Taking the Time to Appreciate Nail Art

Thailand is home to many talented artists, but one hardly hears about the work of a humble nail artist creating wonderfully detailed (temporary) art right on your fingertips. Nail artists are hardly appreciated by anyone other than the women who routinely get their nails done. But the amount of dexterity and minute eye for detail to produce intricate portraits or even ladybugs on a canvas no larger than your fingernail (literally!) is no small feat. 

The ability to blend and mix nail polishes to create the perfect consistency to be able to draw accurately is a skill in itself. But far too often, nobody pays attention to the amount of skill that goes into achieving these works of art. Even though most nail artists are self-taught, it doesn’t take away the talent needed to produce such fine artwork. The amount of effort and skill devoted to something that will eventually crack or be scratched away is quite disproportionate. But that’s also why they should be cherished because the existence of a piece of work is finite, which makes it all the more precious. 

It boggles the mind that a piece of Monet is valued much more than what a nail artist can do on a much smaller canvas. Nail artists are the epitome of showcasing the absolute perfection of the human body. It is a sum of man’s ability to pursue perfection and the intricate ability to focus one’s body to produce such finely detailed work and the fine motor control involved in producing such work. 

The next time you pop into a nail salon, be sure to tip your nail artist generously because what he (or she) is doing is as much a piece of art as Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.