With the Olympic trials in full swing and the 4th of July right around the corner, I decided to get patriotic with my nail art this weekend! I searched for a quick and easy way to wear all 3 colors of the American flag and decided that splatter paint would be the perfect (and easiest) way to do it!
What you’ll need:
- 1 paper plate (Thick or waxed paper plates work best. Foil is also an option)
- Tape and scissors
- A couple of Q-tips
- Nail polish remover
- 1 straw cut in half. Using a shorter straw will give you more control over the splatter.
- Any 3 nail polishes colors. I chose an opaque white, and shimmery red and blue nail polish to add some sparkle and dimension. (Orly: Softest White, MyFaceCosmetics: Bellbottom Blues, Sally Hansen: Red Carpet. Available at Beauty.com)
How to Splatter Nail Paint:
- Paint your nails opaque white and let dry. Starting with a white base allows the other colors to show.
- Take a strip of tape and wrap around the finger just under the cuticle. Take another piece of tape and wrap from one side of the nail all the way around to the other side. Taping will make cleanup much easier.
- Now comes the splatter! Place a few drops of polish onto your paper plate and dip one end of the straw into the polish (hold a few seconds to make sure the polish covers the entire hole of the straw).
With your nail on the plate, place the straw about 2-3 inches from your nail and use a quick breath to blow out the polish. This part is important… pretend you’re enunciating the word “two” instead of blowing with a “hoo.” Repeat for all 10 nails. - Repeat step 3 with your second polish color.
- Once you’re done splattering polish, remove the tape. Dip the Q-tip into the nail polish remover and use it to clean up the excess polish. Finish with a good top coat like Seche Vite.
That’s it! This 4th of July, show a little pride with this easy nail diy! Or… if you want to celebrate another holiday, country, flag, or special event~ just switch out the colors! 
Have fun!
Follow me to see more fun beauty reviews, tips, and tutorials like this!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin
Follow on Bloglovin
Kate
May 2, 2013
Any tricks for directing the splatter? I had a very pretty paper plate and too much polish on my fingernails- however this was my first time trying it and it worked out pretty well. Thanks!
PrettyGossip.com
May 6, 2013
Sorry, I don’t know how to control the splatter, but I think that’s the fun of it.
if you’re missing the nail too much, I’d suggest getting closer to the nail with the straw. Good luck and don’t forget to tag me when you share your photos!!! I love Instagram (@prettygossip) and love seeing photos on there. 
Lacey
April 26, 2013
I tried it and I love it…also get tons of compliments on the nails! A bit messy if you don’t use the tape(which I didn’t) so I suggest using it! But still love love love!
Pilar Martinez
April 13, 2013
Muy bueno. Me gusta mucho el modo en que se expone. Un abrazo!
Emma
April 6, 2013
I’m 12 and i just thought i would do research on how to do nails differently than i ually do… so i will defanitly try this onee.. Thanks so much
PrettyGossip.com
April 7, 2013
Glad you found it! What colors will you be using?!?
Laura Cornelius
April 6, 2013
I found the post and it’s AMAZING! I need to try this and your giraffe nails. So nice meeting you at Lucky Fabb!
PrettyGossip.com
April 7, 2013
Great meeting you too! Going to do a giraffe nail tutorial soon
thank you for visiting and can’t wait to see your nails! Tag me on Instagram!!! (@prettygossip)
SARAH
March 14, 2013
I LOVE IT!!!
Kennedy
January 26, 2013
I LOVE all of these nail tutorials! It’s given me TONS of new ideas instead of just painting my nails. All my friends loved the spatter paint! I always show them this website! Today I used silver as my under coat, and black and blue as the spatters! It’s so pretty! Thanks so much!!
PrettyGossip.com
January 26, 2013
easy, fun, and pretty is the best! glad you tried it and love it. have you seen my latest nail look on instagram and facebook?! it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day! thanks for visiting and commenting!
