Competition Fantasy 3D and Boxed Mixed Media
The art of 3D is an amazing skill that teaches you about patience, dedication, emotions, comfort zones, deadlines, problem solving, research, skill and most importantly: family support.
Just writing about the experience of creating an entry piece for a competition is a roller coaster of emotions! There are times when you feel accomplished and then in the next moment, you want to throw in the towel and ugly cry yourself to shame and completely give up! All that said, is it worth to persevere and follow through? You might think your entry is incomplete or simply not your best work, but it could be an amazingly outstanding piece to someone else- like a judge! You will always learn from the experience, whether you come out on top or not. And that’s the real reward.
So what is competition 3D, fantasy and boxed mixed media? It’s a competition designed to challenge nail technicians of all levels by giving them the opportunity to push their skills to the limit- outside of their everyday work life in the salon. There are several categories of entry for every competition arena. From aspiring (nail tech of two years or less), novice (never won before) and veteran (have won a previous competition at that event). A novice entry would have half the amount of work that a veteran submission would. For example: three to five nail tips vs. five to ten nail tips.
Competition rules also vary with each one you enter. My personal favorites are 3D, boxed mixed media and fantasy. Typically in boxed mixed media you can have a set of rules that will give you height restrictions forcing you to make figurines as small as a quarter or less. In others, you can have no limits and the sky’s the limit! You can incorporate the mounting board in your piece to make your entry come to life! All of these rules present challenges, which will force you to think outside of the box- pun intended!
In the competitions, 3D sculptures are made solely out of nail products with a given set of rules. These rules vary with each competition you enter. Your job as an artist entering is to interpret the theme in your own way- which allows for so many different ideas and directions! The judges love to be wowed by creativity and uniqueness. Some will allow you to use a small percentage of embellishments. 3D sculptures are securely attached to nail tips. Depending on which competition you entered for, boxed mixed media for example the tips are secured on a board or a shadow box. In fantasy, you must pre-make 3D figurines and place them onto 10 nail tips and then apply them to your live model at the show within one hour. Some of the most common categories to compete in at the trade shows are salon success, extreme shapes, gel polish application, hand painted design (no texture), bling or glamour, photographic, lashes, 3D mixed media and fantasy.
This is a piece I entered at Nail Nation Expo in 2017 and that won 1st place Veteran. The theme was Coney Island Warped Reality and it managed to score perfect tens across the table, which the judges there had never seen! I called it, “Theme Park of Death: One Last Ride Before You Die.”
For me, my passion for 3D art began when I took a class with Angela Beer in May of 2015. We made little pieces of sushi, leaves, water globes and even a Starbucks green tea frappuccino that was the size of a nickel! I had no idea that such a craft even existed before this, I was blown away. From that point on, I was hooked and wanted to keep learning more. The first thing I did was join a Facebook group called “3D Fanatics.” It’s a group that focuses on this particular art form. From there, I challenged myself to take part in their monthly challenges so that I can hone my skills in hopes that one day, I too, like Angela, would compete at a trade show.
This is one of the monthly challenges I completed as a part of the 3D Fanatics group.
In 2016, I tried my hand in my very first competition at Nail Masters Canada held in Saskatoon, SK. The theme was “Coffee time.” I managed to place first in the novice category in 3D. I learned so much from making this first competition piece. I learned that your family is so important when it comes to support in creating such a masterful piece. It takes hundreds of hours in research and construction into making one entry. So, to have the people around you understand and be there for you throughout the process is essential. Also, the more time you give yourself, the better! I completed my Coney Island warped reality piece in ten days! Although I did very well with placing first, the stress from that short of a timeline was not fun! As well, the more you think a bit differently to create a unique and skilled piece, the better. The judges love it.
The process of actually creating a fantasy, 3D or mixed media piece is a timely, highly involved journey. It can take anywhere from 200 plus hours of work over a span of two to nine months. Before I even begin sculpting, I usually take about four to six weeks just brainstorming and researching my thoughts and ideas of how I am going to execute my entry. I search on Google, Pinterest, YouTube- I even sometimes spring ideas just from watching the TV or movies. Every category I have entered has been unique to me just from my time researching. The process can teach you a lot about culture, eras and construction. I have learned about old fashioned coffee grinders, the anatomy of a crab, Japanese taiko drums and how they are made, and clay sculpting as well as other arts and crafts. I think this is a really cool aspect of this artform.
Once I have a well rounded idea in my mind, I then start to draw out my thoughts onto paper to help get a better sense of what I am about to create. After that, I move onto deciding how I am going to sculpt each individual piece. For my sculptures, I like to do the majority in acrylic and then paint the pieces using acrylic paints and/or gel paint. For more complex pieces I find the acrylic to be more precise in my fine detail. I will find whatever it takes to help me make what I want! For example, the pocket watch in “Coffee Time” was sculpted by placing clear acrylic in a large dappen dish lid. I’ve also made people starting with wire and leaves from using an actual leaf I just grabbed out of my backyard! To do this, I paint the leaf using gel paint then cure, once fully cured, I pull the gel paint off and voila! A near replica of a leaf, and the detail is incredible! Figuring out ways to create great detail is key as this is how you achieve that wow factor the judges crave.
After all of my individual pieces have been sculpted, I mount my competition tips onto the display board and secure them tightly with pins so that it won’t fall off when it gets moved about while travelling or from being passed around from judge to judge. I then secure all of my figurines carefully with acrylic by placing them as planned to match my ideal diorama. For me, this is the most enjoyable part. I can then see, after all my challenges I’ve endured in creating the piece, if it all leads up to a success in the end or a huge epic fail! Either way, I strive to become better with each and every entry; learning and adapting from them.
In October 2018, I entered this piece as an entry in a theme called “Drumroll,” at Nail Masters Canada. It won me my fifth 1st place entry of competition 3D. I incorporated the Japanese culture with the theme and learned about the Kumi Taiko drum!
The nail competition arena is world renowned and popular amongst experienced nail technicians. It has become my passion to share my own experiences and the process of my work to the newer generation, so that they too can enjoy the rewards that these events and this art form can bring. I truly believe that a nail tech becomes better in their craft by honing their skills in product placement and control, color theory, time management, rule abiding, researching and creativity; all of which you’re challenged to explore as a part of these nail competitions.
The job of competition fantasy 3D and boxed mixed media is always a highly challenging feat. Overcoming all of the challenges that it presents provides a massive sense of accomplishment that’ll have you feeling like a winner- whether you place or not.
