Create a conversation-starting manicure with this swallow tattoo design

Swallow tattoos have a special history. The birds represented in this art are hardy migrators, and their yearly return to places like San Juan Capistrano, California, makes them a favorite among bird enthusiasts. Sailors, too, exalt these graceful birds. Many sailors have swallow tattos because they, like the migrating bird, have spent thousands of miles at sea.

Swallows are associated with hope, loyalty and devotion because they mate for life. Adding a swallow to your manicure requires a steady hand and attention to detail, but the end result is worth the effort. This tutorial covers each step, so you can show the world what you love as well.

Materials
- White opalescent gel polish (not shown)
- UV or LED lamp (not shown)
- White gel paint (Mission Control, Fizz)
- Dotting tool
- Fine detail brush
- Acetone (not shown)
- Paper towels (not shown)
- Blue gel paint (Canni, #611)
- Red gel paint (Mission Control, Power Up)
- Black gel paint (Mission Control, Over Drive)
- Yellow gel paint (Mission Control, Solar)
- Flat art brush

Instructions
1. Paint the nails with two coats of white opalescent polish, curing it between coats with the UV or LED lamp.

2. Dip the large end of the dotting tool into the white gel paint, and then create the swallow’s head and body.

3. Switch tools and use the fine detail brush to add the bird’s wings and forked tail feathers. Cure the wet paint with the lamp, then clean the brush with acetone and wipe it onto a paper towel.

4. Add blue gel paint to the upper portion of the bird’s head as well as its tail feathers, then cure the paint with the lamp. Clean the brush once more as described in step three.

5. Paint the swallow’s belly red. Be careful not to cover all the white paint. There should be a small amount of white visible between the blue and red paint. Cure the wet paint with the lamp again.

6. Clean the brush, then outline the wings and paint the feathers using black gel paint.

7. Outline the rest of the design with black paint as well Cure cure it with the lamp.

8. After cleaning the brush, paint the upper portion of each wing yellow. Cure the paint with the lamp again.

9. Clean the brush once more, then add a black dot to the head for the eye and add a beak as well. Cure the wet paint with the lamp.

10. To give the wings more dimension, brush a small amount of black paint onto the top edge of each wing, then drag the paint downward slightly. Cure the paint once more.

Your beautiful swallow is now complete. Stay pretty!