Ella
January 20, 2013
About to do it I’m so exited!!!!:)
PrettyGossip.com
January 21, 2013
Good luck! It’s so much fun.
Treasure Mustache :3 (@mustaches4evah)
November 25, 2012
DO NOT use paper plates i learn6ed this the hard way!!!! the pantihose tip was great tho
Aubrey
January 25, 2013
Why can’t you use paper plates? What can you use instead? PLEASE HELP.
PrettyGossip.com
January 25, 2013
She probably used a thin paper plate and the nail polish and/or remover soaked through causing damage to the table. I used a heavy duty paper plate which was okay. As for remover, you really have to be careful. I recommend never using on or near furniture. Good luck!
Aubrey
January 26, 2013
Thanks. I’m really bad at painting nails. I’ve been trying to find some way I can stop getting polish all over the area around the nail. I can do other people’s nails very well, but not my own. It’s REALLY frustrating. BTW, I’m 12.
PrettyGossip.com
January 28, 2013
Practice makes perfect! I’m still practicing… But sounds like you’re ahead of the curve if you’re only 12! Good luck~
Kathrine
November 2, 2012
Can’t wait to do this, thanks alto this was beet helpful!
priyanka giri
October 29, 2012
i tried my best
Lizzie
September 12, 2012
I am going to give this a go I tried the nail marbelling once and it didn’t turn out good as the nail polish dried really quickly
PrettyGossip.com
January 25, 2013
If you want to try an easy marbled look… try this: http://prettygossip.com/2012/10/06/how-to-marbled-nails-easy-waterless-mess-free/
Good luck!~ xoxo
alora
August 25, 2012
I cannot wait to try this jaynee. yay
Chelsea
August 14, 2012
This is so cute! Going to try it out, perhaps with different colors that I have at home already but it looks so good! Thanks for sharing
PrettyGossip.com
August 19, 2012
So glad you’re going to give it a try. Just make sure to get enough polish on the straw and use a short quick breath!~ Good luck and I hope you’ll visit again soon.
ri
July 24, 2012
I love it and I am thinking of trying the bloody nails for Halloween.
ri
July 24, 2012
I did it to my mine and loved. Thanks!!
r
July 5, 2012
I am going to try it my friend did it and wanted to try it
Holli
July 3, 2012
I just tried this. For whatever reason, the polish would not stick to the straw and therfore would not splatter. I got an old pair of pantyhose and cut enough to stick the straw in to cover the end and taped it to the straw. Worked much better. I tried to do this to my toes as my 4th of July pedicure – unless you are a contortionist this is challenging!
PrettyGossip.com
July 3, 2012
Love your creativity with the panty hose!! Please please please visit often and continue to comment with great suggestions like this one! Have a great Fourth of July! Xo
jack
October 28, 2012
lol
Tips!
July 3, 2012
I did these and LOVED them! Here are a couple tips:
1. Use CHEAP nail polish, you will use a LOT of it so don’t waste your favorite bottle!
2. Thin the polish down with some acetone before spilling some in a little puddle. This keeps the nail polish from drying too quickly and becoming clumpy.
3. Clean the end of the straw about every few nails. The polish will dry on the end and you won’t be able to blow it out as smoothly.
4. As someone else suggested, instead of blowing air – say “Two”. The “T” blows it out quickly and efficiently.
5. I topped mine with a clear polish with glitter in it. It makes it look more polished.
Great article, by the way!
PrettyGossip.com
July 3, 2012
GREAT tips!~ Thanks for sharing your experience and tips with other Pretty Gossipers. Love it. Yes, I think I responded to one of the comments that saying the word “two” works best. Flute players will totally get this right away.
Thanks for visiting and commenting. Hope you’ll visit often. xo
Meg2424
July 2, 2012
I was not very happy with the results of this project. It was very hard to get the nail polish on the straw & it was very messy. I followed all directions correctly and everything.
