. Then use your dotting tool dipped into the polish to create the whites of the eyes on all the masks.
Wait about 5 minutes before continuing to the next step.
Tip: It’s best that for each dot, you re-dip your dotting tool into the polish. If you don’t, you could wind up giving one of them a cataract, like I did to one of the buzzers from my Bee Nails post.
Step 7: Add the Pupils & Give Your Turtles Sight So They Can Kick Ass & Take Names!
Add a few drops of black polish onto your piece of foil. Then use your dotting tool dipped into the polish to add the pupils. You could make them look at each other, stare at you (like I did), or give them crazy eyes. Their sight is in your hands…and well, on your hands (err…nails)! 😛
Wait a good 10-15 minutes before proceeding to the next step.
Step 8: Add a Top Coat
Step 9: Eat Pizza
Please do this only once your nails are completely dry and set! 😛 I love nail polish, too, but not to eat!
Design Ideas for Thumb Nail
- Slice of pizza – Paint a triangle & then use your dotting tool to add red ‘pepperoni’
- Turtle-shell pattern – You could also just add nail stamping
- Female TMNT – You could add a new character & imagine that it’s a female
Well, I hope you found these TMNT nails fun or funny! 🙂 I had a good time painting this.
Oh, and if you want to listen to the theme song to get you in the TMNT mood, check out this video of the theme song. 😀
Who was your favourite ninja turtle? Would you take fighting lessons from a big rat in Japanese attire? 😛 Did this bring back some good memories of your childhood?
This is seriously awesome!! Lots of good memories and my fave was Michaelangelo. “Cowabunga, dude!” 😀
I thought you’d have Master Splinter or Shredder on your thumb. Actually, that gross looking blob that’s the mastermind villain would be easy to draw. Krang was it? Ooooh, or you can do the villains on the other hand, Bebop, Rocksteady, Krang and Shredder! Must. Have. Bundlemonster. Now.
Hey Carmela!
Glad you like it! 😀 I was pretty excited to share this design with everyone because it’s pretty different than the other nail art I’ve done in the past.
Splinter or Shredder on the thumb would’ve been awesome.
Yes! Get your Bundle Monster image plates! 😉
I can’t describe how much I love this idea! So adorable! It brings many good memories back into sight. I must try this out!
In history class we used the turtles as a way to remember Renaissance artists. I was proud of myself for knowing all the names beforehand.
Katie recently posted: A dupe comes at a high price: L’oreal Ocean Breeze
Hey Katie!
Yeah…the good ole days. 😉 Life was carefree.
Oh, please take photos when you try this design. I would love to see how yours turn out. 😀
Will do! This post is convincing me I need those stamping plates! You’re such an enabler! 🙂
Katie recently posted: A dupe comes at a high price: L’oreal Ocean Breeze
Haha, it’s fun to enable others. Haha, but I just don’t think your wallet likes me. 😛
too cute!
imfeelingnail-venturous recently posted: My 350 Follower Giveaway Winner!!
Hey imfeelingnail-venturous!
Thanks! 😀 It was fun to do!
Not too sure how you remember all the TMNT sayings but thanks for another successful trip down memory lane 😉
I can honestly say that I had a major pre-pubescent crush on Donatello. Purple is my favourite colour and his weapon of choice was the bo staff (which later on becMe my favourite during my short stint with kempo-arnise karate) 😉
I love how you used that stamp as the shell design! 🙂 you’re so creative!!! 😉
Marta recently posted: Smurf Nails…minus the Blue
Hey Marta!
Hehehe…awww…that’s cute you had a crush on him! It’s so cool how you tried out karate! Actually, I wanted to try it after watching the Karate Kid as a child, but just never did. Do you still remember any of the moves?
Unfortunately I don’t remember any of the moves (it was a”while”back) and most of the moves were performed and learned in the air (almost dance form-ish) I wish I had retained more. Ahhh the carat kid and mr miagi! :)))
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Yeah, the moves are really like dance moves. Hehe, in The Next Karate Kid, I remember one part where Mr. Miyagi tried to teach Julie how to dance by teaching her karate…hehe!
