Tutorial: Chequered Fingernails

Choose colors first. Choose your two favorite colors or match the season or festival.

Step 1: Choose Color

Color contrast is important. Two identical shades won't look as good. One darker and one lighter color work best for checkerboard nails. White complements everything.

Preparing your nails beforehand will improve your DIY manicure. Clean and shape your nails with a nail clipper and file.

Step 2: Nail Prep

A clear base coat protects your nail from the color polish you apply next. Darker nail polishes require a base coat. Don't color your nails permanently!

Step 3: Basecoat

Paint the left side of each nail with one of your checkerboard colors using a straight nail polish brush.

Step 4: Paint Left Nail

Apply the opposite checkerboard color to the right side of each nail using the same method.

5: Paint Your Right Nail

Over Step 4's color, paint a square on each nail's upper-left corner with Step 5's nail polish. After the first squares dry, reverse. Paint a square on each nail's upper-right corner with Step 4's shade over Step 5's. That's it for a checkerboard effect! 

Step 6: Square

After your squares dry, topcoat your manicure. Clear top coats, like clear base coats, preserve and prolong manicures. It also shines nails!

Step 7: Topcoat

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