PrettyGossip.com
July 3, 2012
Hi! I’m so sorry to hear that you weren’t happy with the results. I’ll be sure to post other nail tutorials that you can try out! Hopefully, you’ll have a better experience with those.
Thanks for reading and commenting~
Stephanie
June 30, 2012
Yes my sister loved them!! She now wants me to do her toe nails like her nails also.
PrettyGossip.com
June 30, 2012
haha. Glad she liked them!~ Have a great weekend. xo
Stephanie Nichole Andres
June 29, 2012
I did this on my little sisters nails and at first it didn’t work so I put the straw in the blob of nail polish for about 10 seconds and did it again and it worked great!
PrettyGossip.com
June 30, 2012
Great work! Yes, it’s important to make sure that the end of the straw is covered in the polish.
Well done!~ Hope your little sister loves the look. Thanks for commenting and I hope you’ll visit often. xo
Ann
June 29, 2012
That looks awesome. I’m pretty sure I can’t do it so can I come over!
PrettyGossip.com
June 29, 2012
Haha. Its so easy I’m sure you could do it, but yes (!) come over anytime for a nail makeover! You can give me a fashion makeover!
Lin Keats
June 28, 2012
Looks fun! Going to give it a try with my daughter today!
PrettyGossip.com
June 28, 2012
Yay! She’s going to love it and have so much fun!
Heres a TIP: blow as if you’re saying the word “two.” I found that works better than just blowing air.
Claire
June 26, 2012
I tried this and it turned out really well! The only thing I changed is that I took the brush of the nail polish and put a little dab of nail polish directly into the straw, it worked a lot better for me than dipping for whatever reason. Hope I helped!
PrettyGossip.com
June 26, 2012
Thanks so much leaving such a great suggestion. I’ll def have to try out dabbing the brush directly onto the straw next time I try it out!~ Hope you’ll visit often!
Sitney
June 26, 2012
I tried this on my sisters nails and it didn’t work.. It came off as big blobs. Is the straw not short enough or am I using to much air??
PrettyGossip.com
June 26, 2012
I’m not sure how short of a straw you’re using, but I cut my straws to about 2-2.5 inches. Also, try having the straw further away from the nail when you blow into it with short strong breaths. I’m hoping this will get rid of the blobs. I initially had to get the hang of it before the blobs became artful splatters!~ Good luck and please let me know how it turns out! xoxo
thechichicho
June 26, 2012
That is such a great idea! Thanks for the tutorial.
I saw ppl doing it online and I was wondering how this could be done
PrettyGossip.com
June 26, 2012
I was shocked at how easy it was. Just remember that you have to cut the straw to a shorter length and use a short quick breath to blow out the polish! Practice a few times on the plate before doing on your nails. Good luck and let me know how it turns out!~ xo
Melanie
June 26, 2012
Very cool! I will give it a try
PrettyGossip.com
June 26, 2012
let me know how it turns out!~ thx for visiting and commenting.
K
June 26, 2012
Would this also work with a glitter polish?
PrettyGossip.com
June 26, 2012
Hi! Great question. This works great with polishes that have shimmer (blue polish I used), or even tiny particles of glitter (red polish I used). If you want to use a nail polish with larger glitter pieces, it may just be better to splatter the color(s) you want then put on a coat of the glitter polish.
Hope this helps!~ thanks for gossiping with me!
Sheyla
June 25, 2012
I did this for Halloween (bloody nails) and I’m definitely doing it for 4th of July. Thanks for the addition of blue.
Take care.
PrettyGossip.com
June 26, 2012
so happy to hear that you’ll be sportin’ this look on 4th of July too! It’s such an easy nail diy… I think I’ll be doing this with many color combinations! Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment. xoxo
R
July 24, 2012
I think I might do bloody nails for Halloween!!
PrettyGossip.com
July 24, 2012
Awesome!
Riy
February 10, 2013
I love it. It worked