I *love* these! 😀 This is the completely random stroke of genius that keeps me believing in nail polish gals and their endless creativity!
Cowabunga!!
I hope it’s OK I link to this from my blog – it’s just too great to not share! 🙂
Hey Lina-Elvira!
Oh my gosh! *Blush* Thank you SO MUCH for saying that! I’m worried that it’s gonna go to my head now, but that was such a huge compliment! 😀 You’re really helping to motivate me, and I appreciate it.
Sure, you’re more than welcome to link to it. 🙂 Thank you so much for wanting to share it with others. I really hope that people try these out – it’d be cool to see how each person puts their own spin on things.
P.S. Cowabunga! 😉
I love this!! What a stroke of genius! 😉
Becky recently posted: Ultimate Purple Glitta Layering
Hey Becky!
Hehe…aww…that’s so sweet of you to say! I guess standing beside a tree with a kite while it was raining and thundering really paid off. 😛 Haha
What a GREAT idea!!! My hubby will love this!!! Thanks for the step by step!!!
Hey Christine!
You’re welcome! I’m glad that you’re going to try doing this, too. Let me know what your husband thinks! It’ll be fun to get a man’s perspective on this design. 😉
This is SO SO SO SO cute!! My best friends LOVES Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, so I MUST do this design for her! 😀
Hey Ruthe!
Oh, that’s perfect! Maybe you could have a makeover party and do each others’ nails. So much fun!
Most of my friends are men, so I don’t often get the chance to have makeover parties. I did, however, paint some of their nails and Konad it up, but it’s rare…hehe…obviously. Maybe a future post will feature their nails. Need to get permission first. 😉
Radical! Righteous! Bodacious! Totally tubular! And, in so many other words SUPER FRIGGIN’ CUTE! I love this. I even called my boyfriend over and made him say how cute it is. : D
Hey Aren!
Hahaha – that’s hilarious how you showed this to your boyfriend! Hope he got a kick out of it, too. 🙂
I know I’m late but I love this! I used to watch this too with my little brother. And I have seen all the movies I was forced to watch them many times over again, haha but I loved them. I have not seen the recent one though. Too bad you couldn’t do April. Now I’m hungry for some pizza. hahaa
Cowabunga, dude!!!
Hey MissMidnightBlue!
It’s never too late to get in on some TMNT action! 😀 Glad you could make it!
Actually, I don’t think I’ve seen any of the TMNT movies, just the original cartoon. Brings back many great memories of when I watched it with my older brother. 🙂
Yeah, if I did April on my thumb nail, that would’ve looked cool.
COWABUNGA to you, too! 😉
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Nice! Thanks for sharing my TMNT nails on this site! 🙂
AHHH!! I love this! 😀 I adored TMNT growing up. My favorite was Donatello. I always loved the nerdy superheroes. 😉
You’ve totally inspired me. I’m going to have to try this.. and soon!
Hey CupK8!
Yes, please do try it – these are ridiculously fun to wear and I’m sure you’ll keep looking down at your nails. It’s so nice to have little ninja turtles gazing back at you throughout the day. 😀
omg i love the ninja turtles ! to do a ninja turtles nail art is since i began lacquing on my to-do-list (and a pikachu/pokémon nail art too)…
i never had a favourite turtle but my least fav was leo… idk why but for me he was always the less “mutated” of them. raphael was the beau gosse, donatello was smart and michelangelo was gay (in my view he was always gay… maybe cuz the artist michelangelo was gay or because he wore a yellow mask…which is actually not gay at all but okay…) and leonardo was just normal 🙁
my aunt has a pet-turtle named donatello 😀 i tried but he doesnt like pizza 🙁 nothing comes close to the real TMNT 😀
Hey Greta!
How cute that your aunt named her turtle Donatello! Hahaha, you tried to feed him pizza? Hilarious! Now her turtle needs to befriend a rat in the sewer, learn how to become a crime fighter, and y’know, easy stuff like that. 😉 Hehehe!